Introducing our new neurodiversity training for staff and students

Understanding neurodiversity is key to building an inclusive culture at Essex. Many of us work and learn alongside neurodivergent colleagues and students every day, and feeling confident in how we communicate and support one another makes a real difference.

To help strengthen this understanding, we’re pleased to offer two new online courses on neurodiversity, which are accessible to all our staff and students. The training provides a clear, friendly introduction to what neurodiversity is, and how we might incorporate it when managing teams.

The courses cover:

• what neurodiversity is and why we should celebrate it;
• the science behind neurodiversity;
• how we can accommodate different neurotypes in the workplace;
• managing neurodiverse teams;
• fostering an inclusive workplace;
• supporting neurodivergent staff.

Each course is self paced, so you can work through the material in your own time.

You just need to enrol on the course via Moodle to get started.

Who created the training?

The courses were originally developed by the John Innes Centre, a leading UK research institute based in Norwich, which is internationally known for it’s strong research and training culture. Their neurodiversity e learning courses were created to help colleagues better understand and support neurodivergence in scientific workplaces.

At Essex, access to the training was secured following requests from technical staff who wanted to better understand themselves, as well as the colleagues and students they support. As part of our commitment to the national Technician Commitment, a UK-wide initiative to raise the profile and opportunities within technical careers, we were able to secure access to the training,

Although the courses were originally developed in a STEM environment, the topics and lived experiences they explore are relevant across every part of the University. We encourage anyone who wants to learn more about neurodiversity to take part.

We hope everyone, regardless of their role, will find the training insightful and feel better equipped to have informed, confident conversations around neurodiversity.

When the training was rolled out at the Norwich Research Park, participants reported a:

• 33% increase in understanding of neurodiversity;
• 35% increase in confidence when talking about it.

Dr Clare Stevenson, Head of Science Coordination and Research Culture at the John Innes Centre, highlighted the impact of the training:

“We’ve seen what a huge impact this e learning has had on our colleagues at JIC and across other BBSRC institutes. By making it available for anyone who wants to learn more about Neurodiversity we hope that others can benefit in the same way.”

Find out more about neurodiversity at Essex

The University also offers a range of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion resources for staff and students.

• Staff
• Students.

If you’re interested in learning more about inclusion at Essex, these pages are a great place to start.