Infinity - The Network for Neurodivergent Public Servants / Infinité - Le Réseau des fonctionnaires neurodivergents/Infinity In Sum/EN: August 10, 2023

Thursday, August 10, 2023

Infinity news

Call for members for Working Group for the College@ESDC’s neurodiversity learning event

The College@ESDC is excited to join forces with the Infinity network to bring their lived experiences to the learners of ESDC. We are currently seeking members to join the working group for a learning event on neurodiversity in the workplace taking place on January 18, 2024. A French session will take place at 10 AM EST; the English session will take place at 2 PM EST. Each session will be 90 minutes, with a brief moderated Q&A period included. The working group will include potential panelists/speakers willing to share their lived experiences as neurodiverse individuals in the public service, as well as those who are interested in providing questions, themes, and topics for the discussion period. Priority will be given to speakers working within ESDC. If you are interested in participating in the working group, please send an email to Victoria.valeri@servicecanada.gc.ca.

Call for information about department-level neurodiversity groups  

Infinity is looking to compile a list of existing department-level networks or affinity groups dedicated to supporting neurodivergent employees.  This includes any department-level accessibility networks that welcome neurodivergent employees as part of their membership.

Infinity continues to receive questions from members about department-specific neurodiversity groups. To ensure that the Network can direct its members to support groups closer and more accessible to them within their organizations, we are reaching out to everyone to ask for information about neurodiversity networks and groups at the departmental level they are aware of.  Additionally, as the interdepartmental neurodiversity network, Infinity also hopes to support and collaborate with its department-level counterparts on pan-government initiatives.  

If you lead or support a department-level neurodiversity employee group, or an accessibility network that welcomes neurodivergent employees, please complete the Call for information on department-level neurodiversity networks survey.  

While we recognize there is interest in expanding the number of department-level neurodiversity networks in the future, our focus right now is to take stock of existing groups.  Infinity hopes to provide support to new departmental-level neurodiversity groups in the near future.  

Call for research participants for project on neuroinclusivity in standards development – Carleton University  

Carleton University’s Accessibility Institute is looking standards development professionals to give us suggestions and feedback on an educational resource and toolkit that will help apply a neurodivergent lens to the development of standards in Canada.

What is involved?

Participants will do a 2-hour (with a 15-minute break) online focus group about their experiences and recommendations for supporting the development of inclusive standards. Accommodations are available.

Who can participate?

To participate, you must be:

• Employed in a profession that involves developing standards in Canada
• Able to communicate in English, French, ASL, or LSQ
• No expertise on neurodiversity is required.

Compensation

Participants will receive a $25 CAD e-gift card.

How to sign up?

If you are interested in participating, please visit the Accessibility Institute website.  

Upcoming events

Tuesday, August 22 (TBD) - Thinking Outside the Box: Navigating Being Neurodivergent and 2SLGBTQIA+

• Description:  In celebration of Public Service Pride Week, dive into a thought-provoking discussion with four panelists from across the federal public service who will share their own stories in navigating and understanding what it means to be part of both neurodivergent and 2SLGBTQIA+ communities. This session is an exploration of experiences, identities, and shared journeys. Whether you are a part of these communities, an ally, or simply curious about the intersection between neurodivergent and queer identities, we welcome you to join this conversation
• Language: Bilingual
• Format: Microsoft Teams
• Meeting information:  To be distributed

Wednesday, August 23 (10-11 AM Eastern) - How to nurture neurodivergent talent in the public service (Apolitical)

• Description: “An estimated 15% of people are neurodiverse. Neurodiversity includes autism, ADHD, dyslexia and many more. Organizations are finally beginning to recognise the immense value of diverse perspectives, talents and ways of thinking. But how do you create an environment that fosters inclusion and empowers neurodivergent individuals to thrive? Join this free online workshop to learn about how to create great places for neurodivergent people to work. You’ll hear about key topics such as accessibility, support systems and fair hiring practices.” This workshop is organized and delivered by Apolitical, a UK-based non-profit focused on promoting learning and knowledge sharing among public servants worldwide. The opinions expressed in this workshop are solely that of the presenters.
• Language: English
• Format: Zoom
• Meeting information: You will need to register for an Apolitical account to register for this event, which be done via the above link. Employees at all GC departments and agencies can join Apolitical. You may need to contact Apolitical directly to join if you are employed in a federal Crown corporation.