Neurodiversity Celebration Week!

We created The Spread as a space for all Jam Pan colleagues to support their personal and professional growth through articles, tips, and videos about relevant content. As learning itself, this has been a trial-and-error process that has led us to this new stage, where every two months we will post highlights to celebrate, provide tips to look after ourselves and each other, and find some inspiration to continue the adventure of being a lifelong learner. For this month, we wanted to use this space to highlight the Neurodiversity Celebration week, going from the 17th to the 23rd of March. This weeks started as an initiative to question the misconceptions around neurodiversity and to change the way the world perceives neurodivergence in order to implement more inclusive regulations and make spaces that embrace differences, giving both neurodiverse and neurotypical people the opportunity to thrive.

Though a series of articles and videos, we will explore the purpose of this week, how to break stigmas, and guides to be a supportive colleague and asking for support in your role as a neurodivergent colleague. Finally for The Preserve, our wellbeing section, Dawn has listed a series of tips to boost your wellbeing this Spring. 

Happy read!

What is the Neurodiversity celebration week?

Do you want to learn what this week encompasses? The Neurodiversity Celebration Week video will explain the movement that's changing the narrative around neurological differences in the UK and beyond. Moreover, the TED talk Challenging our disordered thinking about Neurodiversity will challenge everything you know about neurodiversity, busting myths and shedding new light on the positives of embracing the diversity of all people.

Neurodiversity: Stigma and the workplace

Ever wondered what the term "neurodiversity" actually means? And what's the difference between being "neurotypical" and "neurodivergent"? Watch Neurodiversity in the Workplace to discover the meanings of these key terms - and learn how being neurodivergent can impact people in the workplace, as well as five strategies you can use to support them. Continue your learning with the article Neurodiversity: Stigma and Language which encourages us to rethink our vocabulary and show that by being mindful of our words, phrases, jokes and comments, we can ensure that we aren’t contributing to stigma and stereotypes which could potentially be harmful. 

How to be a supportive colleague?

To close this section on, we have gathered a series of guides to be a supportive colleague and to find support as a neurodivergent colleague. 

• Guides for an inclusive workplace: This guide is for people professionals and leaders across functions who want to learn more about neurodiversity, the benefits of having a neuroinclusive and fair organisation, and how they can support neurodivergent people to be comfortable, confident and successful at work
• Healthy ways of working: As the way we work continues to evolve, developing healthy working habits and supporting human connection is more important than ever. As part of My Whole Self, the campaign for workplace culture change, MHFA England® has developed this guide to support you to work effectively whether you are working remotely, on site or, a mixture of the two.
   

The Preserve: Wellbeing Tips for Spring

by Dawn Diamond

Get some more Vitamin D 

While we begin to see more sunshine in spring, for many people it’s still a good idea to tweak your diet to include more foods containing vitamin D.  You can get some vitamin D from our diet through oily fish such as salmon, mackerel, sardines and herring, as well as eggs and foods fortified with it, such as breakfast cereals 

Get More Sleep 

Be prepared for the clocks going forward in March and losing that hour sleep, if this does affect you then start by waking a little earlier each week leading up to the clocks going forward. Sleep hygiene is also important as the days get longer and lighter earlier, investing in some blackout curtains and removing any light pollution – such as devices – from your bedroom  

Get Outside  

As the days get longer look to start taking your exercise outside where you can. Nature has a lot of benefits for wellbeing, from reducing stress and anxiety to easing muscle tension and reducing blood pressure.  20 minutes walk a day is enough to make a difference, take notice of your surroundings too as everything starts to change in Spring. 

Motivation

If you don't have a goal, whether in life, work, sport or hobbies, you may feel a lack of focus. Whatever motivates you will give you a sense of purpose so try set yourself a goal like a charity run or learning to play an instrument. It will breed new focus and stimulation in to your life.

Eat with the Season 

Spring can see a variety of fruit and veg available for this time of year. Eating a variety will provide you with a broad range of vitamins and minerals. The benefits of eating seasonally include the quality of the produce, and greater flavour. 

“The price tends to be cheaper and if you are looking to eat more sustainably, then eating seasonally will also help you to achieve this. 

Have a reset 

Have a spring clean for yourself in March. This could be having a spring clean of the house focusing on all those jobs you leave over winter like  cleaning windows, carpets and cupboards  

looking at recycling or donating things you don’t use anymore, having a clear out can help you to feel more positive and calm about your surrounding environment  

Digital Reset 

Its very easy to spend more time online or on social media over the darker months and this can consume more of our time than we realise,  but now hopefully with longer brighter days, look to change this habit and find something new that gets you out and about if possible or learn a new hobby.