Hull City Council will be marking Neurodiversity Celebration Week by inviting young people in Hull to take part in a creative competition that celebrates neurodiversity.
Neurodiversity Celebration Week takes place from 13-19 March. It’s a worldwide initiative that challenges stereotypes and misconceptions about autism and learning disabilities.
The competition has been held in partnership with Hull Culture and Leisure Ltd and the John Cracknell Youth Enterprise Bank. It will be judged by a panel including Deputy Lord Mayor Councillor Kalvin Neal, local artist and entrepreneur Robert Briggs, student author Luke Garner and entrepreneur Tony Robinson OBE.
The initiative aims to encourage schools to recognise the strengths and talents of young people who are neurodivergent, who think and learn differently, including students who are autistic, dyslexic, or have dyspraxia, dyscalculia or ADHD. It also hopes to help recognise the contribution made by people who are neurodivergent in the workplace and those running their own businesses.
People who, for instance, have dyslexia can be good at problem-solving and focusing on the wider picture, so many people who have dyslexia make great business leaders. Many entrepreneurs consider themselves neurodivergent and it is reported that 20% of the UK’s business self-starters are neurodivergent and 35% of company founders in America consider themselves dyslexic.
The competition challenges young people aged 25 and under in Hull, to produce an image to illustrate at least one of the conditions that come under the neurodiversity banner. Young people and schools can then submit them to Hull City Council and post them on their social media accounts, using the hashtags #NeuroDiversityWeek and #HullNDW23 #NCWeek #NCWeek23.
Last year’s winners came from Northcott School, Chiltern Primary School, St Mary’s College, Oakfield School, as well as a young entrepreneur Georgia Wormald of Fairytale Face Paints.
The judging panel will be chaired by Councillor Rob Pritchard, who will choose the individual three winners. They will receive cash prizes and the educational establishment with the overall best entries will receive £250 from the John Cracknell Youth Enterprise Bank to go towards celebrating next year’s Neurodiversity Celebration Week.
The winners will have afternoon tea with the Lord Mayor and have their images exhibited.
Councillor Rob Pritchard Cabinet Member for Communities said: “As a person with dyslexia myself, I am delighted to be chairing the judging panel for this competition to celebrate Neurodiversity Week 2023. I’m looking forward to seeing some great entries from the young people of Hull.”
“At Hull City Council, we believe it is important to raise awareness and encourage openness around neurodiversity. We recognise that as an employer ourselves, we must create an awareness as to the benefits and strengths of neurodiversity in the workplace. We are also delighted to be working with Neurodiversity in Business so that we can become a neurodiverse-friendly employer and service provider.”
Tony Robinson OBE, Microbusiness Champion and Patron of John Cracknell Youth Enterprise Bank said: “As a person with dyspraxia, I am delighted that the John Cracknell Youth Enterprise Bank are sponsoring this competition to honour Neurodiversity Celebration Week, especially as the founder is neurodivergent.
“Many leading entrepreneurs including Richard Branson, Bill Gates, Lord Sugar, Anita Roddick, Jamie Oliver and IKEA founder Ingvar Kamprad are neurodiverse, clearly showing that it is no hindrance to success. Together we can celebrate all those in our community who are neurodiverse, after all we are human as well and deserve reasonable adjustment.”
Neurodiversity Celebration Week has over 1,400 schools and 685,000 students worldwide signed up to celebrate through themed events, guest speakers and raising awareness. The week is endorsed by over 20 charities and hundreds of businesses and organisations also take part, including the Stock Exchange, the U.K. Ministry of Defence, the Royal Navy, Deloitte, Savills and AstraZeneca, as well as local authorities like Hull City Council.
Entrants can email their submissions to charles.cracknell@hullcc.gov.uk. Alternatively, they can be posted to:
FAO Charles Cracknell
Neuro Diversity Celebration Week Competition
Hull City Council
Guildhall (Room 22D)
Alfred Gelder Street
Hull
HU1 2AA
The competition will close on Tuesday 14 March and judging will take place on Friday 17 March.
