Over the past year, GAIN has flourished as a community motivated to identify, spotlight, and promote the best neuro-inclusive practices. Francis McGee, Executive Chair of GAIN, explores how the community has grown to include 32 corporate members, many of whom are the industry’s biggest names. With over 1,000 individual members, more than 3,000 followers on LinkedIn, and 1,100+ subscribers to this newsletter, we look forward to exchanging new ideas and developing practical solutions together in 2024.

Georgina Philippou, Former COO and Senior Adviser for Diversity at the FCA, answers your questions on the FCA's Diversity and Inclusion Consultation Paper. As D&I becomes a regulatory issue, how do we ensure neurodiversity becomes a key part of the regulations moving forward?

As we take steps towards neuro-inclusion as an industry and as you consider your response to the consultation paper, we ask if you could amplify the message and importance of neurodiversity. We believe that a collective response will champion the benefits neurodiversity can bring to our sector and those who work within it, as we strive to deliver better consumer and market outcomes. We are pleased to provide a copy of our response, now submitted to the FCA. Please consider whether you would be willing to amplify our message by submitting your response by midnight on the 18th of December 2023.

In a world where diversity and inclusion are increasingly acknowledged, neurodiversity has taken longer to gain recognition compared to gender, ethnicity, or LGBTQ+. However, this is starting to shift. Laurie explains how GAIN remains committed to advocating for neurodiversity and is actively assisting the insurance and investment industry in acknowledging the untapped and under-appreciated talent within this demographic. This talent, he emphasises, can play a crucial role in shaping the future of our businesses. Please read more via the button and scroll down the newsletter to read the full article. 

While neurodiversity encompasses a wide spectrum of experiences, the common theme for many neurodivergent individuals in the workplace is a profound sense of loneliness, often stemming from a perceived lack of understanding.

The festive season may bring joy to many but can also accentuate the challenges faced by neurodivergent individuals in the workplace, emphasising the need for greater awareness and understanding to foster an inclusive and supportive working environment.

It all starts with the boring! Small, seemingly insignificant steps can bring about lasting change in the workplace and truly benefit neurodivergent individuals.

Jeff Karl shares from his personal journey, knowledge, and insight as a User Experience Designer, providing practical tips on taking those initial steps towards

neuro-inclusion.

Catch up on previous episodes of 'Vina Talks ND Life' via:

"We’re the quiet ones in the meeting room, or the loud ones that always finish your sentence and talk over you. We’re the ones who can’t make small talk, a bit abrupt and straight to the point, or the ones that talk too much and don’t read the subtle signs...You know the ones I’m talking about, right? We’re in your meetings, we’re in your teams, we’re everywhere in the workplace."

Nalini Solanki discusses neuro-inclusion, and how firms can take action to make their workplace more neuro-inclusive – including reverse mentoring, work experience programmes, and taking a step away from standard HR measures. Teams with a mix of neurodiverse and neurotypical individuals deliver ouput at greater pace, are innovative, they help achieve speed to market, they add to your bottom line.

Want to get involved with neurodiverse work experience? Take a look at the case studies below or email us at info@diversityproject.com 

Being a parent of a neurodivergent child can have its highs and lows. Finding a community of others who understand, have walked a similar journey, and are here for support can be a real comfort and inspiration. Join us at this lunchtime, in-person event where you can hear from other parents and discover ways to take care of your own well-being. Register your place today.

We are delighted to share with you that Vic Mazonas, General Manager of GAIN will be speaking as a panellist for Diversity and Ability’s series 'Labels and Legacies: Embracing Intersectionality' with Atif Choudhury. On 12th December at 1pm, we invite you to join the event as we explore the question of 'From Bias to Belonging: How to Make #Inclusion Explicit'.

GAIN Individual Member's Christmas Meet-up