Summary

Innovative educators, designers, and researchers have been looking to communities of shared interests to design activities and environments that support social connection, learning, and development for neurodivergent young people. These include gaming clubs, maker spaces, and online communities facilitated by educators, peers, and caregivers. One autistic young person described his role playing game group as an “oasis” where he could find sustenance and escape from the desert of social life and adult-driven learning of school. This contrast between an oasis and desert provides a powerful metaphor for understanding the experiences of neurodivergent young people in these supportive activities and communities centered on shared interests and play.

Neurodiversity oases are environments that grow out of organic communities of interest—media fandoms, creative practices, and games—while intentionally layering in educational approaches that support inclusion, learning, and development. These spaces function as refuges where neurodivergent young people can recharge, connect, and learn through socially comfortable and energizing modes of interaction, rather than being asked to conform to dominant norms. The key features and case studies of neurodiversity oases are described in the report Neurodiversity Oases: Supporting Connection, Learning, and Development through Shared Interests and Play

This policy brief builds on this report by identifying a series of policy recommendations for spreading Neurodiversity Oases in Japan—Neurodiversity Oases Development and Extension (NODEs):

  • Creating 2.5 places within schools
  • Institutional recognition of Free Schools (alternative schools in Japan)
  • Incorporating Free School functions within university campuses

These are a preliminary set of ideas developed through the ongoing activities of the Neurodiversity Potential Study Group (NeuPoteKen), a cross-cultural research group of Japanese and English-speaking scholars who have been convening seminars and workshops in 2025-2026. This brief is offered as a conversation starter to invite dialogue, engagement, and improvement of our ideas.

Written by: Youka Watanabe, Daisuke Okabe, Kohei Kato, Mimi Ito