Question 1

What services do you offer?

Accepted Answer

Uncommon offers a comprehensive range of services designed specifically to support neurodivergent young people (aged 8-16) and their families. Our services adapt and grow with each young person's needs: 
 • One-to-one mentoring with neurodivergent young adults who share lived experience
 • Weekly online interest-led clubs (Minecraft, Roblox, D&D, Creative Writing, etc.)
 • Psycho-educational courses like "Understanding My Brain"
 • Themed summer camps with immersive 3-day experiences
 • Community Hour Clubs - relaxed social spaces where young people connect around shared interests
 • Creative Afternoons Clubs are 1-hour standalone drop-ins where young people can explore writing, drawing, roleplay, or video
 • Bespoke support packages that can include mentoring, clubs, and courses tailored to individual needs

All our services are designed and delivered by neurodivergent staff with small group sizes (4-6 young people per group) and flexible participation options where young people choose how to engage (camera on/off, chat vs voice).

Question 2

Are your services available throughout the UK?

Accepted Answer

Yes, our services are all held online and accessible UK-wide. We use Zoom for our sessions, making them accessible from anywhere with an internet connection.

Question 3

Do you welcome people from outside of the UK?

Accepted Answer

Yes we do, we have young people from across the world as we are fully remote.
We just require your young person to be able to participate in English and we apply the same standards of ID verification that we do in the UK to ensure the safety of our young people.

Question 4

Who can attend the sessions? Does my child need a formal diagnosis?

Accepted Answer

We support young people aged 8-16 with neurodivergence, including those who are: 
 • Awaiting formal diagnosis
 • Recently diagnosed
 • Self-identifying as neurodivergent
 • Have diagnoses of autism, ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia, or other neurodivergent differences

Our approach is flexible and responsive to individual needs, regardless of diagnostic status.

Question 5

Can you support my child's educational needs?

Accepted Answer

Yes, we can support various educational goals: 
 • Academic skills: Many of our mentors are also tutors (some with advanced degrees)
 • Study skills: Neurodivergent-friendly study strategies and organisation
 • Project-based learning: Gamified learning through Minecraft Education, Roblox Education, etc.
 • Transition support: Helping young people prepare for new educational settings
 • Alternative provision: We can be part of EOTAS (Education Other Than At School) packages

Question 6

Is it possible to add Uncommon to my child’s EHCP?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Please send an email to hello@uncommonminds.co.uk (mailto:hello@uncommon.co.uk)to book a call with us, or share your needs. We can then draft a short document setting out how the services you’d like from us can meet your child’s EHCP needs. In the  meantime, click here for a general document on how our services respond to EHCP needs.

Question 7

My child struggles with understanding their traits or managing their wellbeing, can you help?

Accepted Answer

Yes, definitely. Our courses about ‘Understanding my brain’ are a great way to help young people better understand how they experience their neurodivergence and how to manage the situations they may find challenging. They will also see that others do experience the world like they do and that they are not alone.

Question 8

My child struggles with understanding their traits or managing their wellbeing, can you help?

Accepted Answer

Yes, definitely. Our courses about ‘Understanding my brain’ are a great way to help young people better understand how they experience their neurodivergence and how to manage the situations they may find challenging. They will also see that others do experience the world like they do and that they are not alone.

Question 9

Can your club leaders help my child build new skills?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Our mentors and club leaders are digital natives so can meet the young people where they are when gaming and socialising online. This allows them to support them in the areas they need it, whether it is social skills and friendships, technical gaming skills or growing their knowledge and expertise around specific topics, such as drawing or animal welfare.

Question 10

I’m not sure what support we need. Can you help?

Accepted Answer

Yes, of course. We know that you may arrive at Uncommon following a really difficult time or maybe you’re still in the midst of one. Please do get in touch with us at hello@uncommonminds.co.uk (mailto:hello@uncommonminds.co.uk)and we can help you find the right place to start. And if your child is really anxious, don’t worry, we will guide you to find a space where they can start to rebuild their confidence.

Question 11

How do I know if Uncommon is right for my child?

Accepted Answer

Uncommon tends to work well for young people who: 
 • Want to connect with other neurodivergent young people
 • Are interested in gaming, technology, or creative activities
 • Learn better in small, supportive groups
 • Need support building confidence and support building friendships
 • Are looking for neurodivergent role models and mentors

Question 12

How is Uncommon different from other services?

Accepted Answer

Uncommon is led by neurodivergent people, for neurodivergent people. Unlike other more clinical services that focus on deficits, we focus on strengths, interests and building confidence through shared experience. Key differences include: 
 • Lived experience: All our staff who deliver sessions or mentoring are neurodivergent young adults (18-30) who truly understand the experience.
 • Holistic support: We offer a spectrum of services - mentoring, clubs, courses, camps, community - so young people can access exactly what suits them best. We don’t just offer one service but a journey-based approach spanning throughout childhood and adolescence.
 • Interest based: Unlike programmes that focus on one area, we offer a broad spectrum of activities covering gaming, art, animation and more. This allows children to start with activities they are already passionate about and feel confident in, and then when they are ready, they have the opportunity to explore new areas whilst staying in the same supportive community.
 • Belonging: We focus on genuine peer connection and friendships, not just individual support.
 • Neurodivergent affirming: We celebrate neurodivergent joy and authentic self-expression, never trying to fix or mask differences.
 • Flexible participation: Young people choose how to engage - cameras off, chat instead of voice, taking breaks as needed.

Our fundamental belief is that there's no "wrong" way to be a child in our sessions. We work with each child's natural rhythms and needs rather than expecting them to conform to a rigid structure. This respect and acceptance creates a unique environment where children can learn and grow while feeling completely accepted for who they are.

Question 13

Why do you have ND club leaders and mentors?

Accepted Answer

We want to make sure that every young person who joins Uncommon feels seen and understood. Getting to see how others have navigated squiggly paths through education (time out from school, home education, alternative provision etc) and come out the other side is really reassuring. The club leaders are all genuinely passionate about their club topic, so can really share in your child’s passions. They are also digital natives so are very happy in the online community. Our club leaders often become a really positive, aspirational role model for our members. We also have a powerful role model series where we talk to people from the ND community about their passions and experiences growing up. Everything we do is about trying to reinforce positive messages about being neurodiverse.

Question 14

What are the Community Clubs?

Accepted Answer

Community Hour Clubs are relaxed social spaces where young people connect around shared interests:
 • Anime Club – Watch, chat, and draw your favourite characters
 • Zine Club – Help us co-create an Uncommon (maga)zine! Contribute art, writing, ND hacks, or reviews
 • Gamers Club & Showcase – Show off builds from Minecraft, Roblox, or other games
 • Games Night – Play casual games like Jackbox, Gartic Phone, and more – low-pressure and full of laughs

Free for campers and available to others via drop-in or Class Pass.

Question 15

How do Creative Afternoon Clubs differ from camps?

Accepted Answer

Camps are immersive and structured over 3 days with the same group.
Creative Afternoons are 1-hour standalone drop-ins, where young people can explore writing, drawing, roleplay, or video – even if they can’t attend every week.

Question 16

What are your term dates?

Accepted Answer

We run our sessions 48 weeks per year, so that our members get to join their clubs throughout the year, without the dreaded ‘holiday’ lapse.

Uncommon

FAQs

All your questions answered. If you still have questions, please contact us at hello@uncommonminds.co.uk

About our services

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