Support Connect, a UK-based learning support provider, has partnered with Roger Broadbent, director of the Dyslexia Institute UK and Empowerment Passport, to launch THIS IS ME, a digital screening tool designed to identify neurodivergent traits and foster inclusive environments. The tool, aimed at individuals aged 16 and over, empowers employees and students to understand their unique strengths and challenges while helping organisations create neuroinclusive workplaces and educational settings.
Roger Broadbent highlighted the importance of the initiative: “20% of the UK’s population are neurodivergent, that’s 14 million people! Many organisations struggle to provide a fully neuroinclusive workspace, missing out on the support opportunities and skills these people bring. Helping your staff to share more about themselves will help your business to thrive and your staff to feel fully appreciated.” This figure is consistent with estimates from sources such as the University of Bristol, which suggest around one in seven people in the UK are neurodivergent.
THIS IS ME identifies traits linked with ADHD, autism, developmental language disorder, dyscalculia, dyslexia, and dyspraxia. It helps individuals recognise their strengths and challenges, provides insights on working effectively with neurodivergent traits, and enables access to tailored support recommendations. These include assistance from Support Connect’s Learning and Wellbeing Mentors and training in assistive technology. Organisations can also choose flexible support packages, which feature the Empowerment Passport, a digital tool that helps people communicate their support and adjustment needs with confidence.
Although THIS IS ME is not a diagnostic instrument, it serves as a screening resource that promotes self-awareness and encourages productive discussions. Each user receives a factsheet outlining their neurodivergent traits, which can be shared with employers, colleges, apprenticeship providers, or support workers to plan appropriate accommodations. This approach reflects the wider neurodiversity movement, which views conditions such as ADHD, Autism, and Dyslexia as natural variations of human cognition rather than deficits, a perspective supported by organisations including the ADHD Foundation and Cleveland Clinic.
The Empowerment Passport, integrated into selected support packages, provides individuals with a digital record of their neurodivergent conditions. It helps them understand themselves better and share relevant details with others. Its website highlights how the tool enables users to maintain control of their lives in both educational and professional settings, supporting them in advocating for their needs.
The launch of THIS IS ME comes as neurodiversity awareness grows in the UK. Initiatives like Neurodiversity Celebration Week, founded by Siena Castellon in 2018, have called for inclusive cultures that recognise neurological differences. Castellon, who is autistic and has ADHD, dyslexia, and dyspraxia, has emphasised the value of a balanced narrative that focuses on strengths, a principle echoed in the design of THIS IS ME. By centring on empowerment rather than labelling, the tool encourages individuals to say, “This is me, my strengths, and this is the support I need.”
Organisations adopting THIS IS ME can draw on Support Connect’s expertise to introduce reasonable adjustments, in line with the Equality Act 2010. Guidance from Acas confirms that neurodivergent conditions often qualify as disabilities under the Act, entitling employees to protection against discrimination. By offering tailored support, THIS IS ME enables businesses to benefit from the unique abilities of neurodivergent individuals, including creativity and problem-solving, as highlighted by AXA Health’s neurodiversity resources.
