Infinity/About

Why?

Neurodivergent people bring extraordinary talents to the workplace such as pattern recognition, visual-spatial reasoning, and information recall that match, and in many cases, exceed the abilities of their neurotypical colleagues.

Despite their strong skills, many neurodivergent people face unique barriers to succeeding in the workplace not faced by others.

These include:

• Finding work
  • It is more difficult for neurodivergent people to get hired in the first place. For instance, only a third (33%) of autistic Canadians reported having a job, compared to 79% of Canadians without a disability, according to the 2017 Canadian Survey on Disability
• Attitude
  • Supervisors and co-workers may hold problematic views about neurodevelopmental conditions and can perpetuate stereotypes that neurodivergent people are inherently ‘slow’, ‘unintelligent’, or ‘incompetent’.
• Lack of support
  • Many supervisors have little to no training and experience working with neurodivergent employees and may not know what resources are available to help support their neurodivergent employees.
• Overstimulating work environments
  • Work environments that are crowded and busy can be bothersome for neurodivergent people as they are more likely to experience sensory overload from light, sounds, and smells in their surroundings.
• Inadequate work arrangements
  • Lack of flexibility in workplace locations and scheduling can be difficult for neurodivergent people to manage. Unwritten rules at work Many neurodivergent people may inadvertently enter conflict with others because they may be unaware of unwritten workplace rules or etiquette.
• Inadequate data metrics
  • Current employment equity (EE) data collected by the federal government leaves out a significant number of neurodivergent people. A more precise metric is needed to better capture the experiences of neurodivergent public servants.

More needs to be done to increase visibility, awareness, and respect for neurodiversity across the federal public service. We know that when neurodivergent people feel empowered, they can achieve amazing things.

What?

Infinity is a professional network founded by and for neurodivergent public servants. It offers a space for neurodivergent public servants to connect with like-minded colleagues and aims to empower them with the tools, resources, and knowledge to succeed at work. Infinity also looks to advocate for the needs and interests of neurodivergent people to senior leaders in the federal public service.

Mission

To connect, empower, and drive personal and professional growth among current and aspiring public servants who identify as neurodivergent, and to promote awareness and respect for neurodiversity at work.

Vision

An innovative, inclusive federal public service that sets up neurodivergent people to meaningfully contribute to Canada by valuing their unique talents and perspectives, while recognizing and respecting their unique needs.

How?

Infinity organizes various activities to advance its mission and goals. These include:

• Virtual and in-person networking
  • Giving neurodivergent public servants and their allies a safe, welcoming, and comfortable space to connect and exchange ideas with each other.
• Social activities
  • Through virtual platforms such as Discord, Infinity seeks to help neurodivergent employees foster connections outside of work through activities such as game nights or casual conversations.
• Professional development
  • Delivering workshops and learning sessions to help neurodivergent public servants understand strategies to succeed in the federal public service, covering topics such as workplace etiquette, preparing for interviews, and dealing with stress in the workplace.
• Collaboration with internal and external partners
  • Working with affinity groups and networks inside the federal government on events, programs, and initiatives with shared interests and goals Forging relationships with organizations outside government, such as post-secondary institutions and other levels of government, to help foster workplaces that respect neurodiversity Who? Infinity welcomes all federal public servants who identify as neurodivergent, as well as their allies, to become members.