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WELCOME to the Divergence Zone
We engage kids, families and communities into a kind of learning that has them embracing their systems [body, emotion, thinking, fulfillment] from a foundation of intactness while building CONNECTION, community, practices and tools; EMPOWERED to articulate and advocate for all needs.
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We transform environments to THRIVE for all. We break things down into bite sized understandable pieces as we believe understanding brings a level of awareness and allyship that has innovative and creative solutions arise from HEART.
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We are out to IMPACT 'Our Current Culture' and bring forward THRIVE as a new baseline for human rights. (we focus on a NeuroDiversity Movement primarily here and really this is a FOR humanity movement)
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OUR PROMISE
NeuroDivergent Kids, Families and their communities are empowered and advocating for their rich and meaningful life; set up powerfully with tools to navigate a Culture not yet designed for them. |
OUR PURPOSE SIMPLE: THRIVE for all gets to be the new baseline! |
OUR VISION
Every human is empowered and an advocate for a rich and meaningful life; set up powerfully with the tools to navigate this world. [AND a Culture that demands this] |
Here, at the Divergence Zone, we are shifting 'Our Current Culture' of a pathology model to one of embracing uniquely wired brains.
To do that, we start with education. (That's what we get up to lots around here: breaking things down into bite sized pieces to create the level of understanding that creates awareness and allyship.)
So whether you are new to this conversation and these ideas or you are a veteran that has been carving the way for some time (which Thank You);
Let us take the time to get onto the same page.
To do that, we start with education. (That's what we get up to lots around here: breaking things down into bite sized pieces to create the level of understanding that creates awareness and allyship.)
So whether you are new to this conversation and these ideas or you are a veteran that has been carving the way for some time (which Thank You);
Let us take the time to get onto the same page.
We see Divergence
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We tend to focus on NeuroDivergence around here; AND; We see all divergence as part of the natural, human, genetic experience of a diversity of traits that have a range of strengths, gaps and differences for a fantastic model of human being and our range of expression. This range offers everything we LOVE about humanity; Unique, interesting, innovative, heart. Every human, divergent or not, has needs. It is part of being human. We are currently a system inside of a system [Person in World, Child in Family, Citizen in Society]. Our system has needs. Our system we are inside of has needs. [Person has needs AND World has needs; Child has needs AND Family has needs; Citizen has needs AND Society has needs]. And each impact the other. |
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*DISCLAIMER* An OVERLY SIMPLISTIC view of Our Current Culture.
(It's a lot to fit into a to a few paragraphs!) Our Current Culture; which includes yourself, ourselves and our Society as a whole; has it's collective views, goals, values and priorities. Those collective views, goals, values and priorities shape how Our Current Culture is designed. It is currently designed for the majority of the citizens with average and typical, 'to be expected' needs, with the same priorities, values, objectives and views. Outside of typical needs, Our Current Culture tends to pathologize any need gap/variances/difference (a gap in needs being met) with an expectation for the person with the unmet needs to fix, correct, cure, adapt and/or adjust so the need gap no longer exists or to minimize the burden of such needs on society.
The thing that happens with this model is there are a lot of humans [kids, parents, community members, people] that have different views, objectives, values and priorities AND therefore atypical needs, leaving wide gaps in their personal, familial and community needs being met. Many people who deal with unmet needs simply have been born with variances from the typical person (remember Our Current Culture is built around the majority and average). Many atypical people do not inherently have a need gap. In fact they have the exact same category of needs to be met as every human does. Just to meet those needs in Our Current Culture BECOMES the problem and then forms said need gap. And, if you remember, Our Current Culture, also says if you have a need gap, you get to go fix that; adapt to it, adjust it. (Not much talk about what are the actual needs and access to having them met IN Our Current Culture) So there is a person, with a need gap, and a society that doesn't want them to be a burden. Well, guess what happens? That person with a gap in having their needs met gets viewed as deficient; deficient because they can not get their needs met. Again not an inherent deficiency, a perceived inherent deficiency. A loudly perceived deficiency across a large group of people, and the predominant conversation and mindset of most citizens of our society. Daily, regularly, over their many years, those with need differences [atypical/divergent], are in a system where they are related to as deficient ongoingly, on loud speaker, across many mediums, and in thousands of ways. This is where damage can happen to the intactness of the person with need differences not having the ability to have their needs met. A separation; an other, a different; and no real access has a degradation happen. On top of this, there is actual biological impact on any human when their needs are not met; an impact on their abilities, their function and the quality of life; physically, emotionally, mentally and/or fulfillment wise. |
Where are we currently?
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*Let's stop making NEED a bad word. Let's create a conversation that needs are a function of being human. And different people may have different needs. And they may have different needs on different days; they might have changing needs. Would you be an ALLY and please pass that along? Thank you, that will really make a difference.* |
Our Current Culture is not currently built and designed to make 'different' needs overly accessible, if at all. In fact, Our Current Culture is pretty loud with requesting people meet Our Current Cultures Needs and Standards and to adapt themselves accordingly. Those with different needs from the typical [atypical/divergent] tend to be out of luck for full/real inclusion and adaptations to have their full range of needs met and by virtue they lose access to live a FULL, RICH and MEANINGFUL life, empowered and intact as a human.
If that is not enough (and it does deserve the significance given the impact and span and desperate need for an interruption and something brand new!); Our Current Culture's model, conversation and expectations are for all people to strive to have the simalar views, meet the similar goals, objectives, or again, at least not be a burden on others or the system. If you are lucky enough to be 'high functioning' with your need variance (as Our Current Culture labels) you adopt unhealthy mechanisms; a drive; to adapt, to survive, to get by at a great cost to your physical, mental and emotional health and well being, operating with exacerbated stressors bombarding your already overloaded system (research suicide and addiction rates). If you have an even wider need variance (which Our Current Culture labels 'low functioning') instead of an unhealthy drive you face a different lived experience of a life in therapies, procedures, and institutions; often dehumanized.
Biological impact to not having needs met, losing access to a full rich life, being related to as deficient, exacerbated stressors, and risk of dehumanization isn't at all just about Neuro variances, it is unfortunately across the board and a collective conversation regarding how Our Current Culture operates with NEED VARIANCES.
Thank you for reading all of that AND investing in learning and understanding. You are now up to date.
That may have been a LOT at once; a great chance to PAUSE and move your body, stretch and sip some water to keep yourself hydrated!
That may have been a LOT at once; a great chance to PAUSE and move your body, stretch and sip some water to keep yourself hydrated!
Stretch |
Hydrate |
Move that Body |
So what does this have to do with The Divergence Zone?
Well, here at the Divergence Zone, we have a VISION. We have a vision for all people to be seen, heard, valued, supported, and given access to their whole range of needs being met; left intact to lead a rich, full and meaningful life to their fullest vision in community; from a foundation of respect, dignity and honour. We have a vision of an arms around Culture where no person is left without full access to their fulfillment. We are focusing through the lens of NeuroDivergence here and this Vision can shape a Culture for all. Imagine that being the ordinary and the expected.
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Through discovering, learning, and articulating, personal, family and community needs, NeuroDivergent Kids and Families are left Empowered, free to advocate for their rich and meaningful life; with tools to navigate a Culture not yet designed for them. All of us get to be the leaders to bring in this new kind of conversation by taking on this learning and advocating. This will impact and shape a society and culture into one that all can flourish; YES, we can be that emboldened! We act as a bridge, a scaffold, between Our Current Culture and the Vision for Our Future. Imagine a world where everyone's needs were met. All layers of their needs as a base foundation. THRIVE for all. |
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In Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs Theory, categories of needs were identified [Physical Needs, Safety Needs, Belonging and Love Needs, Esteem Needs, Cognitive Needs, Esthetic Needs, Self-Actualization Needs and Transcendence Needs]. There has been some adjustments over order of this Hierarchy; if a Hierarchy at all. Is it layers of needs? Overlapping? Each with a baseline? |
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Here at the Divergence Zone, we come from a concept of layers of needs; each need category overlaying and important to the whole. Neuroscience is again and again showcasing the very base human need; even before Physical Needs; is Belonging and Love Needs. Here at Divergence Zone we agree! Connection, Love, Belonging and Acceptance first ALWAYS around here! |
When Needs are IN (Thriving in each layer) it allows one to know self and be seen as intact, capable, and whole; with dignity and agency; and available to share one's interests and gifts with their communities and the world. It starts a new kind of conversation, one that actually has already started and taken root. We cordially invite you to join us in this vision in the capacity appropriate for you. The kiddos in our lives and world will really appreciate it.
(THANK YOU THANK YOU AND THANK YOU to all of the humans who have tirelessly invested their time and efforts into this Diversity Movement and continue to do so. Your efforts are immeasurably appreciated)
(THANK YOU THANK YOU AND THANK YOU to all of the humans who have tirelessly invested their time and efforts into this Diversity Movement and continue to do so. Your efforts are immeasurably appreciated)
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