Skip to main content

The term allez oop has its origins in the circus and was the phrase exchanged between acrobats before they fly through the air, from the French allez (let’s go!). The cry of ‘Allez Oop!’ is the cue that we are ready to launch, take your positions! It relies on careful planning, months of practice and meticulously executed teamwork.

The allez oop is used in basketball (alley oop) to describe a game play where one player sets up a team mate with a long, floating pass, which is caught, midair, and dunked, sharing the victory.

Allez Oop is grounded in a foundation of communication, collaboration and connection. It is these values that we aspire to nurture for neurodivergent success and wellness.

Communication

Communication is two way and is steeped in respect, compassion and empathy. It is based in a desire to share experiences and to want to know and understand each other. We honour the differences between neurodivergent and neurotypical cultures and we celebrate all forms of communication without adhering to a hierarchy of preferred communication. We seek to broaden our own communication approaches to ensure more of our neurokin are included and to support families and professionals to support and validate the communication methods of the people they are supporting.

Connection

Connection is at the heart of meaningful relationships and relational safety. When we connect with people and with community, we can live more meaningful and fulfilling lives. We believe in the human, biological need for human connection and we advocate for how this might look different for neurodivergent people. Connection is the first tenet of any therapeutic work and we aspire to cultivate connection in parenting, education, social care and health care.

Collaboration

Good communication and meaningful connection are the foundations of collaboration. Collaboration recognises that social hierarchies often don’t feel meaningful to neurodivergent people and we need a clear rationale plus autonomy/agency in order to engage and participate. By nurturing agency through collaboration we are developing a core skill for good mental health and future relationships whilst rejecting the adultist and ableist notions of compliance or co-ercion so often used in behaviour management approaches.

Jennifer is taking a selfie with a mirror behind her. She is a white mid aged woman with a smattering of freckles. She is wearing a dusky pink leopard print dress from Scamp & Dude and a necklace that says 'Enough is Enough'. Her hair is a red-y, orange-y, brown and is styled into a mohican with big victory rolls at the front. She is smiling at the camera. She has neutral make up and lots of gold jewellery in her ears & nose. She looks pretty cool. Her hair and style change a lot.

Jennifer Law (she/her), Autistic, ADHD & PDA, Educator Consultant, Advocate & Parent

Jennifer is passionate about empowering people to have a greater say in their own lives. She qualified as an adult educator in 2005 and has worked with schools, universities, NHS trusts and NICE, training parents and professionals. She runs a parent support group and works with autistic and LD adults which in turn supports meaningful strategic development of services, education and clinical guidelines. She is a late identifier to the neurodivergent community having slowly evolved her neuro identity whilst supporting her young child and adult children through their assessment and diagnoses. She has developed a relational approach to parenting her kids with autism, ADHD and PDA drawing on evidence, reflection and her experience as a behaviour & communication specialist in primary school. She is passionate about neuro affirmative practice and celebrating autistic community and culture. Jennifer has completed Pride in Practice Training with the LGBT Foundation and is committed to actively championing the rights and wellbeing of all marginalised communities whilst continuing to learn and unlearn.

Anita is standing in front of a blurry British seaside promenade background, the sun on her face, smiling widely. She has brown curly hair, black round glasses and is wearing a warm jumper with a tall neck. She looks really happy (as she is about to go for a swim).

Dr Anita Marsden (she/her), Neurodivergent Clinical Psychologist, Mindfulness Teacher and Parent

Anita is passionate about understanding and supporting neurodivergent individuals and their families and this has been her special interest for over 20 years. Initially working as a therapist in families homes in the late 90’s, then working as an academic in autism research and following her professional training working in national specialist and regional neurodevelopmental services offering assessment and therapeutic support. Most recently, she has been developing a psychology service within a community based multi-disciplinary team and is involved in multi-agency service development. Anita is also an expert by experience, both as a neurodivergent individual and as a parent carer. Through her professional and personal life, Anita has had the privilege of a range of experiences that informs and shapes her work and passion for this field. Anita loves teaching, training and collaboratively writing, to share knowledge and have deep conversations. Personally, she loves adventures, cycle touring and wild swimming, especially in the cold and does a little pottery to fulfil her creative side.