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mind the gap🧠

@mindthegap_project

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🎓 student-led
🧠 bridging the knowledge gap
🌸 making universities neurodivergent friendly
🫶🏻 built on lived experience, empathy & understanding

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a warm welcome to mind the gap!!!
🌸a student-led project created to bridge the knowledge gap between university staff and neurodivergent students - because inclusivity starts with understanding
🤎created by a neurodiverse university student with a passion for making higher education an inclusive, supportive environment for every single student
🎓follow along for resources, student and staff perspectives, and ways in which we can make universities accessible for all
💻website coming soon... by @mindthegap_project

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a year ago

neurodiversity 101

📝a quick guide for educators
💬a starting point - not the full picture

foundational understanding of neurodiversity is still missing within higher education, educators were never given the tools or resources to be able to support neurodivergent students; when the knowledge gap exists students are the ones facing the impact

this is a quick overview, not the whole picture because closing the knowledge gap starts with a shared understanding of such a complex concept… closing the gap starts here

💬this is just the beginning
👀watch this space for more in depth content

🤎because inclusivity starts with understanding

#neurodiversity #neurodivergent #university #neuroinclusivity #highereducation by @mindthegap_project

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9 months ago

about me: the face behind mind the gap

i thought it was about time i introduced myself💗

💘my name is charlotte
💐im 21 years old
🎓im currently studying comms and media at uni
☕️i love coffee, the beach, and my dog, lily
🤎im a late diagnosed AuDHDer
🧠and im the face behind mind the gap

mind the gap originally started out as a university assignment for a unit focused on creating a project relating to contemporary media in terms of cultural and social debates, and popular culture; so naturally i chose a topic close to my heart: neurodiversity

however it wasn’t until i spoke to a lecturer that i decided the to focus on neurodiversity within higher education, specifically the lack of education surrounding neurodiversity amongst educators

many lecturers admitted they lack the training and skills to be able to effectively communicate and support neurodivergent students, through no fault of their own: they say they received little to no training when they started working at university, but they are so keen to get to know, to learn, to educate themselves

and that’s why i decided to continue with this project post assignment, because hearing first hand how educators are willing to learn and want to support neurodivergent students confirmed what i already knew: there are people out there who want to learn, they just don’t have the resources and i want to change that, i need to change it

i have always wanted to help others; i more than anything want to be the person i needed when i was younger, because growing up undiagnosed Autistic and ADHD was incredibly tough, impacting both my personal and educational experiences; being impacted by the knowledge gap, having the first hand knowledge, gives this project more meaning, lived experience puts things into perspective it gives this a more personal feel and it shows how an individual is impacted by the knowledge gap

mind the gap is so close to my heart and i cannot wait to see where this project goes because inclusion within higher education is mandatory, no neurodivergent individual should be disadvantaged because the education system is designed with neurotypical individuals in mind

💗💐💘🎀🧠🎓 by @mindthegap_project

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8 months ago

03 - WELCOME WEEK 🌸

😝I’ve been a fresher, a re-fresher, and now I’m a fresher AGAIN…

🎓I’ve experienced a foundation year, started Level 4, made my way through Levels 5 & 6 — and now I’m starting my Master’s.

🤎And each time, I’ve learnt a little more about what actually matters during those first few weeks.

✨because Welcome Week can come with A LOT of expectations — making friends, going to events, finding your way around, figuring out your timetable and somehow knowing what you’re doing…

🧠but the reality? You don’t have to have it all figured out on day one.

this post shares:

🌸things I wish I’d known before starting university
💭what I thought Welcome Week would be like vs. what I’ve learnt
🤎reminders for when things feel overwhelming
🎓what I’m taking with me into my Master’s Welcome Week
📅a little look at what my Welcome Week actually looks like this time around

⭐if you’re starting university this year, I hope this reminds you that there’s no “right” way to experience Welcome Week.

you don’t have to attend everything.
you don’t have to make friends immediately.
you don’t have to know where everything is.
you don’t have to feel completely comfortable straight away.
and you don’t have to do it all alone. 🤎

💻save this post for later & share it with someone starting university this year!

💗because inclusivity starts with understanding

#uni #university #freshersweek #neurodiversity #inclusiveeducation by @mindthegap_project

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12 days ago

FRESHERS: PREPARING FOR UNI & FRESHERS WEEK

02 - DISABLED STUDENT’S ALLOWANCE (DSA)🖥️

🎓starting university and wondering what support is actually available to you?

🧠if you’re a disabled or neurodivergent student, the Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) could help cover study-related costs that arise because of your disability or specific learning difficulty

🤎but knowing what DSA is and knowing how to access it aren’t always the same thing — and that’s part of the knowledge gap we’re trying to bridge

this post breaks down:

✨ what DSA is
💭 who can apply
💷 what it can help with
📝 how the process works
🤎 why applying early can help

⭐️you don’t need to wait until university becomes overwhelming before asking for support; support is there to help you access university — not just to help you cope when things become difficult

📲save this post for later & share it with someone starting university this year!

🏠next post in the series → accommodation/moving away from home

💗because inclusivity starts with understanding

#university #inclusiveeducation #neurodiversity #dsa #highereducationuk by @mindthegap_project

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a month ago

FRESHERS: PREPARING FOR UNI AND FRESHERS WEEK

01 - STUDENT FINANCE💷

🎓staring university comes with a LOT of new things to think about, and money can be one of the biggest sources of uncertainty

💷if you’re preparing to start university, this post breaks down some of the basics — from understanding what student finance is and what your money may need to cover, to budgeting, knowing where to find support and what to do if you haven’t applied yet

🤎and if you’re reading this thinking “I haven’t even applied yet…” — take a breath… starting now is better than putting it off because you’re worried you’ve missed something; check the latest official guidance and take it one step at a time.

🫶🏻you don’t need to have everything figured out before university, you just need to know where to start

📌 save this post to come back to when you need it!

next in the series → understanding DSA 🧠

💗becasue inclusivity starts with understanding

#university #neuroinclusivity #neurodiversity #studentfinance #highereducation by @mindthegap_project

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a month ago

starting university this september?

this one’s for you🤎

📋starting uni can be exciting, overwhelming, or a little bit of both; there is a LOT to think about before you even arrive — money, accommodation, your course, support, routines… and then there’s Freshers Week on top of it all

💭so, ive put together a little guide to some of the things worth thinking about before you start:

⭐️from getting your finances sorted to finding your support network and preparing for the transition, hopefully this gives you a starting point and makes everything feel a little more manageable.

🤍but remember: you don’t have to have everything figured out before day one

🎓this is the first post in my Freshers: Preparing for Uni & Freshers Week series, so keep an eye out for more

❤️save this post for when you need it

💗because inclusivity begins with understanding

#university #neurodiversity #highereducation #inclusiveeducation #inclusion by @mindthegap_project

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a month ago

a quick update from mind the gap:

🩷thank you for sticking with me during this period of quiet, it is incredibly appreciated; thank you for giving me the time and space to finish university and prioritise my wellbeing over these last few months

🧠mind the gap has always been about creating a supportive community and im so grateful that you’re all still here

🙌🏻im so excited to get back to creating content, sharing resources and continuing to build this community

⭐️august is bringing a fresh start, and i can’t wait for what’s to come

💬as always, let me know what you’d like to see from mind the gap in the future

#neurodiversity #autismacceptance #adhdawareness #highereducation #studentsupport

💗because inclusivity starts with understanding by @mindthegap_project

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2 months ago

for the little girl who grew up feeling different, and for every neurodivergent individual who deserves to feel understood—this one’s for you⭐️

4 years of hard work, resilience and moments i genuinely wasn’t sure i’d make it to the finish line… i’ve only gone and submitted my dissertation🥹🎓

next stop: masters👩🏼‍💻

#dissertation #university #bournemouthuniversity taken in Bournemouth University by @mindthegap_project

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4 months ago

Autism acceptance month 2026

🧠Autism isn’t the problem—misunderstanding is

🧠so many of the ideas people have about autism come from stereotypes—but in reality, no two autistic individuals are the same; a lot of what people don’t see is the effort it takes to navigate a world that isn’t always designed with difference in mind

🧠stereotypes and assumptions don’t reflect the reality of autistic experiences, and they often create the very barriers people struggle with

🧠acceptance means recognising difference, challenging those assumptions, and creating spaces where people don’t have to hide who they are

💗everyone deserves to be understood
💗because inclusivity starts with understanding

#autismacceptancemonth #autism #neurodiversity #neurodiversityawareness #autismawareness by @mindthegap_project

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6 months ago

for Neurodiversity Celebration Week, i wanted to do something a little more personal

this isn’t just about awareness — it’s about understanding the experiences behind it

growing up, a lot of us were labelled before we were ever understood

“too much”, “too sensitive”, “too distracted” — without anyone stopping to ask why

for me, those labels didn’t just disappear - they shaped how i saw myself, how much space i felt allowed to take up, and how hard i tried to fit into environments that were never designed for me in the first place and i spent so much of my adult years trying so hard to accept the fact it’s okay to be exactly who i am, im still learning but that’s okay

this post is for that younger version of me — and for anyone who felt the same

because what we’re often taught to see as “too much” is just difference without the right support or understanding

and that’s why conversations around neurodiversity matter — especially in education

we shouldn’t have to shrink ourselves to succeed in systems that could be designed to include us

that’s a big part of what my “Mind the Gap” project is about — highlighting the disconnect between institutional understanding and lived experience, and pushing for environments where students don’t have to fight to be understood

if any part of this resonates with you, you’re not alone — and you were never the problem, you just grew up in a world that didn’t understand and didn’t think to ask

because inclusivity starts with understanding💗

#neurodiversitycelebrationweek #neurodiversity #education #neuroinclusion #neurodiversityawareness by @mindthegap_project

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6 months ago

neurodiversity celebration week 2026

🧠Neurodiversity Celebration Week is about more than awareness — it’s about changing how we understand, support, and include neurodivergent people

🙅🏼‍♀️too often, neurodivergence is framed through deficit — what people can’t do, rather than the environments that fail to support them

➡️it’s time to shift the narrative

🫵🏻because the problem isn’t different brains — it’s systems that weren’t built for them

🤎mind the gap. let’s close it

#neurodiversitycelebrationweek #neurodiversity #university #highereducation #inclusiveeducation by @mindthegap_project

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6 months ago