NatalyaDMar 13

Wondering if any #ActuallyAutistic or #ADHD people have ideas that I'm missing.

My day job is supporting disabled university students. We have increasing numbers of autistic/ADHD students who are too anxious to attend classes. So they miss class 1, and then can't understand content of classes 2 onwards so get more anxious - and it spirals.

It's HUGE uni, often 100+ in class. Most buildings are HUGE, with vile acoustics and visual stress - can't change those. We do have quiet/sensory spaces.

Show threadNatalyaDMar 13

We are not a remote course provider, that's legally and regulatorily a completely different service.

I have no authority to condone absence. Low-attenders get nagging emails which I can't stop.

Often tutors are AMAZING, they will really try and help with some extra 1:1 support, but there's hard limits on that due to workload/student-numbers. Tutors are frustrated cos student wants 1:1 of what was IN class (which isn't fair on them)

Studes often already use noise cancelling headphones etc.

Show threadNatalyaDMar 13

I worry some students are coming to uni cos they feel they have to, and really aren't ready for it. academic and other colleagues and I often wish younger students could have a few years working first, and time to decide what they want to do, not what mum/dad/school push for.

Further Education have government metrics pushing university. Universities are on the hard sell to recruit.

I'm often astonished by students who haven't visited campus before signing up, even when they live locally...

Show threadPomegranate Pirate 🏳️‍🌈🏴‍☠️Mar 13
@NatalyaD how frustrating! You are right, it could be multiple issues creating the anxiety. I wonder if helping them find a similar buddy virtually (like a mixer but low bar and safest online at home) where you can help the find accountability buddies who can text each other short support and check ins, and or can team up for remote body doubling for homework. There might have to be some encouragement / reward for showing up, even a sincere text "high five". Might need some thinking about and or asking actual students. Not impossible though. Know the barriers, create support.
Show threadNatalyaD

@Pomegranatepirate *nods* I think this is a good idea and I know one of our sister teams runs an ADHD-workshop over 4-6 weeks where I believe the students do a mix of strategy discussion and meet others with ADHD. Sadly it doesn't run enough.

One issue we have is many studes are very anxious about meeting new people and become avoidant about that. Buddying is a good idea but I know the uni won't invest in the necessary resource for it, including matching students carefully without siloing them.

Mar 18 at 12:43amWeb
Show threadPomegranate Pirate 🏳️‍🌈🏴‍☠️Mar 18
@NatalyaD I wonder if you can do a "passive", free or cheap way to start? I get the reluctance to meet new people, and feeling potentially unsafe or judged. Siloing would suck, so maybe something alt and student run, or low-bar, hybrid IRL and on a platform/forum/insta page, Fight Club underground vibe (probably the wrong reference but...). I will think on it.