An Eastleigh College alumnus, which is part of South Hampshire College Group, is driving change through his neurodiversity consultancy as he shares his personal journey during Neurodiversity Celebration Week.
Nat Hawley, 34, did a Level 3 Foundation Diploma in Art, Media and Design at Eastleigh College in 2010 and went on to found Divergent Thinking, a consultancy committed to helping organisations build neuroinclusive environments and practices. He has helped deliver more than 300 talks and workshops to clients ranging from small startups to global brands such as HSBC, Disney and BBC.
Nat credits Eastleigh College for playing an important role in his creative and professional journey: “I’ve always been neurodivergent, with dyslexia, dyspraxia and autism, which made education extremely difficult. Eastleigh College was probably my favourite academic year because of the freedom they gave you. They really introduced me to the benefits and the acceptance of going against the status quo and kind of teaching you to think for yourself. And I think that genuinely has set me up for life.”
Nat has since gone on to flourish in education, with a First-Class BA (Hons) in Television Production and an MSc in Applied Neuroscience. As part of his consultancy work, he now delivers special sessions in SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) schools to help those struggling with neurodiversity challenges.
“When you’re young nobody tells you what neurodiversity is or explains it to you,” Nat added. “So I love going into schools and even explaining what it means to be neurodivergent and how it’s a benefit that employers would be lucky to have. And I think hearing this can completely change the narrative to how you see your own self-worth.”
Rosie Sharp, Eastleigh College Principal, said: “At South Hampshire College Group we proudly celebrate the unique contributions of every student, including those with neurodiverse backgrounds. We recognise that each individual learns differently and are committed to providing inclusive, innovative teaching methods and personalised support. Our goal is to empower all students to reach their full potential and achieve success.”
Neala Whybrow, Southampton College Principal, said: “Inclusion is central to life at South Hampshire College Group. Targeted Additional Learning Support (ALS) can transform not just individual outcomes, but whole learning communities. Our continued investment in specialist ALS provision and staff development, including our Inclusion Teach Smart sessions, reflects that commitment. The impact of this approach is clear in the remarkable achievements Nat has gone on to accomplish.”
Neurodiversity Celebration Week is a worldwide initiative that honours the many talents and skills of neurodiverse people, and aims to create more inclusive cultures that celebrate differences and empower every individual. It also spreads awareness of the various challenges that neurodiverse people face today and promotes solutions that can enable them to reach their full potential.
Looking ahead, Nat is committed to expanding his work and helping shape more inclusive, neurodiverse workplaces across the UK and beyond.
For more information on Neurodiversity Celebration Week, please visit the following link here.
To see more about the work of Divergent Thinking please click here.
