What do we do?

The ND Harbour launched in 2024 to provide safe spaces for neurodivergent adults and children. We run peer support groups and social spaces for adults, play sessions for children, and support groups for parents.

We are guided by core values of Community, Curiosity, Unconditional Positive Regard, Healthy Boundaries, Inclusivity, and Autonomy, and we are neurodivergent led.

Why do we do it?

Neurodivergence refers to anyone who's mind differs from social norms, and includes neurodevelopmental differences like autism, ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia and Tourette's. It also includes mental health difficulties.

We focus primarily on supporting autisic and ADHD children and adults.

Why?

Because we have lived as neurodivergent people in a world that isn't made for us. Our communication styles are often misunderstood, our sensory needs are overlooked, and we end up burnt out from trying to fit in.

Autistic, ADHD, and dyslexic people are more likely than most to experience mental health problems, to die by suicide, and to be unemployed or underemployed.

We want to change that.

We want to make a space for neurodivergent people to come together, to feel better.

There is strength in community, and we believe it can save lives.

Why are we raising money?

Our goal has always been to set up our own space that is open 7 days a week to provide drop in emotional support, support with practicalities like job applications (did you know autistic people are the most under-employed group among all those with disabilities?), and a social space. We would also have rooms for groups and one to one support.

Our groups at the moment are limited in how many people can attend to prevent them becoming overwhelming. So we need to be able to run more groups to support more people!

We need funding to lease a building, have all the relevant health and safety checks, building adaptations, and decor done. Its expensive stuff!! The space would be designed by neurodivergent people to ensure it is a pleasant sensory environment.

What will we do in our new home?

For children - once in our own premises, we will apply for Ofsted registration to be able to provide regular drop off childcare for neurodivergent children (with a particular inclusive focus on PDA children who have been excluded from other settings).

For adults - our social space would be bookable for interest based groups in the evening, and would be open all evening to drop in and be around people. During the daytime, we will offer groups and social activities. We will provide volunteering opportunities (and hopefully paid employment opportunities too) for neurodivergent folk.

For everyone - the social space will have areas for children and adults to foster a sense of community, although access will be at different times for safeguarding purposes. There will be board games, computer games, books, craft equipment, and anything else that people would like us to have that our budget can stretch to!

How can you help?

Please donate if you can, as a famous supermarket says, every little helps! Please share this campaign. If you feel bold, please organise a sponsored skydive/run/head shaving or whatever you like to help us raise funds. It would be so much appreciated!

We are a community of neurodivergent people, and the truth is that a lot of us are socially isolated. We don't have large networks of friends and families to contribute to this campaign, so if you can help in any way it would be so appreciated.