ION institute of neurodiversity

The Institute Of Neurodiversity is a global neurodiversity member organisation. Our goal is to bring together one million neurodivergent people, and our allies, from 100 countries.

1 million hearts

We are a charity headquartered in Switzerland with chapters around the world.

“ION is a global organisation bringing together neurodivergent people and our allies to form a world-spanning neurodiversity community. Our purpose is to change the world to be equal and inclusive, where neurodivergent people are understood, represented, accepted and valued equally to everyone else.”

https://www.ioneurodiversity.org/

ION’s vision

ION’s vision is to be a significant part of developing a world where neurodivergent individuals are spotlighted for positive things as opposed to negative and to help create a world where neurodivergent individuals feel accepted, represented, included, empowered and heard.

ION is creating a global Neurodiversity community where we are all accepted for who we are and where differences are embraced and celebrated.

Through coming together and forming a powerful coalition, neurodivergent individuals build a stronger voice and agency in the world.

ION’s values

Equality Kindness Honesty Courage Respect

ION’s purpose

The Institute of Neurodiversity’s PURPOSE is to influence for an equal, inclusive world in which neurodivergent people are well understood, represented, and valued equally to all other people.

What is neurodiversity?

Neurodiversity describes the idea that people experience and interact with the world in many different ways. There is no “right” way of behaving, learning and thinking.

Neurodiverse groups include ADHD, autism, dyspraxia, dyslexia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia, and Tourette syndrome. People who are ‘neurotypical’ are those whose brain works in the way that society expects.

Neurodiversity describes these natural variations in the human brain, which affect sociability, learning, attention and mood. Judy Singer, the sociologist, coined the term in 1998 and journalist Harvey Blume helped to popularise the word.

The medical profession groups neurodivergent people into diagnostic conditions. ION follows the social model of disability believing that it is society placing limits on us, not our neurodivergence.

Where are neurodivergent people?

We are present everywhere in society, like a vertical slice of the global population. We’re within all:

socio-economic groups
racial, national and cultural backgrounds
industries and professions
nurseries, schools, workplaces and boardrooms.

We are in each layer and colour, in the glue that binds the layers, and the icing on the top. We are in the candles – shining lights on all parts of society, through our different-but-complementary minds.