Supporting ADHD and Neurodiversity: Coaching at School

Navigating school and adolescence can be challenging for any young person. For neurodivergent youth, including those with ADHD or Autism, these challenges are often magnified. The pressure to fit into systems not always designed for their unique ways of thinking can impact everything from attendance and engagement to self-esteem. While many well-intentioned strategies exist, they can often fall short in meeting the needs of individual young people. This is where coaching, particularly when integrated with positive psychology, can make a profound difference.

By empowering young people to discover their own solutions and build on their innate strengths, coaching provides a pathway to not just cope, but to thrive. We spoke with Charlotte Tizard, a Worth-it Trained Coach and Mentor specialising in supporting students with ADHD and neurodivergent young people, to understand how this approach transforms outcomes. Her insights into coaching as an approach reveal a powerful alternative to traditional support methods, one that builds confidence, resilience, and genuine self-acceptance.

This blog will explore:

• The key differences between coaching and mentoring.
• How a positive psychology approach helps young people find their strengths.
• The tangible impact of coaching on school engagement and personal growth.
• Why personalised, adaptable coaching is crucial for neurodivergent minds.

Coaching vs. Mentoring: What’s the Difference?

The terms "coaching" and "mentoring" are often used interchangeably, but they represent distinct approaches. Understanding this difference is key to appreciating the unique power of coaching.

Mentoring often involves sharing personal knowledge and lived experience. A mentor acts as an advisor, offering guidance based on what has worked for them. While incredibly valuable, it is a more directive process.

Coaching, on the other hand, is a collaborative journey of discovery. It operates on the principle that the young person is the expert on their own life. A coach facilitates their thinking, helping them uncover their own goals, identify barriers, and create their own path forward.

Charlotte Tizard explains this distinction clearly: "With mentoring, you might be using more like lived experiences... Whereas coaching, we're looking more at what's working well and what you would hope to be better, with a bit more structure to it, and looking at goal setting and barriers to reaching goals."

This person-centred approach is particularly effective for neurodivergent young people. Instead of being given a set of pre-defined solutions, they are empowered to explore what works for them. The focus shifts from fixing a perceived deficit to unlocking their own potential.

The Power of Positive Psychology in Coaching

A core component of effective coaching for neurodivergent youth is positive psychology. This approach moves away from a "disorder" framework and instead focuses on building character strengths and promoting well-being. It’s about celebrating what is right with a person and supporting them to find their own strategies that build resilience.

For young people who may have received messages that they are "different" or "difficult," this shift can be transformative. It provides a space to reframe their identity around their strengths and self-acceptance.

Charlotte highlights the importance of this method: "In every coaching session, I’m very aware of those positive psychology skills in terms of identifying strengths. Helping young people reflect on their personal strengths around self-esteem and self-talk has shown positive changes over time."

Practically, this can involve tools like the VIA Character Strengths survey. This evidence-based positive psychology strengths questionnaire helps individuals identify their signature strengths, such as creativity, humour, or fairness. The coach then helps the young person understand how they can leverage these strengths to overcome challenges. For example, a student whose top strength is humour might learn to use it constructively to build relationships, rather than as a distraction tactic in class to avoid something challenging.

This process cultivates profound self-awareness and self-acceptance, creating a foundation for lasting confidence. As Charlotte notes, "It’s about enabling them to have a safe space to become self-aware and develop self-acceptance, as well as self-advocacy skills over time."

Improving School Engagement, Attendance, and Resilience

So, what does this look like in practice? The outcomes can be remarkable, extending to improved school attendance, better engagement, and a significant boost in personal resilience.

Many neurodivergent students struggle in school environments not because they lack ability, but because they don't feel safe or understood. Standard interventions like "time out" cards or designated safe spaces can fail if the young person doesn't trust the adults or feel comfortable using them.

Coaching creates a bridge. It provides a confidential space to explore these barriers. Charlotte explains that a priority is "not just attending school, but feeling safe in school." If a student feels dysregulated or anxious, learning is nearly impossible. By building a trusting relationship, a coach can help the student identify what makes them feel unsafe and co-create strategies to address it. This could involve anything from identifying a trusted adult to finding ways to integrate their interests into the school day.

This focus on safety and trust builds true resilience. Resilience isn't just about bouncing back; it's about knowing how and when to ask for help. Coaching demystifies this process.

Charlotte shares a powerful perspective on resilience: "A young person who finds coming into school every day incredibly challenging shows resilience just by putting on their uniform and walking through the door. These are the sorts of things I reflect on to help them see their own strengths." By reflecting these small but huge wins back to them, coaches help students see their own capacity for strength. One of the most powerful outcomes is hearing a young person say, "I am proud of myself."

Adapting Coaching for Neurodivergent Minds

There is no one-size-fits-all model in coaching, especially when working with neurodivergent individuals. A skilled coach understands the need to adapt their methods to meet the young person where they are.

This requires flexibility and creativity. As Charlotte describes, sessions can be highly personalised: "I might use different tools, like visuals or interactive methods... For example, we might use a whiteboard to draw things or walk around the school for sensory breaks."

For a visual thinker, tools like the "Wheel of Life" can be incredibly effective for breaking down complex feelings. For a student with high energy levels, a "walk and talk" session can provide a necessary sensory outlet while facilitating open conversation. The goal is always to make the session accessible and engaging for the individual.

This adaptability ensures that the coaching process itself is empowering. It models the very flexibility that neurodivergent young people need from the systems around them, reinforcing the message that their needs are valid and can be met.

A New Path Forward: Coaching for Systemic Change

While individual coaching has a huge impact, its potential is even greater when its principles are embraced on a wider scale within the school culture. The challenges neurodivergent young people face often stem from inflexible systems. Integrating coaching into a school culture offers a framework for changing those systems from the inside out.

Charlotte expresses a hope for a "whole-school approach," where the language of strengths, self-advocacy, and personalised support becomes embedded in the school culture. When teachers, support staff, and leaders are trained in coaching skills, they become better equipped to understand and meet the needs of all students.

Coaching can act as a bridge, connecting expert recommendations from educational psychologists or therapists with practical, day-to-day implementation. It amplifies the effectiveness of other strategies by ensuring the young person is an active participant in their own support plan.

Ultimately, coaching is about fostering belief and hope. It provides young people with the tools to navigate a world that may not always understand them, empowering them to build a future defined by their strengths, not their struggles. By championing this approach, we can help more neurodivergent young people move from just surviving to truly thriving.

Learn More About Coaching Young People

If you're interested in discovering the power of coaching to support and empower young people, we invite you to access our Free Introduction to Coaching Young People course. This introductory course provides valuable insights into the fundamentals of effective coaching and offers practical strategies you can begin using immediately.

For those ready to take the next step, explore our comprehensive Coach Training Programmes. These accredited programs are designed to build your skills, confidence, and professional credibility as a coach. Download our prospectus or visit our Coach Training page to find the right path for your professional development.

Empower yourself to make a meaningful, lasting difference in the lives of young people today!