We believe every Neurodivergent person should have a safe, open, productive and supportive space to have their voice heard.
Brilliant Minds is a not-for-profit social enterprise who works with the Neurodivergent community to make that happen, through our network of technical partners and a custom-built online social forum specifically designed by and for Neurodivergent people.
We believe the best way for Neurodivergent people to be able to tackle and overcome the inequities and challenges faced in finding work (and in daily life) is to connect with like-minded individuals to share experiences, resources, ideas and more. Our community empowers exactly that… and so much more to come in the future!
Community Features
Our community site is open to anyone who sees themselves as a member of the Neurodivergent community, or to any of our allies. Inside, you’ll find:
Why We Exist
In the UK, the overall employment rate is about 75% of people who are of working age. For Autistic adults, the employment rate is just 16%. That means 5 out of every 6 autistic adults who could be enjoying meaningful employment are currently out of work. The reasons for this are clear – the world of work, and society as a whole, is not designed to support Neurodivergent people in the same way it does for others.
Our goal is to change this, by building and enabling the community of Neurodivergent minds ready to tackle and remove these challenges.
Why We Exist
In the UK, the overall employment rate is about 75% of people who are of working age. For Autistic adults, the employment rate is just 16%. That means 5 out of every 6 autistic adults who could be enjoying meaningful employment are currently out of work.
There are many fantastic charities, social enterprises, businesses and local or central government schemes to help under-served communities find work, but these services are mainly built around the traditional work environment, often within a local community and with a small group of potential employers.
When the pandemic hit at the start of 2020, businesses were forced to change – to be more flexible, support remote workers and adjust their working practices. Almost overnight, home–working became normal for millions of workers, and this has created new opportunities for the Neurodiverse community. Many of the barriers to traditional employment have disappeared and a whole new world of freelancing, open talent and the gig economy has opened up.
The open talent model has grown steadily over the last 10 years, but in 2020 has seen rapid growth as jobseekers and employers alike recognise the future of work has suddenly become the present. As a freelancer it doesn’t matter where you live, where you work or where your employer is based in the world.
Brilliant Minds will bring the world of open talent to the UK employability sector and will offer a safe, secure and supported environment for neurodiverse talent to thrive. We will help Neurodiverse people navigate this new and exciting world of work and provide the necessary support through our network of partners.
Our Story
The founders of Brilliant Minds each either identify as Neurodivergent, have Neurodivergent children, or both. From the top down, our intimate focus on the community we’re so deeply a part of has driven our commitment and passion to creating something truly beneficial to those who need it most.
Through a great array of experience in IT, we know that with the right support there are many fantastic opportunities for Neurodivergent people – from working from home with flexible hours, to embracing new modern ways to communicate and engage.
We believe everybody deserves access to meaningful, well paid work that they want to do, and to be able to take part in driving the change they want to see in the world, to make it fair and equitable for all.
Frequently Asked Questions
At the moment, we only work with people, organisations and partners in the UK, but we may explore working with partners overseas. If you’re working with Brilliant Minds already, and need to move overseas or spend a long time abroad, we may be able to help find equivalent organisations to provide similar support in another country.
We’ve found many of our visitors may read parts of our website and think “That sounds really familiar – am I Neurodiverse?”. Brilliant Minds isn’t here to help you diagnose a Neurodiverse condition, but we are there to help find meaningful employment for anyone who identifies as Neurodiverse, anyone who thinks they might be Neurodiverse, or anyone who has been diagnosed as Neurodiverse. We don’t require you to have a formal diagnosis – simply personally identifying as Neurodiverse is enough for us.
If you think you might be Neurodiverse, and want to get a professional opinion or a formal diagnosis, it’s best to talk to your GP or or the NHS 111 phone service – both of which can help refer you to the right teams to provide expert guidance.
No, Our organisation (Brilliant Minds Open Talent CIC) is not affiliated with brilliantminds.com or brilliantminds.co.uk.
No, we’re not a charity. We’re a “Community Interest Company” (CIC). That means we’re a limited company with special additional features that make sure we conduct business for community benefit, not purely for private profit. Our company is legally founded on the principle that we want to make a positive change in the world around us, not just make a profit.
If you identify as neurodiverse, and you’re looking for work,
get in touch today to find out what we can do to help you begin your journey.
If you’re part of the Neurodivergent community or one of our allies, join our site today:
If you identify as neurodiverse, and you’re looking for work, get in touch today
to find out what we can do to help you begin your journey.