Meta:Neuro-inclusive event strategies

The purpose of this resource is to provide recommendations for neuro-inclusive events and expand the awareness of event organizers to the needs of neurodivergent people.

This document is under construction and anyone is invited to join in to improve it together.

About

Neuro-inclusive events are events designed with neurodivergent people's diverse needs in mind, but can also create a more inclusive environment for everyone.

The neurodiversity movement advocates for the embracing of a spectrum of cognitive differences, to strengthen care and access for all members of the community.

Strategies

In advance

• Ask attendees about accessibility needs in advance, such as during event registration
• Invite self-identified neurodivergent team members to participate in event planning and/or provide feedback about ways to support their needs, compensating event contributors and knowledge producers fairly
• Train event staff in understanding terminology related to neurodivergent people's needs
  • Sensory hypersensitivity
  • Sensory overload

Documentation

• Publish details about the timing of activities and breaks so participants have time to plan
• Consider reminding presenters about the importance of leading accessible conversations and best practices, including,
  • Interruptions can lead to problems with information being received, transcribed, translated, etc.
  • Slow down and speak clearly into the microphone
  • Request that presenters make activities involving speaking or interacting with others entirely optional, and inform participants that they can choose based on their own comfort
• Navigational support provided in the form of large text signs, maps, and multiple ways to identify rooms/locations
• Publish specific guidelines for journalists, filmmakers, and researchers about obtaining consent for different kinds of information collection and sharing

Hybrid events

• Test in advance to ensure that online participants and in-person participants can see and hear each other and the person speaking
• Remind facilitators that words spoken without a microphone should be repeated by a person with a microphone
• Ensure that the timing of discussions and breaks are conveyed to in-person and online participants

In-person events

• Provide a variety of seating, standing, and wheelchair-accessible options
• Publish details about food served in advance so participants have time to plan
• Avoid food with strong smells and for different dietary needs (avoid common allergens)
• Consider the sensory environment and making space for regulation needs and stimming
  • Set a fragrance-free policy
• Have a separate quiet room/sensory retreat room or rooms where people can rest and include information about its location in event materials
• Avoid bright lights - focus on natural lighting
• No flash photography policy
• Noise cancelling headphones or ear plugs available
• Consider expanding transitions between sessions to give ample time for people to take breaks and not feel rushed
• Offer a virtual participation option, if possible

Virtual meetings

• Use the "Live Transcript" captioning features, when available
• Do not require participants to be on camera
• Remind participants to mute themselves when not speaking
• Assign someone to be responsible to meeting accommodations and inform participants of who that person is
• For best results, test in advance, including any screenshare media

Post-event

• Create accessible avenues for collecting feedback relating to access and inclusivity
• Constructively review feedback with the team and future event organizers

See also

• Neuroinclusive design
• Societal and cultural aspects of autism
• Autistic Self Advocacy Network

Resources

• Holding Inclusive Events: A Guide to Accessible Event Planning, Autistic Self-Advocacy Network
• Autistic Access Needs: Notes on Accessibility, Autistic Self-Advocacy Network
• Creating neuro-inclulsive events, Make Events
• Host Inclusive Meetings and Events, University of Minnesota, Office for Digital Accessibility

References

• Branicki, L. J.; Brammer, S.; Brosnan, M.; Lazaro, A. G.; Lattanzio, S.; Newnes, L. (2024). "Factors shaping the employment outcomes of neurodivergent and neurotypical people: Exploring the role of flexible and homeworking practices". Human Resource Management. doi:10.1002/hrm.22243. 
• Buckle, K.L. (2019). "In the Beginning, There Was a List". In Kapp, Steven K. Autistic Community and the Neurodiversity Movement: Stories from the Frontline. pp. 109–122. ISBN 978-981-13-8437-0. doi:10.1007/978-981-13-8437-0_8. 
• Heasman, B.; Gillespie, A. (2019). "Neurodivergent intersubjectivity: distinctive features of how autistic people create shared understanding". Autism 23: 910–921. doi:10.1177/1362361318785172. 
• Koenig, K. P.; Feldman, J. M.; Siegel, D.; Cohen, S.; Bleiweiss, J. (2014). "Issues in implementing a comprehensive intervention for public school children with autism spectrum disorders". Journal of Prevention & Intervention in the Community 42 (4): 248–263. PMID 25321640. doi:10.1080/10852352.2014.943638. 
• Mahto, M.; Hogan, S. K.; Hatfield, S.; Sniderman, B. (2022). A rising tide lifts all boats, Creating a better work environment for all by embracing neurodiversity (PDF). Deloitte Insights. 
• Olund, E. (2024). "Neurodivergent Spatialities: A Geographical Reading of Recent Empirical Work in Neurodiversity Studies". Disability Studies Quarterly 43 (4). doi:10.18061/dsq.v43i4.8947. 
• Sinclair, J. (2022). "Cultural commentary: Being autistic together". Developments in Neuroethics and Bioethics 5: 99–128. doi:10.1016/bs.dnb.2022.08.002.