A new organisation to support neurodiverse Kiwis has been created to lobby for a more responsive education system that meets the needs of neurodiverse people.
The Neurodiversity in Education Coalition is founded by the Dyslexia Foundation of New Zealand, ADHD New Zealand, Autism New Zealand and the Centre for Gifted Education.
They say the education system is failing to meet the learning needs of neurodiverse students, who have had to struggle to get the support they need.
And without proper support, they report that neurodiverse people are strikingly over-represented amongst those disengaged from school, the unemployed, offenders in the justice and prison system, and people with poor mental health.
The coalition met with parliamentarians yesterday to gather support, accompanied by a group of "champions" - young people who shared their personal experiences of being neurodiverse.
Kathryn speaks to one of these champions, Jas Mcintosh, and Justine Munro, the chief executive of the New Zealand Centre for Gifted Education who is the leading charge behind the Neurodiversity in Education Coalition.