ADHDifference - ADHD NZ + guest Raewyn Heays

ADHDifference

Julie Legg chats with Raewyn Heays, national co-ordinator of ADHD New Zealand. They discuss the organisation, how it all began, along with the information, events, and services they co-ordinate and offer the growing ADHD community in New Zealand.
They chat about how ADHD NZ is not a government funded organisation, and how they spearhead for positive change on behalf of the ADHD community. They discuss the array of online webinars and courses available, along with the benefits of being a financial member.

Topics discussed in this episode:

• The ADHD New Zealand team and how the organisation came to be.
• The popularity of their online self-screening tool.
• Their healthcare directory that assists clients link to psychologists, or psychiatrists, or pediatricians.
• Facebook forums.
• Ongoing webinars and online ADHD coach sessions on a range of beneficial ADHD topics.
• How being a financial member helps the organisation and provides discounted pricing for events and courses.
• The role of national co-ordinator.
• Common questions that are asked when starting an ADHD journey.

Key takeaways:

• ADHD New Zealand is a small organisation, self-funded by financial membership fees, grants, and generous supporters – it is not government funded.
• ADHD New Zealand lobbies on behalf of the ADHD community in New Zealand to push for positive change, be it access to assessment, medication, and mental health care. They regularly conduct surveys to gain insights from those affected with ADHD which helps to guide their advocacy direction.
• The organisation facilitate regular online events, offering access to discounted courses with mental health professionals, trained ADHD coaches, and knowledgeable guests, on a variety of subjects – including dealing with anxiety, teens, parenting, embracing the chaos, and so much more.

Links:

• Julie is the author of THE MISSING PIECE: A Woman's Guide to Understanding, Diagnosing and Living with ADHD (Harper Collins, 2024)
• ADHD New Zealand website
• ADHD NZ Facebook page
• Facebook Forum – Parents of Children with ADHD
• Facebook Forum – Adults with ADHD
• Facebook Forum - Partners of Adults with ADHD

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Thanks for listening. Visit ADHDifference.nz to find video links or to say hello.