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Autism Acceptance Week
NCI and DCU are both designated Autism Friendly Higher Education Institutions and are committed to the principles underlying that status. Together, we are hosting a joint Autism Acceptance Week, including a series of public-facing events to promote autism acceptance. All events are online and free to attend, but registration is required.
Autism in Education
Lessons for educators: how can educators help autistic students to thrive in their classrooms and their institutions? What would members of the autistic community wish that people around them in educational and other settings knew?
- Laoċín Brennan – Neurodiversity my experience
Laoċín was the first GetAHEAD intern in AHEAD, and is now Team Support Officer, a multifaceted role including public speaking on topics such as self-advocacy, the language of disability and the history of neurodivergence. Laoċín founded DCU’s Neurodivergent Society, the first of its kind in Europe. During his time in DCU he won many awards for his contributions to college life, including DCU's President's Award for Student Engagement 2020/21. He is passionate about human rights and takes an intersectional approach. Laoċín became aware of ableism in 2013, upon receiving the first of many diagnoses. Now, he is pursuing a career in disability advocacy with vigour, in the hopes of being the change he wants to see in the world.
- Billy Redmond - Making acceptance happen in education
Billy is currently Principal of North Wicklow Educate Together Secondary School. He also works as a consultant with a number of educational partners such as AsIAm, Irelands National Autism charity where he is supporting the Autism Friendly Schools Project with over 100 schools. Previously he worked as National Co-ordinator for Teacher Induction (Post-Primary) (NIPT) and as a RDO with the National Behaviour Support Service (NBSS). He received his BEd Degree as a Home Economics and Religion and was teaching for 12 years prior to secondment. He has studied at postgraduate level in Guidance & Counselling, School Development Planning, Educational Management and Mentoring, Induction and CPD.
- Ciara-Beth Ní Ghríofa – What I wish people around me knew
Ciara-Beth was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder when she was 14, but has been Autistic her entire life. After building an application to support Autistic people in making and maintaining eye contact in a way that's comfortable for them as a research project, she discovered a passion for using and developing technologies to make the world more accessible to Autistic people. She's now in her final year of a psychology and computing degree in UCC, and is excited to continue advocating for making our society a more accessible one for neurodiverse people.
Curious about other events in Autism Acceptance Week? Find out more!