Cocoon SDA Care’s Post

Lessons in the importance of building relationships…..

November is National Native American Heritage Month, and November 25th is National Native American Heritage Day! This is a time to honor and celebrate the many Indigenous communities in this nation and to uplift their histories and stories in both our communities and workplaces. How are you recognizing this important month at your organization? Does your company have an Employee Resource Group for people who identify as First Nations, Indigenous, Native or something else? How is your organization establishing a connection with this community and building a relationship? Building a meaningful connection with this community is important because of the long history of systemic oppression and colonial trauma that they have experienced. Because of this history, many folks who are part of this community already feel excluded, which can affect their experiences in society and in the workplace. Fostering belonging and making intentional strides to understand and uplift the Indigenous experience is a great first step that can be established with Employee Resource Groups. ERGs have been proven to foster belonging, connection and inclusivity in the workplace. Making an effort to create a safe space for Native folks to gather and build affinity is an excellent way to show your organization’s commitment to DEI. Comment below how your organization is committing to celebrating this heritage month. For additional information on prioritizing intentional inclusivity of Native employees and communities, click the link below to purchase your copy of Farzana Nayani's book, ‘The Power of Employee Resource Groups: How People Create Authentic Change.’ Be sure to follow us to stay updated on all ERG, DEI, and workplace culture-related content. https://lnkd.in/eXXsxhST #ERGPower #ThePowerOfERGs #EmployeeResourceGroups #ERGs #DEI #DiversityEquityInclusion #WorkplaceInclusion #WorkplaceCulture #MentalHealth #MentalHealthAwareness #NationalNativeAmericanHeritageDay #NationalNativeAmericanHeritageMonth

Happy Saturday all. Welcome to our Saturday Neurodiversity Celebration from Jane! 'This week, I feel strongly that a bright light should be shone towards Neurodiversity. As Neurodiversity Celebration Week has an aim of sharing a positive light on the Neurodivergent community and celebrating differences, embracing diversity and understanding the strengths that neurodivergent individuals have, I’d like to share my thoughts on how amazing the neurodivergent community is. Neurodiversity is something to celebrate and accept. And it shouldn’t be just this week, it should be EVERYDAY. In my job as an online neurodivergent business support worker, I have the absolute privilege everyday to work with some amazing neurodivergent individuals of whom I am all so lucky to work with. Seeing the passion and desire they each have for their jobs, businesses and careers everyday is something I thoroughly enjoy. Working with neurodivergent individuals and offering a small level of support as they break boundaries, create positive environments and take their businesses and careers from strength to strength is something I’m so grateful I get to witness everyday. I’d like to thank my colleagues and clients for continuously spreading positivity around neurodivergence and for inspiring me at work everyday. And, as Neurodiversity Celebration Week ends, let’s strive to make everyday a celebration of neurodiversity!' You can re-read Janes celebration here: https://lnkd.in/eppZYag9 #NeurodiversityCelebrationWeek #NeurodiversityCelebration #CelebrateDifferences #EmbraceNeurodiversity #NeurodiversityAwareness #DiverseBrains #EmpowerNeurodiversity #AcceptanceForAll #JanetSmithHarrison #JanetSmithHarrisonCoaching #JanetSmithHarrisonTraining #JanetSmithHarrisonCoachingAndTraining

Today is Companies That Care Day, highlighting the soul of our modern workplace: care and integrity. A day to applaud organizations that prioritize not just success but a culture of respect, balance, and community engagement. #CompaniesThatCareDay2024 #SayHALO #EmployeeRecognition #WorkplaceCulture #WorkplaceWellness #WorkLifeBalance #DEI

Maceo Owens definitely put together an amazing day of workshopping and networking for us! The thought partnership, ability to hear what we have done that works with our community groups and also the simple things we could all start to implement, were keys to making this stop feel so engaging! One of my biggest take aways was the metrics, metrics, metrics...how am I truly measuring impact and engagement in a way that is meaningful, transferrable to meet the company goals, and still prioritizes building, nurturing and sustaining community first. If you are in the path of the next ERG stop and have a love for building community, an ERG, or any community, make your way to the conversation!

The month of May is marked by meaningful holidays and events that hold a special place in our hearts. From International Workers' Day to Mother's Day and Memorial Day, this month presents us with opportunities to pause and contemplate the impact of these occasions on our lives. As we take a moment to reflect, we can't help but recognize the profound influence of the women who raised us. They have served as our guiding lights, setting our internal compass and shaping the individuals we have become. Their love, support, and unwavering belief in us have been the driving force behind our achievements. Moreover, we acknowledge the incredible dedication and commitment of the employees and employers who stand by us, regardless of geographical boundaries. Their shared focus on customer service and satisfaction, coupled with their diverse perspectives, add tremendous value to our professional lives. It is through their collaboration and collective efforts that we are able to create a global community that thrives on innovation and success. Lastly, as we observe Memorial Day, we are reminded of the importance of learning from our history. This day serves as a solemn reminder of the fights, struggles, and triumphs that have shaped our world. By remembering and honoring those who have sacrificed, we ensure that their legacies are preserved and that we never take for granted the freedoms and opportunities we enjoy today. We are truly blessed to be part of a world that allows us to experience growth, development, and the opportunity to become the best versions of ourselves. Let us embrace each day with a commitment to continual self-improvement, knowing that it is through our personal growth that we can make a positive impact on the world around us. May this month inspire us to cherish the past, celebrate the present, and strive for a brighter future. Together, let us make May a month of gratitude, reflection, and personal growth. #MayReflections #Grateful #PersonalGrowth #WomenEmpowerment #CustomerService #Diversity #MemorialDay #HistoryLessons #ContinuousImprovement #Blessed #Opportunities #PositiveImpact #CherishThePast #CelebrateThePresent #BrighterFuture

Get Ready to Transform Your Mindset with #ConversationsforChange! ✨ Upcoming Session: "Exploring #DEI journeys: From personal resilience  to collective action." 🌈✨This Pride Month, we’re kicking off an exciting journey into the heart of what empowers and defines us. Join us for the debut of our interactive series, Conversations for Change, where dialogue ignites #diversity, #equity, and #inclusion like never before. 🌟 Featuring: Bhawna Vats - Senior Director of DEI Engagement and Partnerships, and Alisha Siddhartha - Our Senior Marketing Manager at Clovity, ready to take us on a deep dive into their DEI advocacy and the resilience that propels them forward. Discover: 👉 The profound impact of early diversity experiences 👉 Milestones in the journey of DEI advocacy 👉 Effective strategies to champion DEI in the face of skepticism ..and more! Why Now? Launching during #PrideMonth underlines our commitment to promoting an environment where everyone belongs, celebrates progress, and continues the critical work of building an inclusive future. 📌 Don’t miss this empowering session! We invite you to join us on this journey, whether you’re new to the DEI conversation or looking to deepen your understanding and commitment. Let's inspire, learn, and undertake tangible actions towards a more inclusive world together. 📅 Mark your calendars & Stay tuned for tomorrow! 👉 #DEIUnfolded #EmpowermentJourneys #ClovityLeadsChange #PrideMonthCelebration #DiversityAndInclusion #EquityAndInclusion #DiversityInTech #InclusiveWorkplace #DiversityLeadership #EqualityForAll #WomenInLeadership #MinorityOwnedBusiness

Really looking forward to joining this webinar tomorrow on the benefits of #neurodiversity in the workplace for #neurodiversitycelebrationweek. Very much hope the next year will see more businesses doing more to progress their inclusion work in this space, beyond just talking about it. It feels like there is a very real risk of lost momentum at present, after all the pandemic's utopian 'build back better' idealism. That's no slight on the excellent work of Neurodiversity in Business (NiB) - the Neurodiversity Charity and many others who are tirelessly working to improve the outlook for ND employees and aspiring employees. For all the positives ND staff can bring, it's vital that businesses don't focus solely on the potential net gains as a justification for accommodating individual needs. The modern workplace can be a constant minefield to navigate (e.g. getting horribly lost this morning in between tube station and office in a textbook example of autistic hyperfocus on something other than getting from A to B, and missing the first in-person meeting of a new week 😬😭). People should be supported to contribute what they can, with that support in no way conditional on bringing some fantasy ND 'super-power' to the table. There is so much more responsible employers can and should do to boost workplace participation without compromising on individual wellbeing, rather than waiting to be told and reacting only after an acute point of need arises. Anything less and the people who are excluded from the workplace will remain excluded, to the collective loss and shame of the business community and society.

Today, I delivered two online Neurodiversity Awareness Sessions 🌻 to staff at UKAS as part of their Belonging journey with Nicholé McGill-Higgins ~ Queen of The Hive™️🐝 It was ironic that it just happened to fall on the first day of Neurodiversity Celebration Week but was not planned deliberately to do so. What I didn't do is swerve the challenging parts of the conversation as by doing so, you're only telling half a story, and it's important for people to hear about the very real challenges we face daily, not just in the workplace but in life more broadly. We covered lots, including: 🧠 What is Neurodiversity and what it isn't 🧠 Why is Neurodiversity important in a business context 🧠 What does it feel like to be a Mac in a Windows World 🧠 Exploring the Language of Neurodiversity 🧠 What is Ableism, and how can you avoid and deal with it 🧠 What Strengths do Neurodivergent people bring to the workplace It was a wonderful conversation. The audience was very engaged, and we had plenty of interaction and dialogue. It's great to see businesses like UKAS committed to inclusion and belonging, bringing lived experience educators like me into their business to help support them on their journey. If you're wondering how to start the conversation in your workplace, reach out and let's chat - I can 💯 percent help you. Oh and Nicholé McGill-Higgins ~ Queen of The Hive™️🐝 for the avoidance of doubt, Yorkshire Tea is still the best Tea in the World - Period! 😉 #Neurodiversity #Education #Awareness #Training #Neurospicy 🌶️

Neuroinclusion by DESIGN, as Neuroinclusivity is good FOR EVERYONE. Looking forward to the discussion. Can't think of a better person to lead the conversation than Dan Harris FRSA, Neurodiversity in Business (NiB) - the Neurodiversity Charity.