NEUROCONVERGENCE MISSION POLICY

1. OUR MISSION

Neuroconvergence is a collaborative platform that unites neurodivergent individuals, organisations, families, practitioners, and advocates into a shared ecosystem of understanding, creativity, and change. Our mission is to:

  • Foster meaningful relationships and partnerships across the neurodiversity sector.

  • Create an inclusive, celebratory space for the neurodiversity community through festivals, events, discussions, and artistic expression.

  • Develop a unified approach that harnesses lived experience, creative insight, and research to inform policy and social transformation.

  • Amplify neurodivergent voices across arts, culture, science, education, and public discourse.

  • Provide open, safe, and welcoming forums where community, organisations and decision-makers can meet to co-create solutions.

This mission is grounded in our belief that change begins with authentic connection; across county lines, neurotypes and backgrounds. As such, we’re building a platform that centres lived experience and celebrates neurodiversity in all its forms.



2. OUR VALUES

  • Unity and Collaboration: We work together across organisations, identities and experiences to build shared understanding and impactful outcomes. 

  • The Social Model: We subscribe to the social model of disability, a model made by disabled people for disabled people and which supports a neuroaffirmative practice. While we emphasise the importance of social model thinking, we welcome engagement from other perspectives to build a robust approach to collaboration and cross-community engagement.

  • Inclusion and Accessibility: Our events and spaces are designed to be welcoming, safe, accessible and sensory-aware*, with a focus on making participation possible for everyone. 

  • Respect and Empathy: Every voice matters. We value active listening, kind communication, and a commitment to care for one another.

  • Creativity and Celebration: We recognise and celebrate the immense creativity that exists in neurodivergent communities. We offer a platform for these voices through arts, storytelling and cultural expression.

  • Intersectionality: We acknowledge that neurodivergence intersects with race, ethnicity, gender, class, sexuality, communication method, disability status, and more—and that a specific outreach and inclusive engagement procedure must be in place to platform these under-represented communities. 

We do not tolerate any form of discrimination on the 9 protected grounds (Gender, Civil status, Family status, Sexual orientation, Religion, Age, Disability, Race, and Membership of the Traveller community) or discrimination of any kind.

We are committed to ensuring that our community feels protected, seen and heard.

*We don’t have control over the architecture of the spaces we work in, but will do our best to accommodate people’s needs within the infrastructural constraints of the places we work.  We will always encourage people to advocate for their own needs within any of our working environments.


3. POLICY: SAFE, INCLUSIVE AND RESPECTFUL PRACTICES

3.1 Leadership and Accountability

Neuroconvergence is led by a core team of neurodivergent adults with lived experience, including parents of neurodivergent children. Health, safety and accessibility are responsibilities shared by the Neuroconvergence team. See Appendix 1: Team roles and responsibilities.  

Using established event centres with comprehensive insurance indemnity and external risk assessment provides a dual layer of security in matters of health, safety and accessibility.

3.2 Respectful Space Maintenance

All Neuroconvergence events are governed by a Respectful Space Policy. This includes:

  • No abusive, intimidating, or hostile behaviour. This includes shouting, insults, name-calling, gaslighting, or dismissing others’ lived experience.

  • No discriminatory language or conduct. This includes racism, homophobia, transphobia, ableism, sexism, or any behaviour that makes a participant feel unsafe.

  • Respect for all communication styles, whether verbal, non-verbal, or supported by assistive technology.

Anyone who breaches this policy will be asked to reflect on their behaviour by a Production Manager/Facilitator onsite or Director online. Where appropriate, a formal warning or removal from the space may be issued to protect others.

3.3 Language

Neuroconvergence aims to use neuroaffirmative language, as we subscribe to the Social Model of Disability, (Please see above – Our Values). 

Respecting individual preferences is crucial, recognising that most may prefer identity-first language while others favour person-first language. 

Identity First = “Autistic person”

Person First = “Person with autism”

We aim to honour each person’s choice regarding how they wish to be described in relation to identity. Self I.D. trumps all. And just because someone uses a term to refer to themself that you might not use, if they are Self Identifying in this way, we must respect the language they use as an expert on themself.

To avoid overgeneralisation, we recognise the diversity within the neurodivergent community, avoiding assumptions or generalisations based on stereotypes. Asking about and acknowledging individual differences and experiences promotes inclusivity and respect.

Below is a list of some of the language we do and don’t encourage. Please note that this is a non-exhaustive list and language is constantly evolving. We are all continuing to learn and improve in our inclusive language and will not be policing language for attendees, participants or event runners of Neuroconvergence. We do ask that people respect our values stated above.

3.4. Accessibility Commitments

We commit to providing:

  • Wheelchair-accessible and level access venues. (Elevators may be present at venues with multiple floors)

  • Clear, easy-to-read signage and printed information

  • Quiet zones and sensory supports at live events

  • Facilitators trained in neuro-affirmative communication

  • Easy-read and screen reader–friendly documents hosted online (PDF and Word format)

  • An accessible and easily navigable website in accordance with the EAA standards

We are committing to developing engagement with ISL Interpretation, Audio Description (where relevant) and open captions for our live art events. This development will be done through community outreach and collaboration.

We are working closely with our Access Co-Ordinator to continually improve how inclusive and supportive our spaces are. If you have feedback or access needs, please get in touch with us. (See Appendix 1).

4. Conflict Resolution

We understand that disagreement may arise. Our attitude is to handle conflict with empathy and clarity. Should conflict breach our Respectful Space Policy, those in conflict will be asked to reflect on their behaviour and where appropriate, a formal warning or removal from the space (in person or online) may be issued to protect others.

 If matters of conflict arise at live events, our onsite Production Managers will be responsible for intervening in conflict and administering our conflict resolution procedure.

In the event of a conflict onsite:

  • We will exit the event space (if a live event is happening) and find a quiet space to discuss the conflict.

  • We will listen to all involved parties.

  • We will assess the impact of the behaviour, not just its intention.

  • We will prioritise the emotional safety of those affected.

If matters of conflict arise at online events, our hosting team including CEO will be responsible for intervening in conflict and administering our conflict resolution procedure.

In the event of a conflict online:

  • We will allow time for the CEO to be available to intervene.

  • We will listen to all involved parties.

  • We will assess the impact of the behaviour, not just its intention.

  • We will prioritise the emotional safety of those affected.

  • We may implement actions (banning from live streams, reduced commenting capacity) if the conflict appears to be in breach of our Respectful Space Policy.

Where necessary, we may offer a meeting to discuss any conflict or unfair treatment that might have come about during a live event and to reflect on our policies and practices. 

Protecting our community is our priority.


5. Safeguarding & Child Protection

We advise that children are not to be left unattended at Neuroconvergence events. 

The following procedures are adhered to on occasions when Neuroconvergence staff/volunteers engage with children at events.

  • Neuroconvergence endeavors to ensure that individual staff members or contracted individuals are not left alone with a child at an event. 

  • When children and young people are part of any project, workshop or event members will complete a written assessment of risk outlining measures to manage any identified risk in line with the Children First Act 2015. This will be done prior to engaging with children and young people.

  •  When Neuroconvergence hosts events that involve the participation of children, any supervision of children carried out by Neuroconvergence staff, volunteers and contracted individuals will be done at a ratio of no more than five children per adult.

  • All event runners who will be running a workshop/project that includes the involvement of children will obtain Garda Vetting in advance of their event.

6. Intersectionality and Outreach

We acknowledge that neurodivergence intersects with race, ethnicity, gender, class, sexuality, communication method, disability status, and more—and that a specific outreach and inclusive engagement procedure must be in place to platform these under-represented communities. 

To address disparity in access for marginalised communities we commit to the following:

  • The full Neuroconvergence team will undertake Safe to Create training on Unconscious Bias.

  • Initiate contact with communities who may be marginalised by systemic barriers, e.g. communities in Direct Provision, carceral communities, unhoused communities, low-income communities.

  • Initiate contact with communities who represent intersections of neurodivergence and race, ethnicity, gender, class, sexuality, communication method and disability status.

  • Develop relationships with the above communities to attend and (if appropriate) present/speak/panel/perform at future live and online events.

  • Develop a financial support system to redress costs associated with attending these events as a member of these communities.

7. Review and Renewal

This document will be reviewed biannually. We invite feedback from all members of the Neuroconvergence community. This is a living framework, shaped by shared values and real experiences. 

We are a developing organisation and as we grow and expand, we will be developing individual, specific policies relating to key areas.

We welcome feedback - We are stronger together.




Appendix 1. Team Roles & Responsibilities.