College Admissions for Neurodivergent Students 👩🏾🎓👨🎓| Clinical Psychologist | Writer ✍️ | Keynote Speaker 🎤
🏫 DCU has long been a part of the Top College Consultants database of #neurodiversity-friendly #colleges and #universities at https://lnkd.in/eqGBAa9 - and now they're doing even more. DCU reports: Plans have been unveiled to make Dublin City University an even friendlier campus for #autistic staff and students with the launch of a new Quiet Space in the Henry Grattan building on the university’s Glasnevin campus. Adam Harris, founder and CEO of AsIAm, joined DCU staff and students to launch the space. The initiative is part of the DCU #Autism Friendly Project, which aims to support and celebrate students and staff who are on the autism spectrum. In January 2016, DCU launched the first phase of the project, implementing a series of initiatives to meet the identified needs of autistic staff and students. These projects included the development of an Autism toolkit for students, Autism friendly open days, and the installation of three sensory pods. In 2018, DCU was designated the world’s first Autism-Friendly University. In 2021, DCU launched the first ever Autism-Friendly University Design Guide, developed in collaboration with global expert Prof Magda Mostafa, a world leader in the field of architectural design. The guide was created through a year-long series of virtual engagements and workshops with key stakeholders, including staff, students, external organisations, advocacy groups and other key partners. Students from DCU’s autistic community completed a sensory audit of the campus for the Design Guide, with findings showing a need for quiet, sensory-friendly spaces. The design of the new Quiet Space in the Henry Grattan building was led by the Guide’s findings and recommendations around acoustics, touch, wayfinding and lighting. Ahead of the launch, DCU Autism Friendly University Coordinator Fiona Earley said: The second phase of the DCU Autism Friendly Project began this year, and will focus on building capacity to support autistic employees, and on piloting an indoor navigation app with a dashboard that informs users of current noise levels, location of noisy and quiet hotspots, and on the location of the new quiet zones on campus. The development of the Henry Grattan Quiet Space was supported by the UCB Community Health Fund and Codex Office Solutions. Speaking ahead of the launch, Claire Brading, the General Manager of UCB UK & Ireland said: “Codex has been a proud sponsor of DCU’s Access to the Workplace programme since 2019 so we were delighted to take on the project of developing an autism-friendly ‘escape’ space here in the Henry Grattan Building,” said Kate Nelligan, Codex’s Head of Furniture and Interiors. AsIAm - Ireland’s Autism Charity Fiona earley #AutismSupport
