About Neurodiverse Voices Connect CIC
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.
The organisation 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.
Our Values
Our work is guided by four core values:
Love. Connection. Kindness. Support.
What We Do
Neurodiverse Voices Connect CIC builds on a series of successful community initiatives launched since April 2024.
The NDV Podcast is a growing platform sharing lived experiences alongside expert and research perspectives. With over 40 episodes and an international audience, it plays a key role in raising awareness and promoting acceptance of neurodivergence.
Our NDV Coffee Mornings in Abingdon and online Community Support Evenings provide safe, supportive spaces for parents and families to connect, share experiences, and access guidance. These sessions are delivered in collaboration with Autism Champions CIC and often include guest speakers from local services and research.
Through Let’s Talk Neurodiversity, Andreia delivers sessions in primary schools to raise awareness among children, helping to foster understanding, empathy, and inclusion from an early age.
The project also brings people together through events and collaborations. From community events like Together for Neurodiversity to academic partnerships with the University of Oxford, NDV Connect bridges the gap between lived experience, community support, and research.
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.
Shaping the Future Together
Community voice is central to everything we do. A live survey is currently gathering input to help shape priorities and guide the future direction of the organisation. Neurodiverse Voices Connect CIC is built with the community, not just for it.
