Creative Connections

Aim

Creative Connections brings people together through creativity, reducing loneliness, and strengthening community in Great Yarmouth

We are a newly registered charity: 1216533 with CIO status. 

www.paradigm-neurodiversity.uk

Our charitable purpose is:

'To relieve the needs of neurodivergent children/young people aged up to 25 and their caregivers through the provision of counselling and psychotherapy.'

At Paradigm Neurodiversity, our work is rooted in a therapeutic, neuro-affirming approach that recognises and celebrates difference rather than trying to change it. We believe that everyone deserves to feel accepted, understood and valued exactly as they are.

Our team brings together professional expertise and lived, experience-informed knowledge of neurodiversity, caregiving and mental health. This combination allows us to create spaces that are not only safe and supportive, but also genuinely relatable and grounded in real-life understanding.

At the heart of everything we do is our ABC approach—Acceptance, Belonging and Connection. We create environments where individuals feel accepted without judgement, develop a sense of belonging within their community, and build meaningful connections with others who share similar experiences.

Through creativity and shared experiences, we support people to grow in confidence, strengthen relationships and improve emotional wellbeing—empowering them to feel that they are not alone, and that they are enough.

We created Creative Connections in response to the growing levels of loneliness and isolation across Great Yarmouth and surrounding villages. Too many people—parents, carers, older adults and young people—lack access to safe, welcoming spaces where they can connect with others.

Our vision is simple: to build stronger, more connected communities through creativity. By bringing people together to make, share and learn, we create opportunities for friendship, confidence and mutual support.

Funding will help us provide free sessions, cover materials and venue costs, and expand our reach so more people can access these vital community spaces for a whole year.

There are 5 groups within the Creative Connections Offer:

• Creative Connections – Family Pairs
• Creative Connections – Parent Support
• Creative Connections – Darn & Yarn
• Creative Connections – Young Carers
• Creative Connections – Man Talk

1) Creative Connections – Family Pairs: A supportive space for parents/carers and their children to connect through creative activities. These sessions strengthen relationships, encourage communication and provide a shared, positive experience in an inclusive environment.

2) Creative Connections – Parent Support: A welcoming group for parents and carers of neurodivergent children to share experiences, reduce isolation and build supportive peer networks. Sessions combine creativity, wellbeing and informal discussion.

3) Creative Connections – Darn & Yarn: An inclusive community craft group where people come together to knit, crochet and create. Alongside building friendships and reducing loneliness, participants contribute handmade items to support local charities and services.

4) Creative Connections – Young Carers: A safe and understanding space for young carers to relax, connect with peers and express themselves creatively. Sessions provide emotional support, reduce isolation and offer time away from caring responsibilities.

5) Creative Connections – Man Talk: A relaxed, informal group for dads, men of all ages to connect, share experiences and support one another. Through creative activities and conversation, the group promotes wellbeing, confidence and a sense of community.

Funding will enable us to safely and effectively deliver the full Creative Connections programme, ensuring all sessions are accessible, high-quality and sustainable. It will contribute towards essential delivery costs including trained facilitators, safeguarding measures, DBS checks and ongoing staff development. Funding will also support venue hire, insurance, materials and resources needed to run inclusive, creative sessions across our community.

The impact will be far-reaching—reducing loneliness and isolation, improving emotional wellbeing and strengthening community connections across Great Yarmouth and surrounding areas. By investing in Creative Connections, you are helping to create safe, supportive spaces where people can build confidence, develop relationships and feel a genuine sense of belonging.

Journey so far:

Since our official launch as a CIC in September 2025, Paradigm Neurodiversity has grown rapidly in response to clear local need. Initially operating from a small space within another autism charity, we quickly outgrew our base within just four months. We received our charitable status in January 2026.

Demand increased significantly, with families and professionals reaching out for support, schools requesting staff training, and parents seeking safe spaces to connect through coffee mornings. Counselling services have approached us for specialist training on working with neurodivergent clients, while local mental health organisations have invited us to contribute to events and co-production opportunities. This rapid growth reflects both the gap in neuro-affirming services and the trust we are building within the community, reinforcing the need to expand our reach and capacity.

Features in local community groups and organisations:

https://gyup.org/index.php/news 

www.lonelyllama.co.uk/meet-the-locals

We have also secured a spot within Voluntary Norfolk to upload training courses. 

'We're happy to welcome Paradigm Neurodiversity to Get InVOLved Skills. The platform provides a space for organisations to promote their training opportunities to volunteers and those working in the voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector. By sharing your training, you are helping to build skills, confidence and capacity across the sector.'

https://www.getinvolvedskills.org.uk/login?next=%2Fo%2FParadigm-Neurodiversity%2FTrainings 

Important to Note:

At Paradigm Neurodiversity, we take a person-centred, neuro-affirming approach that prioritises trust, safety and accessibility. We intentionally do not require participants to complete detailed demographic monitoring forms or “tick-box” categories relating to sex, gender, race, religion or sexuality. We recognise that for many individuals, particularly those who are neurodivergent or have experienced stigma, these processes can feel intrusive or create barriers to engagement. Instead, we keep data collection minimal, recording only essential information such as postcode and age to help us understand reach and accessibility. This approach supports a more inclusive, respectful environment where individuals can engage without pressure to disclose personal identity information.

This project closed unsuccessfully on 27th May 2026