Between 17-19 February 2026, partners of the NeuroDem project gathered in Bratislava for the Transnational Training Bootcamp, a key milestone in developing the NeuroDem Methodology and the Train-the-Trainer Programme.
For three intensive days, youth workers, educators, neurodivergent participants, and project partners worked together to test, improve, and co-create practical tools for inclusive advocacy and democratic participation.
NeuroDem aims to strengthen democratic participation for neurodivergent young people (specifically autistic youth and youth with ADHD) by equipping youth workers with practical, neuroinclusive tools.
The Bootcamp served three main purposes:
• Test the first draft of the Train-the-Trainer curriculum
• Collect structured feedback to refine the NeuroDem Methodology
• Co-create practical tools and learning materials together with participants
Rather than delivering finished content, partners facilitated sessions where participants actively evaluated methods, adapted them, and redesigned them to ensure accessibility and real-life applicability.
What we worked on
Throughout the week, participants explored:
- Barriers to Democratic Participation
Using visual and systems-based tools, groups mapped structural barriers faced by neurodivergent youth in advocacy processes. These ranged from communication misunderstandings to institutional inaccessibility and lack of cross-sector collaboration.
- Stakeholder and Power Mapping
Participants analysed local systems around neurodivergent youth, identifying who holds decision-making power, who offers support, and where collaboration gets blocked.
- Practical Advocacy Tools
Several concrete facilitation tools were tested and improved, including:
• Barrier analysis frameworks
• Power and stakeholder mapping tools
• Structured storytelling methods for advocacy
• Action planning formats designed to reduce cognitive overload
Participants evaluated each tool through an ND-friendly lens, asking:
• Is the goal clear?
• Are instructions accessible?
• Does it empower or overwhelm?
• What needs simplification?
This feedback will directly inform the final version of the NeuroDem Methodology.
Co-Creating the NeuroDem Card Game
One of the most dynamic sessions focused on designing an educational card game that will support advocacy learning in a structured and accessible way.
Based on survey input from neurodivergent youth across partner countries, participants explored:
• Game structure (cooperative vs competitive)
• Accessibility and sensory design principles
• Types of advocacy scenarios
• Motivation and engagement mechanisms
• How to avoid infantilisation while ensuring safety
The goal is to create a single, adaptable game that simulates real-life advocacy challenges in an ND-friendly format.
The game will become part of the NeuroDem Toolbox and will be piloted in local activities across partner countries.
What made this Bootcamp different
The group itself was neurodiverse, which significantly influenced the learning process. Sessions were designed with:
• Clear structure and visual support
• Explicit shared agreements
• Optional participation formats (speaking, writing, drawing, observing)
• Movement-friendly and sensory-considerate spaces
The co-creation approach ensured that feedback was not abstract, it was grounded in lived experience.
Participants openly shared what worked, what felt unclear, and what needed to change. That honesty is essential to building truly inclusive training materials.
What happens next?
Following the Bootcamp:
• Partners will revise the NeuroDem Methodology
• The Train-the-Trainer Programme will be refined and structured
• Follow-up webinars will support further testing
• The educational card game prototype will be developed
• Local events and multiplier activities will disseminate results
The final outputs will reflect the collective intelligence of youth workers, neurodivergent participants, and cross-sector experts working together.
Follow the project website for more updates as we move into the next implementation phase.