NEST (NEurodivergent peer Support Toolkit) is a suite of materials to facilitate peer support for neurodivergent young people in mainstream secondary schools. The toolkit has been co-created by researchers at the University of Edinburgh, neurodivergent young people and a neurodiverse group of adults who work with neurodivergent young people.

 

During the summer of 2022, the NEST project (then called Neurodiversity Alliance) co-designed materials to facilitate neurodivergent peer support in mainstream schools. This involved working with neurodivergent young people and the people who support them gather their views and input on peer support materials. The co-designed materials have been trialed and evaluated in four Scottish high schools.

The NEST handbook:

1. ​Provides information about neurodiversity, neurodivergence, and peer support.
2. ​Explains who NEST groups are for and what the ethos of NEST groups is.
3. ​Provides guidance for setting up and running a NEST group, including how to ensure the groups are student led, activity ideas and resources, and safety considerations.
4. ​Provides information about some of the policies and legislation that align with NEST-based groups.

The handbook will help you to decide whether to set up a NEST group in your school, and if so, how to do it.

 

Go to the NEST (NEurodivergent peer Support Toolkit) webpages to learn more and download the toolkit

 

 

Header Image: NEST Cover image, CC BY-NC-ND 4.0