Visible is a project launched by Nansa in 2022, resulting in Norfolk’s first Neurodiversity Festival, held at The Forum (Norwich) in March 2023 and again in August 2024.
The purpose of Visible is to promote the inclusion, advocacy, participation, accessibility, and awareness of individuals who may feel excluded, marginalised, or unsupported because of social, behavioural, and/or developmental differences.
Visible attempts to do this, quite simply, by initiating (and encouraging) ongoing conversations amongst those who might champion a more inclusive society, and by amplifying the voices of people with lived experience of neurodivergence.
Together, we can influence change countywide.
Together we can listen, and we can learn.
Together we can be heard, and we can be VISIBLE!
First of all, the event offers opportunities for local agencies, charities, businesses and professionals who provide services for (or who are passionate about the inclusion of) neurodivergent individuals – to showcase their offer/service by having a stand in the Forum’s ‘Atrium’ during the event. If you or your business/charity wish to book a stand, click on the [Book a Stand] button below.
The Visible Festival also hosts some superb guest speakers offering presentations/talks on the subject of neurodiversity – these presentations are called ‘Visible Voices’ and they take place in the Forum’s ‘Auditorium’. The Visible Voices sessions are also recorded, and you can watch the presentations/talks from previous years by visiting the Visible Voices YouTube channel (scroll down to the bottom of this webpage for more info).
To find out what presentations/talks will be featured by Visible Voices at the festival this year, click on the [What’s On] button below. We recommend attending in person if you can, as all of our presenters offer opportunities for their live audience to ask questions at the end of their talk.
Last but not least, the Visible Festival (in 2024) also included a very special exhibition, in the Forum’s ‘Gallery’, which featured the lived experiences of our VIPs…
VIP stands for Visible Inclusion Partner, and it is the name we have given to the individuals who shared their lived experience of neurodivergence at the Visible Festival.
The VIPs come from all walks of life, and they have a wide and varied range of experiences to share. Their stories help us illustrate the breadth of the spectrum that is neurodiversity, offering others a relatable insight into what it means to be neurodivergent. Click on the [LEARN MORE] button bellow to meet our VIPs.
The term ‘neurodivergent’ can be used to describe a person whose brain functions differently than that of a ‘neurotypical’ person. Those who are neurodivergent will often have strengths, and challenges that differ from those of the majority.
Neurodivergence is defined by fundamental brain differences, and it is frequently attributed to diverse and varied diagnoses, including but not limited to, Autism, ADHD, Dyslexia, Dyscalculia, Dyspraxia, and OCD.
Neurodivergent individuals can feel excluded, marginalised, or unsupported because of their social, behavioural, and/or developmental differences, but it is crucially important to recognise that this may not always be the case.
Like fingerprints, no two brains are the same, and our families, towns, schools, and workplaces are all subject to neurodiversity, in that they are made up of individuals who are neurodivergent, as well as those who are neurotypical.
Visible Voices are a collection of video presentations/talks that have taken place at the Visible Festival itself. Check them out by visiting (and subscribing to) our ‘Visible Voices’ channel on YouTube:
