The events industry is pushing towards making events more accessible for all attendees. After all, if you believe in your event you should want it to be open to as many people as possible. Neurodivergent people included. Making events more accessible and approachable to neurodiverse attendees is an important part of making events more inclusive.
What is Neurodiversity?
While the word itself might seem complex, it is really just a way of acknowledging that different human brains work differently. People with autism, dyslexia, or ADHD are certainly on your guestlist and in your organisation. Making something more accessible and enjoyable to the 20% of the global population whose brains work in diverse ways is just good strategic and business practice, as well as consistent with the values of many of our partners and clients.
How do you make events more accessible for neurodiverse people?
Like any objective for your event, the best way is to identify the goal from the very start of the event planning process. The main objective is to allow your event to be enjoyed, understood and participated in by people with a variety of cognitive styles. Here are some of our tips for where you can start making your events more accessible to neurodiverse people:
Start early
Like we mentioned above, starting early is key. By making sure that all participants’ needs are considered from the get-go, you can minimize the chance of attendees ending up excluded, frustrated, and disengaged. Ensure that all participants’ needs are considered by asking for input on what will help make their event experience better. Collect feedback and refine your process for next time.
Sensory Friendly
Many neurodiverse people can have trouble processing certain environmental factors. This is usually things like sound levels, lighting and other inputs that may be overwhelming. Just being mindful of this process and designing gradual changes in light and sound levels can provide attendees with time to adjust. Providing noise-cancelling headphones is also a great way to allow people to block out stimuli if it all becomes too much.
Provide a ‘quiet room’ area
By setting aside a quiet space with moderate lighting you can allow anyone struggling with sensory overload or burned out by socialising a place to recharge their metaphorical batteries. We also recommend a place where actual batteries can be charged, like a rest nook or designated charging area. This area can help get your attendees refreshed and back to the action, as well as allowing your neurodivergent attendees to feel included and supported.
Use polling and Q&A
Some neurodivergent people shy away from using microphones, or have trouble organizing their thoughts in front of crowds. By using the electronic Q&A and polling features of your event app or platform, you can give those people a way of participating in the process. Ensuring accessibility like this at the event design stage gives event organizers
Include Visual Information in Communications
Some neurodiverse people process information differently, and find it easier to absorb visual data than descriptive text. Include images, videos, infographics and other kinds of information in your communications and instructions. This will make them feel supported, and help your event go smoothly at the same time!
There is a lot more to be said about making inclusive events that are sensitive to the needs of neurodiverse people, people with disabilities, and other wide-ranging groups. Event planners are striving to make our industry more accessible and inclusive each year, and Huddle is proud to be part of that story. If you want to find out more about how your events can be more inclusive of your neurodivergent staff and customers, contact an expert at Huddle today!
