About Kirsten
Kirsten Jack is the founder of Uncommon, an online community helping neurodivergent young people build confidence, friendships and skills through gaming, creativity and shared interests.
Kirsten was identified as autistic in the late 1990s, relatively early for a woman of her generation. As a teenager, she often felt lonely and overwhelmed, struggling with friendships and mental health while also excelling in many areas. That experience gave her an early understanding of how much potential can be hidden when a young person is trying to fit into environments that do not work for them.
Before founding Uncommon, Kirsten spent more than two decades working on inclusion. Her career took her across more than 50 countries, where she helped design more inclusive cities, communities, teams and services. She worked with governments, charities and international organisations, including the World Bank, and later focused increasingly on disability inclusion and technology.
Becoming a parent brought that work much closer to home. Kirsten was excited to see more positive conversations about neurodivergence emerging, but when she looked for practical support for her own family, she found parents facing long waits, limited local options and services that often did not feel designed around their children.
She founded Uncommon to create something different: accessible, affirming spaces that young people genuinely want to join. Uncommon begins with their interests and strengths, not with what is “wrong”. Its clubs, mentoring, courses and camps connect young people with neurodivergent mentors and near-peer role models who understand their experiences and can help them imagine positive futures.
Today, Uncommon supports hundreds of young people and families, working alongside schools, local authorities and health partners. Kirsten’s aim is simple: to ensure neurodivergent young people can find belonging, confidence and community before they reach crisis.
