Frequently asked questions

Both co-owners of Neurokind are neurodivergent. We believe that neurodivergent people should be involved at all levels when working in the field of neurodiversity, and we also believe that the best way to create well-being for all is to collaborate and create good communication across neurotypes.    At the same time, we are very aware of the systemic barriers that make it difficult for neurodivergent people to be heard and have a place, for example, in workplaces and institutions, and experience them first-hand. Therefore, we actively seek partners who are themselves neurodivergent and/or belong to other minority identities.

No. We visit institutions, schools, and workplaces where we give presentations and workshops. However, everything we do with individuals so far takes place online. There are several reasons for this:  Accessibility - For many autistic people, having to move around to different places, for example by public transport, or having to be in unfamiliar surroundings, is stressful and burdensome. Therefore, activities involving physical attendance may not be the most appropriate or accessible. In addition, we want to make our activities accessible to people across the country. Finally, we know that many neurodivergent people are comfortable with the online format (we are too!) and we believe it's a great format for neurodivergent people to communicate and find community on their own terms.    The right place - We would love to have our own physical space, but we are also picky as we want any location to be able to accommodate many different kinds of neurodivergent needs both in terms of location and décor. At the end of the day, it's not about having a space that looks like something out of a home magazine, but accommodating all sorts of sensory needs and sensitivities. We won't compromise on that, so until we find just the right place, our activities will take place online or in places where we are booked to visit. 

The area of neurodiversity is complex in terms of knowledge production, and understanding of neurodivergent life experiences and characteristics is controversial both within academic circles and society at large. A considerable portion of the academic knowledge being produced is based on an outdated understanding of neurotypes, which has harmful consequences for neurodivergent individuals; for example, the understanding of autism as a mental disorder. Fortunately, there is a paradigm shift underway, with neurodivergent researchers entering the scene to contribute to the production of knowledge about neurodivergence. However, progress is slow due to numerous systemic barriers embedded in society that make it difficult for neurodivergent individuals (and other minorities) to gain authority over their own affairs and, in many cases, to access the education and academic communities where this knowledge is produced. One of the founders of Neurokind is pursuing a psychology education and reads a lot of research articles and other academic texts. However, this alone is not enough, precisely because the academic literature overall does not (yet) provide an accurate picture of neurodivergence. Therefore, we engage with many people, read personal narratives, and participate in neurodivergent communities. Crucially, we ourselves are neurodivergent (autistic and autistic/ADHD), thus having lifelong personal experiences with life as neurodivergent individuals and families. Hopefully, in the foreseeable future, neurodivergent individuals will become authorities in producing knowledge, both within and outside the academic field, about neurodivergence, with a focus on authentic lived experiences and an insider perspective. But until then, it is a significant task to compile knowledge and critically engage with a wide range of diverse sources. We continuously read, investigate, and learn, striving to become wiser, questioning our own assumptions, and expanding our horizons of knowledge.

To ensure that support or assistance is economically accessible, those in need of it must be able to afford it - either by having the means to pay for it themselves (and the support must be priced in a way that makes it possible to pay), or it must be paid for by another entity, such as a municipality. Economic accessibility thus depends on both pricing and the provider's willingness to be flexible and accommodating towards people with limited financial means.

Because many (not all!) neurodivergent people are challenged in terms of being able to work in the conditions that neurotypical society dictates. This may be due to stress, sensitivity to stress, sensory needs, different communication style or other factors that are not accommodated by the current structure of our society. It may also be that you are met with misunderstandings and prejudices about your neurodivergence. Finally, parents may have changed their working life to accommodate the needs of their neurodivergent child, as it can unfortunately be very difficult to find the right school provision.  ​ We call these systemic barriers, and it is relevant in different ways for all minorities. For neurodiversity, this means that it can be both harder to access education or work in conditions in which one can thrive, and difficult to put one's life together in a way that provides enough energy and resources for a full-time job and associated economic privileges.

Both of Neurokind's co-owners are neurodivergent, and have personal experience with the difficulties that can be associated with having to make ends meet as a neurodivergent individual and family. It is important to us that the support Neurokind provides is also accessible to people without financial privileges (or the possibility of payment through the municipality, which can also be very difficult to get). ​ All our activities for individuals have one or more 'pay what you can' places reserved for this very reason, where you as a participant can join in and only pay what you can afford, even if it is only 10 DKK. If you need one of these places, don't hesitate to ask for it! We never ask for documentation or proof - we trust that if you ask for support, it's because you need it.  ​ We price the regular places as cheaply as possible, so that we can still make ends meet and both we and any partners get a fair and proper payment for their work. 

Many companies are not interested in taking responsibility to ensure that people without financial privileges also benefit from their services - because of course this ultimately means that they themselves make less money. For example, it may be impossible for a neurodivergent family to pay for professional psychological help unless the municipality agrees to pay, which is by no means guaranteed. ​ Neurokind prides itself on being about something other than profit. We want to make conditions better for neurodivergent people, and that also means we want to make what we do as accessible as possible, while not wearing ourselves out. Accessibility, including economic accessibility, is therefore always on the agenda.