As some readers may know, Sinclair is an extremely diverse institution. Students come from different ethnic backgrounds, age groups and walks of life. This diversity also includes people of varying abilities.
Sinclair has several departments to support students and their journeys, including Accessibility and Counseling Services (ACS). The department assists students in obtaining any accommodations they need and provides free counseling.
Recently, ACS has taken their efforts a step further, reinvigorating the Social Skills Group for Neurodiverse Students.
With meetings beginning on Feb. 2, the support group meets weekly on Thursdays. It provides a space for neurodiverse students to connect with others and discuss a variety of topics, including relationships, mental health and navigating higher education.
The Clarion spoke to Tony Bryan, an Accessibility Counselor, about the importance of the Social Skills Group for Neurodiverse Students.
“With the growing number of neurodiverse students attending colleges throughout the United States, it seemed to be an important component of helping these students succeed in college,” said Bryan about the idea behind the group.
According to the National Cancer Institute’s Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, around 15 to 20 percent of people are, in some way, neurodivergent. Furthermore, the National Center for Education Statistics reported that, in 2015-16, 19.4 percent of undergraduate students reported having some sort of disability.
When put into the context of Sinclair, which had over 30 thousand students in the fiscal year 2021-22, that is a lot of people!
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Neurodiverse students can face a number of barriers that are academic, social and personal, including stereotypes. It is important to remember that accommodations are not one-size-fits-all; every person will need forms of support. And it seems that the Social Skills Group for Neurodiverse Students seeks to normalize that.
“The group is a great opportunity to provide a setting where these students can discuss similar experiences and challenges in a friendly and comfortable setting,” stated Bryan.
He went on to express the importance of both privacy and openness to the group: “Students are not expected to contribute and can just observe or wait until they feel comfortable to join in the conversation.”
As of Feb. 16, the Social Skills group had hosted two sessions, each drawing in six students, according to Bryan.
“I’m hoping that these students will learn from each other and see that a lot of their individual challenges are actually very common to other group members.”
The Social Skills for Neurodiverse Students meets from 1-2 p.m. in room 424 of Building 10. To get involved, students can send an email to accessibility@sinclair.edu or stop by the ACS office.
Carly Webster
Staff Reporter