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Neurodiversity Network?

Dr. Rachel Dugdale

Is there any interest in forming a neurodiversity network for the IET? I can't be the only autistic person here, and I'm sure ADHD/dyslexia/etc are also well represented in our membership.

I note that even the 'interests' tags that it's possible to follow on the new forum are all exclusively descriptive of technical areas, with no space for diversity/inclusion topics or broader discussion of workplace culture. (For example, although I can tag 'LGBTQ+' and 'Women in technology' on this post, I am not able to follow them under my 'interests' section!) Similarly, the 'groups' section has options for technical or local groups, but no obvious route to connect based on shared experiences that don't fall into those categories.

A friend of mine has just launched a group within BCS (British Computing Society), so if there was interest in creating a similar IET group, there could be potential for interesting collaboration/cross-pollination. Plus, with so many tech companies now attempting to focus on the recruitment of neurodiverse staff, it seems to me that it could be useful to have a group who could engage with them to talk about our actual requirements day to day, rather than just how to get people through the door.

  • Hi Rachel, 

    We do have a neurodiversity member group already in place at the IET. 

    It was formed a few years ago as the IET's Dyslexia Focus group but now functions more broadly as the Neurodiversity Member group. The purpose of the group is to support neurodiverse engineers and technologists, improve awareness of neurodiversity and to advise on improved processes within the IET.

    Your point on the interest tags here is a good one that I hope we can do something about. 

    if you'd like to join the group please let me know here or email inclusion@theiet.org. 

    Many thanks, 

    Laura 

  • in reply to Laura Norton

    Thanks Laura. Really pleased to hear that this exists - I'd definitely be interested to join.

    cheers,

    Rachel

  • On the general point about finding links, it is really confusing. The "Explore" front page includes "By General Topic > Equality Diversion and Inclusion" which takes you straight to related threads, but when you're in the "discussions" front page https://engx.theiet.org/f I can't see any way of finding these same threads - as Rachel says, it only seems to offer technical topics.

    Somehow it needs a link from the "Discussions" page to these "General Topics" (also "Careers", which is the main thread I use, "History" and "Volunteering").

    Thanks,

    Andy

    (link to this thread added to the "Questions about EngX" forum in case that helps)

  • in reply to Dr. Rachel Dugdale

    Thanks Rachel, that's great news. Could you email us at inlcusion@theiet.org please so I can add your email address to our distribution list and invite you to the next meeting. 

    Many thanks, 

    Laura 

  • in reply to Andy Millar

    Thanks Andy, we're looking in to this. It's really helpful to hear your feedback - thank you. 

    Laura 

  • I am on the Aspergers spectrum and find this forum format difficult. I enquired about neurodiversity in the IET in this thread but did not get much of an answer from the IET, more from the forum stalwarts.

    Does the IET have a policy/guidelines on neurodiversity? - Engineering Discussions - IET EngX - IET EngX

    I would be interested in joining the neurodiversity group.

  • in reply to Roger B

    Hi Roger, 

    Good to meet you here. 

    We don't have a neurodiversity policy as such but we aim to include consideration of neurodiversity in all of our policies related to equality, diversity and inclusion and through our codes of conduct. 

    One of the aims of the neurodiversity group is to support and advise on the development of guidance and improvements as needed. 

    We'd be delighted to welcome you to the group. If you'd like to join please could you email inclusion@theiet.org so that I can add your email address to the distribution list and include you in future meeting invitations.  We tend to meet every two months. Our next meeting is Friday 11th March. I look forward to meeting you there. 

    Best wishes, 

    Laura 

  • Andy Millar said:
    On the general point about finding links, it is really confusing. The "Explore" front page includes "By General Topic > Equality Diversion and Inclusion" which takes you straight to related threads, but when you're in the "discussions" front page https://engx.theiet.org/f I can't see any way of finding these same threads - as Rachel says, it only seems to offer technical topics.

    I think this is a least partially a labelling issue. In fact you can filter discussions by technical _and_ general topics/interests, as shown below:

    However, this list doesn't include the "parent" topics, e.g. Built Environment, Careers, EDI, only the "children", e.g. Asset Management, Professional Registration, Women in Engineering. 

    You can use the Explore menu to filter all content by a "parent" topic; clicking on the topic tag in any page in which it appears will also do this:

  • Dr. Rachel Dugdale said:
    I note that even the 'interests' tags that it's possible to follow on the new forum are all exclusively descriptive of technical areas, with no space for diversity/inclusion topics or broader discussion of workplace culture.

    You can also follow non-technical topics, but currently the mechanism is different: on the topic page (e.g. "Equality Diversity Inclusion"), select the sub-topic you want to follow (e.g. "Women in Engineering") and click/tap on the heart icon:

    In fact this also works for the technical topics/interests included in the user profile.

  • in reply to Peter Foord

    That's a really useful hack, Peter, thank you for sharing. (But I think the fact that I'm a computer scientist with 15+ years' professional experience, and having been involved in online forums since my early teens, and I still didn't figure this out, means it could probably afford to be improved!)

    It also remains the case that presently there is simply no way to tag neurodiversity (or disability, or mental health) in the way it's possible to tag matters of race/gender/LGBTQ+ interest.

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