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Terms of reference: Neurodiversity and disability working group

Statement of Purpose: (terms of reference)

Who is the group for, goals, aims, member responsibilities

Our mission:

Our mission is to champion a neuro-affirming and inclusive environment for staff/students who are neurodivergent and/or have disabilities. We work in close collaboration with the People & Culture Committee and the Head of Department to foster understanding, advocate for meaningful support, and cultivate a workplace where every individual feels valued, empowered, and able to thrive.

Who is the group for?

  • This working group is for all staff and students within the department who have an interest in fostering a neuro-affirming, inclusive, and accessible environment. Membership is open to individuals regardless of role, seniority, or lived experience. Participation does not require disclosure of personal information, and engagement can be flexible according to individual capacity and interest.

Group goals:

  • Support and amplify the voices of staff and students who are neurodivergent and/or have disabilities/long-term health conditions
  • Provide a welcoming space for allies, advocates, managers, educators, and colleagues who wish to learn more about neurodiversity and disability inclusion
  • Enable collective learning, collaboration, and advocacy around inclusive workplace culture and practices

What we do:

  • Making the department workplace more inclusive and neurodiversity and disability friendly space through workshops, trainings, events, talks
  • This can include collaboration with local community-based organisations to facilitate knowledge exchange
  • Increase visibility and transparency of information sharing and knowledge exchange on matters related to supporting neurodiversity and disability - information sharing and signposting in an accessible format, including sharing opportunities to participate in research studies across the university
  • Collaborate with / offer consultation or advice to other university departments on neurodiversity and disability related matters (e.g., workplace inclusion/accessibility) – sharing our group expertise and learning from other relevant parties

What we don’t do:

  • Request for personal matters related to work (e.g., HR related issues), accessibility
  • We can signpost people to relevant people/university resources
  • Insight into making research more inclusive for specific labs

Member responsibilities:

  • Meetings: we expect each member to join at least around 50% of monthly meetings over any given calendar year (pro rata to working hours). For meetings where working group members are unable to join, please send apologies to the neurodiversity working group lead at: ndd-wg@psych.ox.ac.uk ; and it will be the working group member's responsibility to catch up on monthly meeting minutes.
  • Participation: we expect each member to support at least 3 events over any given academic year – organisation and planning, contribution of the member’s time to volunteer at the event.

 

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