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Our Mission
Neurodiverse Voices Connect CIC was founded to support the neurodivergent community through lived experience, connection, and collaboration. At its heart is a simple but powerful mission: to create spaces where neurodivergent individuals and their families feel seen, heard, and supported.
Our Vision
In the short term, Neurodiverse Voices Connect CIC will continue to grow and strengthen its existing activities. Over the next 1–2 years, the focus is on securing funding to expand community provision, including dedicated spaces for coffee mornings, wellbeing activities, and support groups for both children and adults.Looking ahead, the long-term vision is to create a dedicated Neurodiverse Voices Connect Hub—a safe, sensory-friendly space for neurodivergent individuals and families. This centre would bring together community support, wellbeing activities, training, social opportunities, and access to services, all under one roof.
Our Values
Love - Connection - Kindness - Support
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Our Founder
Andreia Costa
Neurodiverse Voices Connect was established by Andreia Costa, a passionate advocate for neurodiversity, whose work is shaped by both personal and professional experience. As the mother of an autistic daughter and following her own ADHD diagnosis, Andreia brings lived understanding to everything she does. Alongside this, she works at the University of Oxford’s Department of Psychiatry for the NIHR Oxford Health Biomedical Research Centre (BRC), where she supports the development of mental health researchers. She also chairs the Neurodiversity & Disability Working Group within the department and led the organisation of the first Oxford Health BRC Neurodiversity Conference in 2025.
Featured
Advisory Board
Our Advisory Board brings together people with professional expertise, community insight and lived experience across neurodiversity, education, mental health, research and family support. The Board provides guidance, constructive challenge and diverse perspectives to help ensure Neurodiverse Voices Connect CIC remains inclusive, community-led and responsive to the needs of neurodivergent individuals and families.
Board members support the CIC by sharing their knowledge, experiences and insight to strengthen our work, values and long-term development. While the Advisory Board does not hold legal or financial responsibility, its role is central in helping keep lived experience, compassion and connection at the heart of everything we do.
Business and Community Partnerships Representative
Saleh Elmasri
“I am proud to advocate for a UK business landscape where every voice is heard, every brain is valued, and diversity is recognized as our greatest competitive advantage.”
Clinical Psychologist and Research Representative
Jiedi Lei
“My work centres around centring the voices of autistic and neurodivergent children and young people and their families to support wellbeing and enhance quality of life.”
Autism Advocate and Lived Experience Representative
Alex Richardson
“When you meet one autistic person you’ve only met one autistic person. Autism is a superpower.“
Neurodivergent Advocate and Parent Representative
Leandra hamblin
“Inclusion starts by valuing lived experience as expertise, not an afterthought.“
Research Inclusion and Lived Experience Representative
Kerri Dempster
“I am really excited to be a part of Neurodiverse Voices Connect CIC and have the opportunity to share my lived experience, advocate for other neurodivergent people and see the impact it will have!”
Education and Wellbeing Representative
Denise Chung
“Carpe Diem! seize the day and teamwork makes the dream work……we all need a supportive and positive team around us.”
Clinical Psychologist and Research Representative
Alex Lau-Zhu
“I am delighted to be joining the Advisory Board for this important initiative. Andreia has shown real dedication in bringing this project forward, and I look forward to supporting its impact for families in Oxfordshire and beyond.”
Education, Faith and Community Representative
Kay Louise Aldred
“Relationships are all there is. Everything in the universe only exists because it is in relationship to everything else. Nothing exists in isolation. We have to stop pretending we are individuals that can go it alone.” — Margaret J. Wheatley
Education and Lived Experience Representative
Mandy Richardson
“Parenting a neurodivergent child may not be the journey you expected, but it can be every bit as beautiful. The key is learning to see and celebrate the unique gifts waiting to be discovered along the way.”