It was International Women’s Day on Saturday and, as I promised, I’ve given over my blog and posts to women. I didn’t post on Saturday but am posting after the day itself to maintain some momentum.

This is from Laura Spaull. Laura is completing her final university project about neurodiversity and learning.

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Working as a one-on-one learning mentor with autistic children in an inner city London primary school, was extremely rewarding, but it really struck me how our educational systems aren’t sufficiently resourced for neurodiverse minds – with so many children struggling not because they aren’t capable, but because the learning environment isn’t catering to their individual needs.

It was evident to me too, how many of the children identified as needing extra support were boys. As we become more aware of how girls ‘mask’ autistic traits, with late diagnosis for women often reported as great relief – the need for earlier intervention and addressing gender bias in neurodiversity understanding grows.

I’ve decided to explore how emerging technologies can support autistic and neurodiverse individuals – from school right through to the workplace. and am looking for people who might have resources to share or would be interested in taking part in a short documentary film and research to create a VR prototype. I’m especially interested in the experiences of autistic individuals, (carers/family members, and educators) as well as experts in tech innovation.

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The focus for #IWD2025 is Accelerate Action which is about emphasising the importance of taking swift and decisive steps to achieve gender equality and the call for increased momentum and urgency in addressing the systemic barriers and biases that women face, both in personal and professional spheres.

Laura’s project completely meets this aim and it’d be great if you can help. Please repost and share with your networks and connect with Laura – details in the comments.