The Country Women’s Association (CWA) of NSW’s Armidale Branch is launching its annual Awareness Week campaign, to be held from 3 – 9 September 2023.
This year, the Armidale CWA, along with hundreds of other CWA branches across NSW, is focusing on increasing awareness around neurodiversity and neurodivergent conditions (which includes ADHD, autism, dyslexia and Tourette syndrome), and the challenges those with neurodivergent conditions face, particularly women and children in rural and regional areas of NSW.
There’s a particular focus on the growing number of women who are being diagnosed with ADHD.
Branch President, Llani Pevitt said the issue was on the association’s radar at its annual State Conference in Sydney in May, when a motion was passed ‘that CWA of NSW ask governments to investigate ways to reduce the costs of diagnosing and treating adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)’.
“Just because you choose to live outside our major cities doesn’t mean you should have to tolerate a lower standard of medical care and support.”
“Everyone needs to feel safe and supported. Unfortunately that is far from the case for those living in rural and regional areas of our state,” said Ms Pevitt.
“As a nation we have to get better at helping those with neurodiverse conditions because currently too many people are suffering from extensive delays and exorbitant costs that only increases the strain on their mental and physical health. This is particularly so in rural and regional NSW where health services are already under pressure,” CWA State President, Joy Beames said.
“This Awareness Week we want to highlight these issues and urge governments at all levels to look to new and improved ways of addressing, and supporting those with, neurodiverse conditions.”
Armidale branch has chosen to highlight this year’s Awareness Week message with an information display, with space being provided at the Armidale Library for the display.
Branch members will be at the display between 1pm and 5pm on Wednesday 6th September 2023 and will be handing out some clever homemade fidget toys for free. These toys highlight how some people with Neurodiversity such as ADHD may use various methods to improve focus on tasks and deal with distractions when trying to concentrate.
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