Why we are needed

The challenge we’re tackling

School isn’t working for too many neurodivergent teens

  • 44% of autistic students experience bullying at school.

  • Giftedness is often overlooked, especially when combined with learning differences.

  • Many families turn to homeschooling, correspondence, or health school because mainstream classrooms don’t fit.

Getting help is harder than it should be

  • A diagnosis in New Zealand can cost $700+ and take 6–12 months.

  • Most teachers receive little training on neurodiversity or giftedness.

  • Schools are stretched, making it hard to meet individual needs.

The stakes are high — but so is the potential

  • Autistic and ADHD young people are at higher risk of anxiety, depression, and school dropout.

  • Dyslexia and ADHD make gaining qualifications and keeping employment more difficult.

  • Yet, with the right support, these same young people thrive — using their creativity, focus, and problem-solving in extraordinary ways.

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We’re not the only ones saying this…

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Dyslexia specialist, Mike Styles speaks on NZ's approach
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The problem with New Zealand's access to support
Logo of the Neurodiversity in Education Coalition featuring interconnected multicolored lines and text.
What the Neurodiversity in Education Coalition has to say
How well are NZ’s neurodivergent young people served by our education system?
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How we’re different

The Hyphen Project isn’t school, tutoring, or just another programme. It’s a whole new way of supporting twice-exceptional teens to thrive.

A person with long, bright pink hair is sitting at a worktable with various tools and supplies. The workspace has a beige cloth covering the table, and there is a piece of paper with sketches, a blue eraser, and metal tools on it. The person is wearing a gray hoodie and a black bracelet, and appears to be working on a project at the table.

Strengths, not problems.

We focus on what young people can do, not what they can’t.

Flexible by design.

Each journey is shaped by the needs and goals of the individual, not a set curriculum.

A safe space for experimentation.

We help learners develop strategies and skills to thrive in less supportive environments when necessary.

Connected to the real world.

We open doors to industry, projects, and opportunities that inspire.

Structure without pressure.

We offer routine, support, and focus – not extra demands.

Connection at the heart.

Real relationships and face-to-face interaction matter more than content.

A place to belong.

Teens find community, purpose, and a reason to step out of their bedrooms.

Led by people who ‘get it’.

Our team has lived experience with twice-exceptionality, not just training.

"You’ve already provided greater insight re [my teen's] ways of working than any of the many other professionals we have engaged during [their] shortish lifetime." — PARENT

“I underestimated the value of being supported by someone who not only understands the neurodivergent brain but is neurodivergent [themselves].” — TEEN

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“Dyslexia affects all areas of life not just reading and writing” - Mike Styles.

We are Education 4.0

We focus on skills and knowledge that our young people require today to engage in a future shaped by artificial intelligence and uncertainty.

A group of people in a modern office meeting room with white walls and glass partitions, some sitting on chairs, one sitting on the floor, engaged with laptops, notebooks, and a large screen displaying colorful images. There are posters on the glass wall with diagrams and text about intelligence and human qualities. A whiteboard with notes is on the wall.

That’s why The Hyphen Project exists: to change the story for brilliant, neurodivergent teens and their families.

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