– Give an understanding of how best to manage their symptoms – Enable access to specialist services and support – Enable access to information about the condition – Provide learning opportunities to develop social and emotional skills Speak to the young person about talking to their GP, or a SENCO at their place of education. If you are a Youth MHFAider in an education setting, follow the setting’s policies and procedures to get the young person the right support. There are also specialist charities and organisations that can offer support. Only offer to share the contact details if the young person believes they are neurodivergent and would like help with a specific condition. Try to keep your own judgements to yourself. Using your MHFAider app or the Hub of Hope website directly, explore targeted help local to the young person using the support tags e.g., ‘Neurodivergence’. Other help types A neurodivergent young person may not have a diagnosis, or they may not recognise signs of neurodivergence in themselves. If you feel it’s appropriate, and could improve their mental health, you could signpost them towards other helpful supports. A healthy routine will help the young person focus on their tasks for the day. This could include exercise, a balanced diet, and good sleep. To support the young person to achieve a healthy routine, they may need help setting goals and breaking down instructions. However, expected changes can be very stressful for some neurodivergent young people – routines should be predictable and easy to follow. To help boost the young person’s self-esteem, suggest that they reflect on each day and think about something they have achieved. This can be a small thing – from getting to school on
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