Curiously Divergent

27/10/2026

What if we stopped focusing so much on what neurodivergent people struggle with and started recognising what they bring to the world?

Too often, conversations about neurodivergence are centred around challenges, difficulties and things people supposedly can't do.

But that's only one part of the picture.

At Curiously Divergent, we see every day how creativity, curiosity, determination, different ways of thinking and unique perspectives can bring so much value to our schools, workplaces and communities.

Of course, being neurodivergent isn't always easy. There are real challenges, and for many people, significant support needs.

And we also know that every neurodivergent person is different. Not everyone will identify with the same strengths, experiences or abilities.

But here's what we believe.

We shouldn't have to hide our differences to be accepted.

We shouldn't have to constantly prove our worth to be included.

And we certainly shouldn't have to fit into environments that were never designed with us in mind.

Instead of expecting neurodivergent people to change who they are, we need to start creating environments that recognise individual strengths, understand support needs and remove unnecessary barriers.

Because when people feel understood, valued and supported, they have a much better opportunity to thrive.

That's what meaningful neuroinclusion looks like to us.

We'd love to hear from our neurodivergent community.

What's something you value about the way you think, see or experience the world?

26/10/2026

College didn't work out? Left school without the grades you wanted? Struggling to find a job or just feeling a bit lost about what comes next?

We want you to know that you've still got options.

We know that school and college don't work for everyone, especially when you're neurodivergent and haven't always had the right support in place.

And when things don't go to plan, it can really knock your confidence.

But just because one route hasn't worked out doesn't mean another one won't.

At Curiously Divergent, we're supporting neurodivergent young people to figure out what they actually want to do next.

That might mean finding a job, exploring apprenticeships, getting back into education, trying volunteering or simply working on your confidence before taking that next step.

We're not going to sit you down and expect you to have a five-year plan. We know it doesn't work like that!

Instead, we'll get to know you, understand what's been getting in the way and work out what support would actually be helpful.

And you don't need a formal diagnosis either. If you identify as neurodivergent, that's enough for us.

There's no one-size-fits-all approach here, and there shouldn't be when it comes to your future.

We're currently supporting young people across Peterborough, Fenland and Cambridgeshire through our funded youth employment programme.

If you're feeling stuck or aren't sure where to start, drop us a message.

We'll figure out the next step together.

22/10/2026

From workplace discrimination to Workplace Champion. What a difference three years can make!

Our founder, Katie, has shared something incredibly personal, and we couldn't be prouder of how far she's come.

Back in 2023, Katie was going through workplace discrimination because of her neurodivergence. During one of the hardest periods of her life, she recorded videos of herself crying, questioning her abilities and wondering what on earth she was going to do next.

At the time, she had no idea what the next three years would bring.

Fast forward to 2026, and she's now leading Curiously Divergent, an organisation built from her own lived experiences and a determination to make sure other neurodivergent people don't face the same barriers.

And what a journey it's been!

In that time, we've gone on to:

- Support over 200 young people
- Deliver over 1,500 hours of support
- Train over 200 professionals
- Become finalists at the Disability Smart Impact Awards 2026
- Win not one, but TWO Peterborough Top 100 Awards for Workplace Champion and Rising Star
- Build an incredible team of people who share our passion for making a difference

But what you don't always see behind the awards, photographs and achievements are the tears, setbacks, difficult decisions and moments of self-doubt.

Building something from the ground up hasn't always been easy, but Katie has never lost sight of why she started.

She didn't create Curiously Divergent to prove anyone wrong. She created it because she knew things needed to change.

And that's exactly what we're working towards.

Not just helping individual people navigate systems that weren't designed with them in mind, but challenging those systems and creating lasting change across education, employment and everyday life.

What started as one person's determination to make things different has grown into something so much bigger.

And perhaps the most powerful part of this video is knowing that the Katie crying back in 2023 had absolutely no idea what she was capable of achieving.

We hope sharing her story reminds others that just because someone doesn't recognise your potential, it doesn't mean it isn't there.

To our founder, Katie, we're incredibly proud of everything you've achieved, the organisation you've built and, most importantly, the difference you're making to people's lives.

And knowing Katie, we can confidently say she's got plenty more ideas up her sleeve!

We're only just getting started.

21/10/2026

WE'RE GROWING AND WE'RE HIRING!

We're looking for some brilliant people to join the Curiously Divergent team!

As our work continues to grow, we're creating more opportunities to support neurodivergent children, young people and adults across our communities.

And we're looking for people who share our belief that support should fit the person, not the other way around.

We're currently recruiting for:

Youth Progression & Employment Mentor
Peterborough & Cambridgeshire
25 hours per week | Fixed Term till 31 March 2027

Help neurodivergent young people build confidence, explore their strengths and take meaningful steps towards education, employment or training.

Flexible working arrangements, including opportunities to work around school hours, with some later afternoon availability.

Peer Support Group Facilitator – Peterborough
Peterborough | Up to £16 per hour
Fixed Term, sessional work | 3 hours per session

Help create welcoming spaces where neurodivergent adults can connect, share experiences and feel part of a community that understands them.

Peer Support Group Facilitator – Southwark
Southwark, London | £16 per hour I Fixed Term
3 hours per month | One Saturday per month

Support our peer mentoring groups for autistic women and neurodivergent parents, carers and partners.

You don't need a traditional career path to work with us.

We value lived experience, transferable skills, community involvement and volunteering just as much as formal qualifications where these demonstrate the skills needed for the role.

We're proudly neurodivergent-led, and we want our workplace to reflect the same values we bring to the people we support.

That means recognising different ways of thinking, communicating and working, and creating an environment where people don't have to mask who they are to belong.

Sound like somewhere you'd like to work?

Apply here: www.curiouslydivergent.co.uk/careers

Or tag someone who might be a great fit and help us spread the word!

20/10/2026

WE'RE GROWING AND WE'RE HIRING!

We're looking for some brilliant people to join the Curiously Divergent team!

As our work continues to grow, we're creating more opportunities to support neurodivergent children, young people and adults across our communities.

And we're looking for people who share our belief that support should fit the person, not the other way around.

We're currently recruiting for:

Youth Progression & Employment Mentor
Peterborough & Cambridgeshire
25 hours per week | Fixed Term March 2027

Help neurodivergent young people build confidence, explore their strengths and take meaningful steps towards education, employment or training.

Flexible working arrangements, including opportunities to work around school hours, with some later afternoon availability.

Peer Support Group Facilitator – Peterborough
Peterborough | Up to £16 per hour I Fixed Term
Flexible, sessional work | 3 hours per session

Help create welcoming spaces where neurodivergent adults can connect, share experiences and feel part of a community that understands them.

Peer Support Group Facilitator – Southwark
Southwark, London | £16 per hour I Fixed Term
3 hours per month | One Saturday per month

Support our peer mentoring groups for autistic women and neurodivergent parents, carers and partners.

You don't need a traditional career path to work with us.

We value lived experience, transferable skills, community involvement and volunteering just as much as formal qualifications where these demonstrate the skills needed for the role.

We're proudly neurodivergent-led, and we want our workplace to reflect the same values we bring to the people we support.

That means recognising different ways of thinking, communicating and working, and creating an environment where people don't have to mask who they are to belong.

Sound like somewhere you'd like to work?

Apply here: www.curiouslydivergent.co.uk/careers

Or tag someone who might be a great fit and help us spread the word!

10/10/2026

Happy Birthday to our founder, Katie!

Today we’re celebrating the person who somehow has about 47 ideas at once, genuinely wants to change the world for neurodivergent people, and has turned “someone really needs to do something about this” into Curiously Divergent.

What started as an idea has grown into a team, services, programmes, partnerships and a whole lot of brightly coloured graphics, voice notes and “I’ve had another idea…” messages.

But underneath all of that is someone who cares deeply about people being understood, supported properly and given the chance to do things in a way that actually works for them.

So today we’re putting the contracts, meetings and never-ending to-do list to one side and celebrating you.

Happy Birthday Katie. We hope you have the best day and maybe, just maybe, manage not to start another new project before Monday.

Love from everyone at Curiously Divergent.

09/10/2026

A great event for all young people please come along 😀

08/10/2026

Really good to be at the Resilience Web Networking event at Peterborough City Council on Tuesday.

Events like this are such a good reminder of just how much is happening across Peterborough, and how important it is that organisations actually know what each other are doing.

For us, partnership working is a huge part of how we want Curiously Divergent to grow. The more connected services are, the easier it becomes for people to find the right support without being passed from place to place or having to keep telling their story.

It was great to meet more local organisations, hear about the work happening across the city and make new connections that will hopefully lead to more joined-up support for people in Peterborough.

A big well done to Alice and Juliette for bringing everyone together and hosting such a useful and fun event.

We’re really looking forward to being part of the Resilience Web network and seeing what we can build together.

Connect and collaborate:
http://www.resilienceweb.org.uk/

07/10/2026

Really pleased to see our Director of Policy & Inclusion representing Curiously Divergent at the Fenland Charities Network meeting.

And a big shoutout to Jack too . We seem to see him everywhere across Fenland at the moment, and he’s doing such a great job of shining a light on what’s happening locally, bringing organisations together and helping raise awareness of the support that’s available.

For us, being part of conversations like this really matters. No one organisation can remove every barrier someone might face when trying to move towards work, education, training or volunteering.

It gives us the opportunity to share what we’re hearing from neurodivergent people, learn about the brilliant work already happening across Fenland and find more ways to work together rather than in isolation.

There’s so much good work happening locally, and we’re really pleased to be part of it.

07/10/2026

A little bit of news we’re really proud to share.

Our new employment support programme for neurodivergent young people aged 16–25 across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough has been featured in the local news.

The article also includes a comment from our Founder and CEO, Katie, about why this work matters so much to us and why neurodivergent young people deserve support that actually works for them.

The programme is for young people who might be feeling stuck, have lost confidence, had difficult experiences in education, or need a bit more support to work out what comes next.

There’s no need for a formal diagnosis.

We can help with things like applications, interviews, confidence, routines, travel, understanding strengths and starting work.

We’re also supporting employers, because getting someone into work is only one part of the picture. We want young people to enter workplaces where they are understood and supported properly too.

This is a big part of why Curiously Divergent exists.

You can read the full article, including Katie’s comments, below.

Peterborough neurodiversity organisation awarded £50,000 to help young people into work