by Prof. Charlotte Valeur, Chair and Founder of ION
Over the last few decades, an entire industry has grown around neurominority people and our struggles. Many within it genuinely want to help. But if careers, funding, and income depend on our difficulties, how many are truly incentivised to make those difficulties disappear? It is an uncomfortable question, but one worth asking.
Why do social interactions seem effortless for some people and bewilderingly complex for others? This insightful article explores the hidden rules of social behaviour and challenges us to rethink what we consider to be "normal" communication.
What does friendship really mean, and who gets to define it? In this article, we explore friendship through a neurodiversity lens, challenging traditional assumptions and highlighting the many ways meaningful human connections can be formed and experienced.
BOX365: Friendship, What Are We Actually Talking About?
by Prof. Charlotte Valeur, Chair and Founder of ION
What if friendship means something different to each of us? In this extract from her forthcoming book, The Box365 – A Year of Different Minds, Same Sky, Charlotte uses an engaging WhatsApp conversation between four distinct thinkers to explore how friendship, trust, safety, connection, and belonging can be experienced in very different ways.
We are delighted to celebrate the recognition of Ayanwole Boluwatife Joshua, ION Nigeria Lead, who has been inducted as a Fellow of the International Fellowship of Inclusion Practitioners (IFIP) at the National Inclusion Conference in Lagos. Alongside this prestigious honour, Boluwatife delivered a powerful workshop on autism, challenging misconceptions, promoting a neurodiversity-informed perspective, and calling for greater awareness, inclusion, and support for autistic individuals across Nigeria and Africa.
Missed the ION and Neurodiversity Collective Two- Day Conference: Neurodiversity in Later Life:
This international conference at the end of May heard voices from individuals, researchers, practitioners, policymakers and advocates addressing one of the most overlooked areas of neurodiversity: ageing.
Catch up on the video recordings covering the following topic areas:
● Ageism and the erasure of older neurominorities
● Mental health, institutionalisation, and systemic barriers
● Healthcare, social care, and community inclusion
● Lived experience and reality across later life
● Building inclusive systems for ageing populations
Masterclass Series (online): From Potential to Power, The Real Leadership Story
Thursday 25 June • 4:00am - 5:00am BST
From Potential to Power: The Real Leadership Journey online masterclass with Katrina Reynen-Woodward from Melbourne Business School.
Leadership is a term used frequently, sometimes even indiscriminately, yet there are distinct models that define what effective leadership truly looks like. This masterclass explores a contemporary perspective on leadership, examining the typical leadership journey and what organisations need from leaders as they grow from emerging talent to senior executives.
We look forward to seeing you at the next ION Chat on
Friday, 3 July 2026, 10:30am - 11:30am BST
Discover a virtual space where you can talk about what matters to you, hear from others, share your experiences, and connect on a deeper level. Register now to join us and become an ION individual member.
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