By Nathaniel “Nat” Hawley, MSc — Founder of Divergent Thinking 

For Neurodiversity Celebration Week (16–22 March), the National Saturday Club team has kindly handed today’s blog over to me as a guest contributor, to share practical reflections from my work with their tutor network on what helps creative sessions feel genuinely neuroinclusive. 

I first connected with the National Saturday Club through their national network of creative educators. In 2025, I was invited to deliver a CPD session at the National Saturday Club Tutors’ Conference: Neuro-inclusive essentials for tutors, a practical, strengths-based workshop focused on usable strategies for making Club sessions more neuroinclusive. 

That session was rooted in something I’ve seen repeatedly across education and youth programmes: inclusion isn’t usually built through one big moment. It’s built through the small design choices that shape whether a young person feels safe, capable, and welcome week after week. 

As part of Neurodiversity Celebration Week, I wanted to reflect on what I’ve observed through my involvement with the National Saturday Club so far: what is it that makes Clubs feel inclusive, and a few practical tips for educators and creative practitioners to help create neuroinclusive sessions that work for a wide range of young people. 

A quick note on what we mean by “neurodiversity” 

Neurodiversity is the idea that human brains naturally vary. Neurodivergent is an umbrella term that can include autism, ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia, Tourette’s, and differences in sensory processing, attention, communication and memory. 

Neurodivergent young people are not one group. Needs vary massively. But one thing is consistent: the environment can either reduce friction or multiply it. 

And creative spaces are no exception. 

Why creative spaces can be both brilliant and hard 

Creative learning can be a lifeline. It can also be intense. 

Creative sessions often involve: 

• Ambiguity (“There’s no right answer”) 
• Sensory input (noise, movement or materials)
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• Performance and social risk (sharing ideas, showing work) 
• Switching tasks (watch, discuss, make, reflect, present) 

For some young people, that’s energising. For others, it’s overwhelming — especially if they’re already masking, anxious, or unsure whether they “belong” in the room. 

The difference between a session that unlocks someone and a session that shuts them down is often not the activity itself. It’s the design around it. 

What I’ve seen the National Saturday Club do well 

Saturday Clubs work because they don’t just focus on talent. They focus on conditions.  

By the nature of the programme, Saturday Clubs are well set up to offer inclusive environments. From my experience, inclusive Saturday Clubs tend to share a few qualities: 

They normalise difference 

Young people don’t have to earn the right to be supported. Different ways of communicating, participating and learning are expected. 

They value process, not just output 

When the focus is on exploration rather than “being right”, more young people take creative risks — including those who have learned to avoid risk in classroom settings. 

They create belonging without forcing performance 

In the best sessions, participation isn’t measured by how confident someone looks. Quiet engagement is treated as engagement. 

Those aren’t small things. For many young people, they are the difference between hiding and showing up. 

Five practical tips for neuroinclusive sessions 

These are designed to be immediately useable for anyone wanting to create a space that feels inclusive for a wide range of young people. None require specialist resources. Most are about clarity, predictability and choice. 

1) Make instructions visible and repeatable 

A lot of young people miss instructions the first time, not because they’re not listening, but because processing can lag behind delivery. 

What helps: 

• Say it, show it, and keep it visible (board/slide/handout)

• Break instructions into small steps 

• Demonstrate the first step 

• Check understanding without spotlighting anyone (“I’m going to recap the steps so we’re all aligned.”) 

This supports dyslexic learners, ADHD learners, autistic learners — and honestly, most humans. 

2) Reduce “guesswork” by clarifying what success looks like 

Open briefs can be brilliant. They can also be paralysing. 

Two small additions can unlock confidence: 

• Show 2–3 example outcomes (not to copy, but to orient) 

• Name the minimum viable outcome (“If you do these two steps, you’ve nailed it.”) 

This doesn’t reduce creativity. It reduces panic. 

3) Offer choice in how young people participate 

Participation isn’t only speaking, and confidence isn’t only volume. 

Build in options: 

• “You can share in a pair, a small group, or not at all today.” 

• “You can explain your work verbally, in writing, or by pointing to one feature you’re proud of.” 

• Roles like maker, organiser, presenter, photographer, researcher 

Choice gives autonomy. Autonomy supports regulation. Regulation supports learning. 

4) Design breaks like part of the learning, not a reward for coping 

Many neurodivergent young people are managing sensory load and nervous system stress alongside learning. 

What helps: 

• Predictable break times (so people can regulate before overwhelm peaks) 

• Permission to step out briefly without interrogation 

• A quieter corner or low-stimulation option where possible 

• Normalising movement (standing, stretching, fidgeting) 

A regulated young person is not “being indulged”. They’re being enabled. 

5) Give feedback that builds capability, not shame 

Neurodivergent young people often receive lots of feedback in life. Not all of it is kind. Some have learned to expect criticism before they even try. 

A simple feedback structure helps: 

• “Here’s what I notice…” (specific) 

• “Here’s what’s working…” (strength-based) 

• “Here’s one next step…” (single, achievable improvement) 

Specific feedback reduces ambiguity. Strength-based feedback reduces threat. 

Final reflection 

What I keep coming back to is this: inclusive environments don’t just invite young people in. They make it possible for them to stay. 

They reduce the hidden effort of “performing normal”. They make room for different communication styles. They create structure without killing creativity. They treat difference as expected, not as disruption. 

That’s why the National Saturday Club matters. It gives young people space to explore creativity without judgement — and for many neurodivergent young people, that can be profoundly life-changing. 

Happy Neurodiversity Celebration Week. Thank you to everyone across the National Saturday Club network who helps create spaces where more young people can thrive. 

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Nat Hawley is the founder of Divergent Thinking, a UK neuroinclusion consultancy supporting organisations through practical training and neuroinclusive design.