Up to 20% of the population are diagnosed with neurodiverse conditions and many experience barriers to sustainable behaviour change. It’s vital we create campaigns that connect with, acknowledge and support neurodiverse audiences.
Understanding neurodiversity
Common neurodiverse conditions include Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, Dyscalculia, ADHD, OCD, Tourette Syndrome and Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC).
According to the British Psychological Society, 1 in 7 people in the UK are neurodiverse but as awareness increases, diagnoses are on the rise, the actual number could exceed 20% of the population.
Barriers to sustainable behaviour change for neurodiverse people
Although there are strengths associated with being neurodiverse, many people experience barriers to making more sustainable choices. An understanding of these challenges can help us develop more impactful and inclusive creative communications.
Executive dysfunction
One of these barriers is executive dysfunction, which can include time blindness or difficulty with planning. Many of today’s more sustainable actions require a level of planning that can be difficult for some neurodiverse people.
“One of the ways that ADHD shows up for me is forgetfulness,” Sinéad Molloy, Head of Strategic Communications at environmental charity Hubbub, explains, “I have often been known to leave my keys hanging in the front door and have carefully made and then sacrificed countless packed lunches to the gods of forgetfulness, so remembering my reusable cup can be a struggle.”
Sensory overload
Another barrier is sensory overload. An article about sustainable urban planning explains that “complex recycling instructions, unclear eco-labels and even green options like cycling (which can be overwhelming in traffic) can all become barriers to participation for neurodivergent individuals.”
Nick Dean, UK business partner – digital & ecommerce at Neurodivergent Insights, shares this feeling of overwhelm when using public transport.
“Traveling to London and back in a day is – with AuDHD and OCD – a major event. I’ll always arrive an hour before the train leaves ‘just in case’, I will then get overwhelmed with how busy the platform is and spiral into, ‘where will I sit, where will I meet my colleague, what if there is no plug’ and 100 more ‘what ifs?’
“I can’t touch any handles publicly – not an easy task with two trains and several tubes in central London (there is an art to it). It is an exhausting experience. It is only the practicality (and my colleague) that forces me to take the train. Outside of this, I will drive everywhere of distance to avoid the experience.”
How to create inclusive communications for neurodiverse audiences
1. Start with the science
Look to behavioural science to plan your campaign: identify drivers of behaviour, make processes easy, help create new habits and support sustainable behaviour change. To avoid greenwashing, make sure your messaging is factually accurate. This should make your comms more engaging for everyone, whether they are diagnosed neurodiverse or not.
2. Keep it simple
When faced with a decision, human beings can feel overwhelmed and tend towards inaction. Some neurodiverse people experience decision paralysis so it’s essential we keep our messages and the processes we’re communicating simple. As Sinéad explains:
“Keep it clear, keep it simple, and acknowledge (even celebrate!) ‘imperfect’ action. The environmental world loves jargon (some of it’s important!), but our communication needs to be clear and relatable.
“At Hubbub, we try to meet people where they’re at. Instead of ‘Optimise your home energy consumption through efficient appliances,’ it’s ‘Feeling swamped by green energy options? We get it. Here’s how to find a supplier and make your home more sustainable.’”
3. Be kind
Engage your audience on their terms through their own interests. Find creative ways to support them and hold their hand while telling them a story to guide them. This can include tips or simple ways to remember and help form new routines.
If you want people to take a reusable cup to work, your messaging might be around keeping your cup in your shoe. It’s a quirky image that could stick in people’s minds so you’re giving them a nudge without telling them what to do.
4. Make it good
It helps if you’re working with a great product or service. If it solves a problem in a simple way, then it will be easier to communicate and people may find it less of a challenge to make the switch.
OceanSaver® laundry sheets are a no-brainer. They cost around the same per wash as liquid detergent, take up minimal space, generate less mess, less waste, they smell good, and they work. No refills to arrange and juggle. The comms is direct and honest yet playful.
5. Keep your comms accessible
Upskill on how to keep your creative communications inclusive. Text in stark contrasting colours and flashing film might be eye-catching but can be too intense for some neurodiverse people. This guide from CharityComms which includes best practice and tips on the use of accessible font, colour, language and layout is a great start.
6. Help create a habit
Follow in the footsteps of YETI, who has nailed reusable cup comms with their “phone, wallet, keys cup” message. The cooler and drinkware brand has perhaps unintentionally created an inclusive campaign with their catchy four-word call to action that makes it harder to forget your cup.
We’d love to hear about your experiences so please do connect with us. If you’d like to work with us to create more inclusive communications for your organisation, then get in touch.
*We’ve used ‘neurodiverse’ as we recognise ‘neurodivergent’ can appear pejorative and imply a deviation from what is considered ‘normal’. Enviral continues to reflect, learn and understand current thinking around this terminology.