Positive Psychology Academy Student Experiences – Neurodiversity & Inclusion (Kath Dunn)

Kath Dunn is a Strengths-Based Practitioner (Neurodiversity & Inclusion) who graduated from the Level 3 Certificate Neurodiversity & Inclusion in 2024. She is also a Professional Member of the Positive Psychology Guild and a PPG Hope Scholar set to research strengths-based interventions for neurodivergent job-seekers. Below is a summary of her experience with PPG to date.

How does training others on the topic of neurodiversity and inclusion link with the work of a careers guidance practitioner?

In 2023 I enrolled for the Positive Psychology Guild’s Level 3 Neurodiversity and Inclusion: Train the Trainer course. I was keen to embrace insight from outside my sector whilst also seeking a course which would enrich my practice, giving me fresh perspectives to assist my growth personally and as a business owner. As someone who simultaneously thrives on having a packed diary, and can become overwhelmed by too much social “noise”, I judged the course to be manageable in terms of time and level.

I hoped the experience would increase my confidence in promoting my services as a careers adviser with a significant neurodivergent caseload. I wanted the course to stretch me. As someone who works across secondary schools, further education and higher education (and has marked undergraduate students’ employability module assignments!) I believe in practising what I encourage my students to do; try things, step outside your comfort zone, ask for feedback and so on. The course offered the chance to demonstrate all of these.

How did the course impact my practice?

I certainly learnt from the course content, aligning my anecdotal experiences of working with neurodivergent customers with the academic knowledge, strong evidence base and academic critique of my reflections. In addition the intersection between positive psychology and careers guidance became increasingly transparent as I completed my assignments, as did the need for the mindful exercising of positive psychology approaches when working with neurodivergent jobseekers.

My reflections particularly highlighted the value of:

• Developing a trusting relationship with neurodivergent clients
• Offering additional time for elaboration, checking and practice
• Careful listening, for hidden skills, hidden ambitions, hidden anxieties and for the authentic voice of the client (in scenarios where families, carers and professionals often share views too)

Moreover these reflections highlighted where the careers adviser skillset can be so beneficial in training other professionals. For so many neurodivergent jobseekers the careers and employability world is a mass of contradictions. As they move into adulthood trusted family, friends, teachers and other professionals share their own perspectives of the world of work including advice on CVs, potential opportunities in the labour market, and on the availability of education, training, funding and benefits. With the privilege of working professionally across educational and employment boundaries I can see where confusion and frustration understandably arise, and how careers advisers can contribute to ensuring currency of information and advice to a wider support community, in a rapidly changing labour market and education landscape.

The Level 3 course directly informed the workshop I created for work-based learning colleagues in university settings, delivered in partnership with ASET. The aim is to maximise awareness and strategies amongst academic teams and support services, increasing the likelihood of neurodivergent graduates progressing to employment after university.

The theme that ran through my reflections at Level 3 was the difficulty my customers have in sustaining hope during their career planning and job search. Sadly so many recount negative school experiences, challenges with building and maintaining relationships and ongoing experiences of rejection in recruitment processes, and the day-to-day intricacies of the world of work.  

What next?

I am honoured to have now been accepted by the Positive Psychology Guild as a Hope Scholar. Rather than assuaging my need for academic credibility I have been inspired to go further, and increase my professional impact. My aspiration is to undertake research into how neurodiverse young people can build and sustain hopefulness as they move into adulthood, with the support of careers professionals and others. I hope this will lead to opportunities to collaborate and share good practice across the careers sector and beyond, adding to the evidence base to help more young people and neurodivergent career planners into employment.

Bio

Kath’s headline strengths are spirituality, gratitude and curiosity. She has worked in the careers sector for 30 years and is a Registered Career Development Practitioner with the Career Development Institute. She runs her own careers consultancy, working with organisations providing careers and employability support to neurodivergent young people and adults, and supporting a neurodiverse caseload of career planners and jobseekers. You can find out more at www.careerswithintent.com or contact her on kath@careerswithintent.com