The Wire with Jessica

On May 13th, the Education Hub - a non-profit organisation that connects teachers with education research - released a report on neurodivergent children in schools and early childhood centres. 

Gathering testimonies from 2,400 people, the report found that 15-20 percent of the population is neurodivergent, meaning they have conditions including autism, ADHD, dyslexia and anxiety.

Although the school system is supposedly inclusive, the Education Hub says schools and early childhood centres are failing neurodivergent children.

In response, it has called for more funding and a law change regarding specialist provisions or supports for children with special educational needs.

Producer Sofia Roger Williams spoke to Professor of Disability Studies and Inclusive Education Missy Morton at the University of Auckland about the report, and what support for teachers, neurodivergent children, and the families of these children should look like. 

Iranian hip hop artist Toomaj Salehi has recently been sentenced to death by the Islamic Republic regime on charges of ‘corruption on earth’ for his songs criticising the regime.

He is one of the many Iranian political prisoners who have been sentenced to death for speaking out against the regime.

News and Editorial Director, Jessica Hopkins, spoke to Aida Oryantal, from Voice of Iranians about the ongoing fight for democracy in Iran.

On May 9th the New Zealand Nurses organisation held a national day of action 2024, with rallies across the country calling for increased public health funding. While the government has introduced measures to increase the number of nurses in Aotearoa, staffing shortages are still frequent in wards across the country. 

Additionally, there are worries that the recently scrapped Te Aka Whai Ora could impact the already struggling sector, taking focus away from those who need health support most and potentially increasing the workload for frontline health workers. 

In our weekly catchup with the National party, Wire host Castor spoke to Katie Nimon about the government’s approach to public health policy and how the disestablishment of Te Aka Whai Ora could affect the health sector. 

Brain Tumour Support NZ is a charitable trust established in 2019 to promote awareness for brain tumour diagnoses in New Zealand. During their "Make May Better" month, Brain Tumour Support NZ has launched the “No Going Back” fundraising platform where participants can embark on fundraising challenges to support brain tumour patients and their families.

Producer Ezra spoke to Chief Executive at Brain Tumour Support NZ, Sarah Verran, about their newly launched campaigns, the importance of brain tumour awareness and the incredible work the charity is involved in.