One little Accomodation That Changed Everything

Something incredible happened two years ago.

Something incredible happened two years ago.

(Love a good memory pop-up!)

This was the second day of a five-month Good Growth programme with Lancaster University’s School of Business. I was there as the founder and CEO of Spectrum Dynamics Community Interest Company, fidgety and losing concentration—standard ADHD mode. Then the professor said something that stopped me in my tracks:

“If anyone wants to stand up or walk around, please do.”

It felt… weird. For so long, I’d just pushed through, trying to concentrate with my head feeling like it was about to explode. A full day of learning when you have ADHD isn’t just draining, it’s like running a mental marathon with no finish line in sight.

I flashed back to my first year of nursing, where I’d regularly fall asleep in a lecture. I wasn’t lazy or disinterested. I was just exhausted from the mental effort it took to listen, process, and hold onto information. I became that person who looked like they had a weak bladder—constantly “popping to the toilet,” not for a break, but to splash cold water on my face because the embarrassment of nodding off was not cool.

But that simple invitation to stand? Instant relief. I could shift my position, stand behind my chair, and suddenly; I was listening, not just surviving the session.

It’s wild how minor adjustments can make a massive difference when you’re neurodivergent. It’s not about fixing the person; it’s about fixing the environment.

This realisation mirrors the work I’m now doing with TIDE in the Bay where I facilitate a parent/carer group supported by Spectrum Dynamics CIC. made up of parents/carers who’ve been fighting the SEND system, often in isolation. They’ve poured their energy into advocating for their own children, but something incredible has happened: they’ve realised the power of numbers.

Now, they’re not just fighting for their kids. They’re fighting for every child who will face discrimination after theirs. They’ve got BIG ideas, driven by the belief that systemic change comes from collective action.

And here’s the thing: Why is it still so hard for people to believe that when a child is given the autonomy to learn in the way that suits them best, it wouldn’t lead to better outcomes?

In fact, studies show that personalised learning approaches can improve student outcomes significantly. A report from the Education Endowment Foundation found that tailored learning strategies can boost progress by up to 8 additional months over a year compared to traditional methods. That’s not just an improvement—it’s transformational.

So, whether it’s a simple invitation to stand during a lecture or rethinking an entire education system, the principle is the same:

Small shifts. Big impact.

#business #growth #community #change #adhdawareness #neurodiversity #SEND #parentpower

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