Scottish Borders Project Invites Neurodivergent People to Shape the Future of Local Funding
The Neurodivergent Local Action Group pilot, known as ND LAG, is made possible by the Scottish Borders Local Action Group. The project will explore how neurodivergent people can participate in governance, influence funding priorities, and help shape decisions that better reflect lived experience.
The pilot is being developed in the Scottish Borders and will focus on building a practical, inclusive model with a view to being rolled out nationally.
The project team is keen to hear from a diverse range of neurodivergent adults from across the Borders and welcomes anyone, regardless of diagnosis. No previous experience of committees, funding panels or governance is needed.
The ND LAG pilot has been developed by Rachel Parker, a neurodivergent adult living in the Scottish Borders. The project itself will involve conversations with many stakeholders, including neurodivergent people, local community organisations, public services, employers, funders, and support providers. The project has come about because of Ms Parker’s own experience of navigating funding. She realised very quickly that the training and structures within the landscape were neither inclusive nor accessible and fundamentally led to a vast under-representation of neurodivergent people from the application stage through the decision-making processes.
Project Lead Rachel Parker said:
“For too long, decisions have been made about us, without us. This pilot will demonstrate the social and economic value of people from underrepresented groups making the decisions about how support is designed and implemented to create the most efficient and most meaningful impact.”
We want to hear from neurodivergent people across the Scottish Borders, whether or not they have ever been involved in anything like this before. Your lived experience, your perspective and your understanding of what needs to change are what matter.
We are also keen to speak with local organisations, services, employers and community partners who want to help build a more inclusive approach.
The pilot will focus on engagement, research, partnership building and training. This will include exploring how meetings can be made more accessible, what practical support participants may need, and how decision-making processes can be designed to work with neurodivergent people.
Hans Waltl, Chair of Scottish Borders Local Action Group said:
“We’re delighted for this pilot to be taking place here in the Scottish Borders and shaping the future for targeted support whilst laying the foundations for a more integrated approach to local community decision making.”
The project team is now inviting neurodivergent people who may want to take part to get in touch, as well as organisations and individuals who would like to support, advise or connect with the project.
We are particularly keen to hear from:
Neurodivergent people
Neurodivergent people who want to join a Board
Organisations or individuals that are supporting or want to support neurodivergent people
Funders who want to be more neuroinclusive
Organisations that want to recruit neurodivergent people to their Boards
Local Action Groups from across the country
To contact us for more information, get involved here.