Introducing the first cohort of Everyone's Business programme!
Meet the 11 social enterprises contributing to a more inclusive, sustainable, and hopeful Sweden.
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Our Normal creates a new approach to inclusion that is reshaping what it means to be ‘normal’
In the traditional landscape, families with children diagnosed with diverse abilities often find themselves divided by specific medical labels, resulting in a lack of cohesive support and a sense of community. Over 100,000 children across Europe are born with a congenital anomaly yearly. The family with a Down’s Syndrome child is separated from the family with an autistic child, and both of those families are separated from the family with a child with Fragile X Syndrome. 30%
Our Normal takes a different approach to inclusion that enables families with children with diverse abilities to celebrate their lives as ‘normal’ and build support networks.
The organisation works to break down these silos, aiming to reshape the concept of ‘normal’ and foster a more inclusive understanding of disabilities. By leveraging the power of community and advocacy, the organisation offers a solution that includes Sweden’s first digital platform that provides a space for families to connect, arrange meet-ups, and foster friendships. Families can share their stories and daily experiences, recommend businesses and public spaces that both accommodate and embrace them and build community.Beyond empowering families, Our Normal partners with various sectors to reshape how diagnoses are framed, and spaces are designed. By shifting conversations surrounding prenatal genetic testing, expectant parents are presented with a supportive community of families who can provide them with encouragement alongside diagnoses. Our Normal also advises companies on creating more inclusive work and entertainment spaces, leveraging the insights and experiences of families. These digital panels reinforce family connections and a sense of pride and agency across diagnoses.
Our Normal is not only shifting language and imagery around disability but also partnering with established disability rights organisations to amplify its impact. By complementing traditional advocacy with a focus on friendship networks and celebration, the organisation offers a unique model that appeals to younger families seeking connection and support.
Programme support
Through its participation in the Dela programme, Our Normal hopes to scale its reach and impact by expanding its partnerships and establishing an Ambassadors program to adapt its model to international contexts. We look forward to supporting Our Normal to become an international digital movement that enables families, disability rights organisations and other parties to connect, support one another, and drive positive change