Rachel Parker
ND LAG
We are developing the foundations for a Neurodivergent Local Action Group (ND LAG), a decision-making panel to allocate future Scottish Government funding. The ND LAG will create supportive opportunities for neurodivergent people to meaningfully participate in and influence local governance and community development.
This is currently a pilot project in the Scottish Borders, with a view to being rolled out nationally.
Ways to get involved ...
I'm neurodivergent
Do you want to share your experiences to improve how funding is spent locally?
Do you want to share your experiences to make funding processes more neuroinclusive?
I'm neurodivergent and want to join a board
Do you want to be part of local decision making?
Do you want to learn about responsible governance?
Do you want to have a say in how the ND LAG and it's funding process is designed and delivered?
I'm an organisation supporting neurodivergent people
Do you have an idea to support neurodivergent people in the Scottish Borders?
Do you need support to understand grant application processes?
Do you want support to make your funding application and decision making processes more accessible?
Do you want the best return on the funding you distribute?
Do you want to share in the learning from this pilot?
We want to welcome neurodivergent people to our board
Do you want a more diverse board to enable better decision making?
Do you want your board to be more neuroinclusive?
Do you want to share in the learning from this pilot?
We are a LAG
Do you want to share in the learning from this pilot?
Do you want an ND LAG in your area?
Do you want your LAG to have a more diverse board, representative of your community?
Tell me more ...
About the project ...
The project will develop the foundations for a neurodivergent-led decision-making panel to allocate future Scottish Government funding, creating supportive opportunities for neurodivergent people to participate in local governance and community development.
What is a LAG?
A Local Action Group (LAG) manages Community-Led Local Development (CLLD) funding. CLLD funding forms part of the Scottish Government’s Scottish Rural Development Programme, giving local communities the power to tackle their own, local challenges. By building knowledge and skills, supporting new ideas and encouraging cooperation, CLLD helps to create viable and resilient communities. Across rural and island Scotland, there are 20 primary LAGs, each made up of local people and organisations working to improve life in their communities. Eight of these primary LAGs also have Youth LAGs. A Youth Local Action Group (YLAG) is a group of young people between the ages of 16 and 30(ish) who care about their local area and hope to improve rural living for young people, now and in the future. LAGs typically have between 12-20 members representing Community Organisations (including Charities and Social Enterprises), Private Sector Businesses and Public Sector organisations.
It's a pilot ...
The proposed ND LAG draws inspiration from the Youth Local Action Group (YLAG) model, which successfully supports young people in participating in funding decisions and community development. By adapting this approach and deliberately designing it with neurodivergent people, it is hoped that this pilot will create a structured pathway for neurodivergent people to move from consultation into active decision-making and leadership roles. The key principles of the ND LAG will be: Lived experience leadership Neurodivergent people will shape the priorities, processes and funding criteria. Accessible participation Meetings, communication and decision-making processes will be specifically designed to meet neurodivergent accessibility needs. Balanced decision-making Funding criteria will consider both economic outcomes and wider community benefits, recognising the inherent social value of inclusion. The pilot aims to create an evidence-based, practical and replicable model for inclusive funding panels.
How it came about ...
Neurodivergent people face societal barriers in our everyday lives. Decision-making and funding distribution have so far failed to realise the full potential of neurodivergent people by not meaningfully engaging us in designing a more inclusive system that will benefit everyone. Too often, initiatives intended to support neurodivergent people have funnelled significant capital into the same "big players". Traditional funding models systematically exclude organisations run by exactly the people they are intended to support. The scale of the disparity faced by neurodivergent people is highlighted both by lived experience and by data from national sources such as the Office for National Statistics. These highlight inequalities in social isolation, wellbeing, access to health care, life expectancy, employment, pay gaps, financial security, rates of experiencing physical and mental harm, etc. It is acknowledged that there are "persistent and significant data gaps" regarding neurodiversity at a local level, making it difficult to quantify representation across different policy areas, including local government. Evidence consistently shows that neurodivergent people remain significantly under-represented in employment, entrepreneurship and local decision-making. Rachel’s own experience of challenges navigating funding processes and following conversations with the Scottish Borders LAG and Scottish Government has ultimately led to this pilot.
What it aims to do ...
Ultimately, this pilot aims to take a neurodivergent-led approach as an alternative method to rectify structural failures in current funding and decision-making processes. By transitioning from "consultation" to "governance", we ensure that those closest to the barriers possess the decision-making power to dismantle them. Creating an ND LAG will allow lived experience to inform rural development priorities while building the skills and confidence needed for long-term participation in governance and funding decisions. We will do this by: Evidencing the needs of neurodivergent people in the Scottish Borders Undertaking structured ethical social research to understand the barriers neurodivergent people face in rural governance and community development Continuing to grow a local neurodivergent network Engaging with neurodivergent residents, businesses and third-sector organisations to build stronger and more meaningful relationships Developing a neurodivergent-led governance model Designing accessible processes for participation in funding decisions Training a neurodivergent decision-making panel Upskilling panel members in governance, funding assessment and theories of change for community development Creating grant criteria and operational procedures for distributing future Scottish Government funding
The impact we aim to have ...
Short-term Increased engagement of neurodivergent people in local decision-making New partnerships between ND individuals and local organisations An evidence base that demonstrates the value of including neurodivergent people in local decision-making and funding distribution Medium-term A neurodivergent funding panel operating in the Scottish Borders Governance processes are more accessible and inclusive An increase in neurodivergent people on non-executive boards and decision-making panels in the Scottish Borders Long-term Improved representation of neurodivergent people at all levels of decision-making nationally Participatory decision-making is the norm for underrepresented groups, across all demographics and funding opportunities The model is replicated nationally and embedded throughout the funding landscape.
Supported by ...
