Recording: Recognizing the Full Neurodiversity of a Campus Community

As part of the launch of Carleton University’s Accessibility & Wellness Speaker Series, this first presentation explores neurodiversity in the postsecondary environment and considers ways of increasing accessibility for students, staff, and faculty on the autism spectrum. This presentation will serve as a starting point to catalyze further conversation and considerations of how Carleton can best leverage the strengths of the full neurodiversity of thinkers across campus. This session is presented by Tara Connolly of Carleton’s READ Initiative.

About the Speaker: Tara Connolly is the Assistant Director, Research & Development, of Carleton’s READ Initiative. Tara is a transitions specialist who has some 20 years of experience working with and learning from adults and youth on the Autism spectrum. Her work has focused on facilitating neurodiverse thinkers to thrive on their own terms through co-creating meaningful transitions into and throughout adulthood, including employment. She has worked as a teacher, ASD consultant with the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, ASD content expert with the Public Health Agency of Canada, and counsellor in private practice. She was instrumental in designing the Transition Support Centre at Algonquin College, a service that supports the transitions of students on the spectrum into post-secondary environments. Tara earned a Master’s in Sociology and Equity Studies from University of Toronto and is a member of the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association and the College of Registered Psychotherapists.