Supporting Neurodivergent Travellers Through Communication: An Interview with Tara Harnwell Jones from Find Your Voice
Communication can transform a journey. For many neurodivergent travellers and those who experience sensory overwhelm or shutdown, having the right tools available at the right moment can mean the difference between panic and empowerment. In this guest interview, we speak with Tara Harnwell Jones from Find Your Voice about how her work supports passengers in airports and on aircraft, and what the future of inclusive travel could look like.
What inspired the original concept for Find Your Voice, and how did personal or lived experience shape its design and features?
Find Your Voice was inspired by our daughter, who struggled to communicate effectively in stressful or unfamiliar environments, often experiencing verbal shutdown. We designed the cards and App after finding other communication tools too ‘babyish’ or ‘cringe’ for her. Its development was driven directly by her lived experience; a focus on age-appropriate dignity, autonomy, and self-expression for all, to help communicate clearly and confidently in real-world settings. The design centres on accessibility, to help express wants and needs clearly and confidently not just for her, but for anyone experiencing similar challenges.
In what kinds of settings or situations do users say Find Your Voice helps the most, and how does your work translate into the travel context?
Find Your Voice is most helpful in general situations like at home, schools or workplaces, but can also be particularly useful in high stress environments with added layers of complexity such as hospitals, large shopping malls and airports; places where unpredictability can heighten anxiety. In flying contexts, our clear visual icons, offline usability, and calm user-friendly design support communication during stressful moments. Our tools can help travellers express their feelings like discomfort, confusion, or sensory overload easily and empower them to have their needs met at any point in their journey, whether at the airport or in the air.
What role does communication play in helping a neurodivergent traveller feel safe and heard?
Air travel can be stressful for anyone, from navigating busy terminals to coping with noise, crowds, and constant change. For neurodivergent travellers, these challenges can be even more intense. Our tools make communication easier by helping travellers clearly express their needs and request support without fear or overwhelm. This reduces stress, prevents meltdowns, and builds understanding between travellers and staff, creating more inclusive, accessible, and empathetic airports for everyone.
Looking to the future: what innovations or changes would you most like to see in travel to support neurodiversity?
Airports serve every kind of traveller, so accessibility must be built in. The travel industry should be leading the way in creating sensory-friendly spaces, training neurodiversity-aware staff, and integrating communication tools across systems. Apps like Find Your Voice could link with airline accessibility programmes or smart devices for seamless support. Inclusion should move from accommodation to expectation… where every traveller’s communication style is understood and supported as standard. Communication is a right, not an add-on.
Final thoughts
Supporting communication is one of the most powerful ways to make travel more inclusive. Tools like Find Your Voice help travellers feel grounded, respected, and understood at every stage of their journey. Conversations like this push the industry towards a future where accessibility is built in, not bolted on.
Learn more about the app here: Find Your Voice App on the App Store. Follow them on Instagram: @findyourvoiceorg.
