Infinity - The Network for Neurodivergent Public Servants / Infinité - Le Réseau des fonctionnaires neurodivergents/Infinity In Sum/EN: July 12, 2023
**English version – La version française suit**
Wednesday, July 11, 2023
Infinity news
Feedback on Infinity’s Professional Development Framework
The Professional Development Working Group has prepared a draft Professional Development Framework to provide a strategic overview of issues at the intersection of neurodiversity and professional development, and offers best practices to enhance the recruitment, retention, and advancement of current and aspiring neurodivergent public servants.
The Professional Development Working Group invites feedback from Infinity members on the draft Framework, which can be found on Infinity's GCcollab page. Please send the feedback by Friday, July 14 to anna.logie@justice.gc.ca in the official language of your choice.
Join Infinity on Discord!
Our Discord server now has more than 70 members! Outside of working hours, it offers a welcoming space for neurodivergent public servants and their allies to connect and make new friends. Whether it is sharing a funny meme or playing games virtually with other neurodivergent people from across Canada, our Discord server is a great space for you to
Please read our Server Rules before continuing. If you are unfamiliar with Discord, consult this Beginner’s Guide. Please consult the GCcollab and GCxchange pages for details on joining the Discord server,
Upcoming events
Wednesday, July 19 (12-1 PM EDT) - Lunch and Game
- Description: Lunch and Game is a space for Infinity members to chat, hang out, and play Jackbox Games on the Network’s dedicated Discord server. Please note that you must use a personal device to participate in this opportunity.
- Format: Discord
- Meeting information: If you are interested in participating, please send an email to infinity-infinite@tbs-sct.gc.ca with the subject line "Lunch and Game sign-up" if you want to be added to the participant list and receive an Outlook calendar placeholder no later than July 14.
Thursday, August 3 (2-3 PM EDT) – Infinity Network Meeting
- Description: The Network meeting is a gathering open to all members of the Infinity network. During this meeting, the Steering Committee will update attendees on the Network’s progress, strategic direction, and upcoming events and initiatives.
- Format: Virtual (Microsoft Teams)
- Meeting information: To be distributed soon.
Government-wide celebrations
Celebrating Disability Pride Month
Each July, disabled people and their allies come together worldwide to celebrate Disability Pride Month. This occasion is an opportunity to celebrate the extraordinary contributions of disabled people to our communities, and highlight the ongoing barriers faced by disabled people. Disability, according to the Accessible Canada Act, means “any impairment, including a physical, mental, intellectual, cognitive, learning, communication or sensory impairment—or a functional limitation—whether permanent, temporary or episodic in nature, or evident or not, that, in interaction with a barrier, hinders a person’s full and equal participation in society.”
This definition can encompass the experiences of neurodivergent public servants, many of whom self-identify as being disabled. In fact, between 2020 and 2022, there was a doubling of the number of Public Service Employee Survey (PSES) who identified as having a cognitive disability. As federal institutions continue to implement their Accessibility Plans, Infinity is committed to ensuring that cognitive disability is not forgotten in creating more accessible workspaces.
Disability Pride Month underscores our collective duty to challenge ableism, promote visibility of disabled people, and advocate for meaningful action to support disabled people at home, work, school, and wider communities.
