Events & Initiatives

The one-year anniversary of the pandemic is a milestone at which to stop and gauge how we have adapted and what remains a challenge within our everyday lives. This three-part interactive lunch series will provide participants with knowledge and strategies to improve their resiliency. Opportunities for applying the strategies will be practiced during and between sessions. The facilitator will tailor sessions and resources to the emergent primary concerns of the participants, as such, this is a closed and confidential series with registration capped at 25. Options for anonymity will be provided

• Session 1 (February 17th 2021) : Rethinking stress and stress management following a pandemic
• Session 2 (February 24th 2021): Activities that foster resilience
• Session 3 (March 10th 2021): Resilience at Work

Facilitator: Hiba Zafran is an occupational therapist-psychotherapist and assistant professor in the Faculty of Medicine.

McGill's Web Services team is collaborating with the Accessibility Advisor to offer a web accessibility hack-a-thon. This is part two of a two-part event series aimed at helping McGill website editors know how to make their websites accessible, in compliance with Quebec's Standard sur l'accessibilité des sites Web (SGQRI 008 2.0). During this hack-a-thon, participants will receive one-on-one help reviewing their site and addressing accessibility issues. Members of McGill's unified web team from Digital Communications and the Web Service Group will be on hand to help you assess your website and fix accessibility issues.

McGill's Web Services team is collaborating with the Accessibility Advisor to offer an information session on web accessibility. This is part one of a two-part event series aimed at helping McGill website editors know how to make their websites accessible, in compliance with Quebec's Standard sur l'accessibilité des sites Web (SGQRI 008 2.0) 

Access the presentation slides

Rachel Desjourdy, Accessibility Advisor and Sara Charbonneau Health and Well-Being Advisor, invite Hiba Zafran an Occupational Therapist-Psychotherapist and assistant professor in the Faculty of Medicine to her share strategies for resiliency in a pandemic and beyond.

As a full year of living in "Pandemia" and global unrest ends, we all remain in the process of adapting to uncertainty and shifting priorities. This session will provide a guided reflective space to take stock of your stress levels and coping strategies, and reconsider how you are balancing activities to foster resilience. Offering a unique format, attendees are invited to consider this as a 'time for you'. You are encouraged to treat this as a podcast, keep the video off to rest your eyes, and attend in comfortable clothes and location. 

Facilitator: Hiba Zafran is an occupational therapist-psychotherapist and assistant professor in the Faculty of Medicine. 

Listen to the recording of (Still) Living in Pandemic: Cultivating Resilience

Handout: Resources for Resiliency (Feb 2021)

Presented by: Dr. Diane Boivin, Director, Centre for Study and Treatment of Circadian Rhythms, Douglas Mental Health University Institute

Dr. Boivin presented the factors that affect the quality and duration of sleep as well as fatigue levels that can occur during the day. The session included practical advice and possible solutions to improve sleep hygiene. Participants learned how to recognize symptoms of sleep disorders and when they should consult health professionals. 

Watch the recording on Stream

Presented by: Dana Ingalls, Liaison Librarian, McDonald Campus Library, Chair of Library Accessibility Working Group.

Dana Ingalls talked about McGill's library accessibility before, during, and after COVID-19 closures. First, offering a brief introduction to library accessibility best practices generally, discussing access to the physical space, what is available now and what issues we’ve identified with current set-up. Second she shared some of the challenges posed by the library closures, and what has been implemented to continue offering accessibility services. 

Watch the recording on Stream

This info session was presented to MUNASA staff members, outlining the role of the Accessibility Advisor, and the resources available to staff with disabilities at the university. 

Watch the recording on Stream

Presented by: Dr. Giuseppe Alfonsi, Associate Director – Inclusive Learning Supports, Office for Students with Disabilities

This talk focused on a set of strategies that are essential for people with ADHD who want to improve their well-being and sense of control. These included organizational strategies, proactively managing potential distractions, and keeping anxiety levels under control.

Watch the recording on Stream

Presented by: Rachel Desjourdy, Accessibility Advisor and Sebastien Jodoin, Co-Chair of the Joint Board Senate Committee on Equity, Subcommittee on Persons with Disabilities

All current academic staff (instructors, librarians) were invited to join a virtual welcome event to welcome all incoming academic staff who joined McGill in 2020, and connect with neurodivergent, disabled, and chronically ill colleagues from across the university. This event was an opportunity to get to know each other, meet McGill’s Accessibility Advisor, and learn about the initiatives undertaken by the Joint Board-Senate Committee on Equity, Subcommittee on Persons with Disabilities.

Review the slides from the event