Fostering a supportive environment for neurodiverse members of our community

Monday 14 March 2022

The Neurodiversity Focus Group set up by the College’s Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Working Group is hosting a programme of events this week designed to help everyone at St Catharine's foster a supportive environment for the neurodiverse members of our community.

The activities have been organised in anticipation of the Neurodiversity Celebration Week, which falls outside term time this year (21–27 March 2022).

St Catharine's students, staff and Fellows are encouraged to take the opportunity to get involved, using the access/sign-up details circulated by email last week. Due to room capacity, some events have been targeted at specific groups in our community.

Timing	Activity	Who it’s open to
15 March 11am–12pm (Rushmore Room Talk, Ramsden Room Lunch)	*Neurodiversity: Reducing barriers through effective support:* Dr Helen Duncan is the senior neurodiversity adviser at the University’s Disability Resource Centre (DRC) and supports students with specific learning difficulties (SpLD), including dyslexia, dyspraxia and ADHD. Dr Duncan will explain in detail what a Specific Learning Difficulty is, how it can affect study, and what pedagogic approaches are effective in supporting students with SpLD to achieve their potential alongside their peers. There will be a generous amount of time for discussion and a buffet lunch will be provided afterwards in the Ramsden Room for attendees.	Fellows, Tutors, Supervisors & Directors of Studies
15 March 2–3pm (Zoom)	*Autism, society, and neurodiversity: dispelling misconceptions using large-scale datasets:* Dr Varun Warrier (2019), Bowring Research Fellow at St Catharine’s, will talk about how we can use large-scale genetic and epidemiological datasets to understand factors that contribute to diversity in diagnosis, presentation, gender, co-occurring conditions within autism.	All St Catharine’s students, staff and Fellows
15 March 6–7pm (McGrath Centre)	*Life as a neurodivergent student at Cambridge:* Ammie Vudathu (a first-year Theology, Religion & Philosophy of Religion undergraduate and JCR President) and Emily Quin (currently a PhD student but also a qualified teacher with specialisms in inclusion and special educational needs and disability) have kindly agreed to share their own experiences, as well as insights provided by other students, to address the barriers faced by undergraduate and postgraduate students. The session will be facilitated by Dr Lyn Welland (2020), Fellow Commoner, and Dr Helen Duncan. It will be followed by a drinks reception, and both Ammie and Emily will be available afterwards to discuss what tools and assistance might be provided to help supervisors, faculty members, and other educational practitioners so they can deliver support to students in a more effective way.	All St Catharine’s students, staff, Tutors, Supervisors and Directors of Studies
16 March 6–7pm (McGrath Centre)	*Life as a neurodivergent student at Cambridge:* Tuesday’s session will be repeated to reach those attending the second of two Supervisors’ Dinner scheduled later that evening.	All St Catharine’s students, staff, Tutors, Supervisors and Directors of Studies