Mission
WHO?
WHAT?
WHY?
Divergining Minds, a club created by medical students, aspires to raise awareness about neurodiversity and acceptance of the neurodivergent community within the student population.
We ground ourselves in the values of equality and equity by emphasizing the concept of neurodiversity as a spectrum. Conducted in an inclusive safe space, conversation is centered around the topic of respecting, accepting and supporting all persons with neurological differences by highlighting their strengths and understanding the adversities they face in day-to-day life.
Through collaborations with neurodivergent individuals, family members, professionals and neurodivergence-associated organizations, our club’s mission is to understand, listen to and learn from their experiences. Ultimately, we wish to illustrate their strengths and their struggles to high school, CEGEP and university students. Our main course of action is to offer workshops focused on educating oneself to further support the inclusion of neurodivergent individuals within society.
Objectives
1
To educate the younger student population of the lives neurodivergent individuals live through workshops. The content of these workshops will include personal testimonials of their experiences, testimonials of transformation in our own understanding of neurodivergence and interactive activities encouraging students to put themselves in the perspective of a neurodivergent person. The goal is to encourage the students receiving the workshops to develop further respect, understanding and acceptance of the neurodivergent community.
2
To improve the healthcare for neurodivergent individuals by offering workshops to university students within the health field. The workshops will feature guidelines to improve patient care provided to neurodivergent individuals. Additionally, they will provide the opportunity to learn from and collaborate with neurodivergent individuals and advocates, to ultimately create a more inclusive learning environment and promote change within the future health sector.
3
To increase active support for the neurodivergent community by promoting volunteering opportunities amongst students at NGOs that aid the neurodivergent community to further encourage learning, understanding and acceptance of the community.