Neurodiversity, Leadership, and Belonging

This course invites youth to explore the meaning and power of neurodiversity through real stories, everyday examples, and meaningful ways to create change. Designed and written by a neurodiverse group of young people from around the world, the course explores how the world often leaves some people out—and how we can all help make it more inclusive. Students will learn how different ways of thinking and being can strengthen leadership, build understanding, and help everyone feel like they belong. Through reflection and storytelling, youth will discover that there’s no one right way to be, and that every perspective matters.

Global Nomads uses the power of storytelling to promote empathy and bring social topics to life through day-to-day realities. Participating youth read authentic, impactful stories from youth participants around the world that reveal deep truths about global issues, then enhance the conversation by sharing their own stories with fellow Student to World users. All participants are eligible to participate in moderated live conversations with other youth from around the world.

About The Course

Who
Should Register?

Educators
Classroom teachers and school administrators.

Group leaders & mentors
Afterschool programs and groups, faith-based organizations, scouting, clubs, etc.

Independent learners
Individual youth participants.

Free Courses

Online Access, 4 Learning Modules,
Live Virtual Events, Age 13 – 19,
English, Arabic, American Sign Language

Register?

Teachers, Educators, & Leaders
Create an account and invite students or youth participants.

Students
If your teacher or group facilitator gave you a code.

Independent Learners
Take a course on your own.

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Text + Video Formats

Experience this content through your choice of learning paths.

Text-based
course

Includes written text, images, videos, and multimedia.

  • Interactive lessons
  • Respond to embedded videos and images
  • Understand key vocabulary
  • Read personal stories from real users
  • Submit and share stories

Content is available in a growing selection of languages:

  • English
  • Arabic
  • American Sign Language
  • More languages in development

Video-based
course

The same content, but explained through video conversations. 
  • Video depiction of the course content
  • Closed Captions
  • American Sign Language interpretation
  • Image descriptions
  • Youth narration

Learning
Modules

Module 1:

Understanding Neurodiversity

Explore what neurodiversity means, challenge assumptions about what is called “normal,” and discover how different ways of thinking and being can help us better understand ourselves and one another.

Module 2

Facing Adversity

Discover how systems like school, healthcare, and other parts of society often exclude neurodivergent people, and how understanding these barriers can help us build more inclusive communities.

Module 3:

Neurodiversifying Leadership

Explore how people with all kinds of minds—neurodivergent and neurotypical—can lead in ways that are inclusive, creative, and collaborative, and learn why teams are stronger when every perspective is valued.

Module 4:

Forging Belonging

Discover how to build spaces where all kinds of minds feel welcome—and how intentional actions, big or small, can help create true belonging in your community.

Learning
Objectives

  • Participants will consider the aspects of a person that they pay attention to when they meet a new person.
  • Learn the differences between selection bias and confirmation bias.
  • Learn about the Ladder of Inference and explore the ways they go up the Ladder of Inference.
  • Consider who they frequently come into contact with in their local communities and who they’ve been taught to trust and fear.
  • Know how stories help us connect to one another across distance and difference.
  • Discover how diverse their universe is through an activity.
  • Learn about implicit biases.
  • Consider media representation and the media’s influences on their everyday lives.
  • Learn how to interrupt and confront bias in themselves and others.

Standards
Alignments

Common Core Standards

English Language Arts Standards (Grades 6-12)

  • Key Ideas and Details: 
    • 1. Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text.
  • Integration of Knowledge and Ideas: 
    • 7. Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse formats and media, including visually and quantitatively, as well as in words.

UN Sustainable Development Goals

  1. Good Health and Well-being
  2. Quality Education
  3. Decent Work and Economic Growth
  4. Reduced Inequalities
 

Asia Society Global Education Standards

  1. Investigate the World
  1. Recognize Perspectives
  2. Communicate Ideas
  3. Take Action

21st Century Skills

  • Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
  • Creativity and Innovation
  • Flexibility and Adaptability
  • Initiative and Self-Direction
  • Productivity and Accountability
  • Leadership and Responsibility

CASEL

  • Self-Awareness
  • Self-Management
  • Social Awareness
  • Relationship Skills
  • Responsible Decision-Making

Center for Curriculum Redesign

  • Creativity (Imagination)
  • Critical Thinking (Decision-Making)
  • Communication (Dialogue)
  • Collaboration (Leadership)
  • Curiosity (Open-Mindedness)
  • Courage (Risk-Taking)
  • Resilience (Resourcefulness)
  • Ethics (Fairness)
  • Metacognition & Metaemotion (Adaptability**)