BECG led a working group of planning professionals to deliver the Neurodiversity in Planning – Engagement Toolkit, launched in Spring 2021.
The Toolkit provides seven principles to guide how to make planning consultation accessible to a neurodiverse audience, recognising that we are all affected by the built environment and we should thus all have a stake in how it is managed and developed. The working group sought input from an array of neurodivergent voices and neurodiversity experts in producing the Toolkit.
Neurodiversity is the concept that all humans vary in terms of neurocognition, encompassing conditions such as autism, dyslexia and ADHD, as well as certain acquired types of neurodiversity. Over 15% of the UK’s population is neurodivergent.
Part of the Toolkit’s intention is to start a conversation, and our panel introduced and discussed the Toolkit, sharing their experiences relative to neurodiversity in planning and discussed on how we can make planning as accessible as possible.
Chairing the session was Dr Nancy Doyle, Founder of Genius Within – a social enterprise who help neurominorities maximise their potential and work to their strengths. They reviewed and input into the Engagement Toolkit.
Our panel speakers included:
• Nicola Laszlo, Planning Directorate, MHCLG
• Paul Kallee-Grover, MBE, Group Planning Director, The Leith Group
• Jenny Offord, Co-founder of Neurodiversity in Planning
If you want to discuss this topic further then please email Krystian Groom or call on 020 3697 7646. Alternatively, you can watch the webinar with transcript here.
To develop the toolkit, BECG led a working group of planning professionals. Alongside Krystian Groom, Alex Smith, Will Balme and Charli Edwards of BECG, the working group included Jenny Offord (Neurodiversity in Planning), Jan Bessell (Strategic Planning Adviser, Pinsent Masons), Rebecca Skinner (Senior Development Manager, Mount Anvil) and Paul Kallee-Grover (Group Planning Director, Leith Planning Group). The group also sought input from an array of neurodivergent voices and neurodiversity experts.
BECGconversation is a podcast series covering a diverse range of topics across property, infrastructure, energy & utilities, transport, waste and recycling, environment, and healthcare and are available to download at any time.
If you would like to take part in the podcast or want help managing or launching your own podcast, then please get in touch with us here.
