Neurodivergent Group

First Monday of the month: 2:30-4:30pm
The Ledward Centre, 14a Jubilee St, Brighton BN1 1GE

The Clare Project Neurodivergent Group is a monthly space where people who are autistic/neurodivergent and also trans, nonbinary, intersex, gender-variant or gender-questioning can come along to connect with each other, chat and find out more about local support services.

You do not need to inform us before coming along, but if you are feeling nervous, please do feel free to get in touch with us and we can arrange for you to meet with a facilitator beforehand who will introduce you to the space and answer your questions. You can have a look at our group agreement to find out a little more about how we try to keep the space as safe as possible for everyone attending.

The event takes place in the ground floor cafe area of The Ledward Centre, during a time when the Centre is closed to the public. There is a central social space with tables and chairs for people to sit and chat, do art or play board games. Free tea, coffee and snacks are available. There is also a corner of this room with comfy seating and sensory items where you can take a break from socialising.

The Neurodivergent Group is usually a lot quieter than our general drop-in, with no more than eight people usually there, as opposed to closer to twenty. There is no pressure to ‘mask’ at this event – we encourage stimming and provide plenty of fidget toys, you can wear headphones if it’s easier, and can communicate verbally or nonverbally using communication cards or assistive technologies. You can bring a personal assistant or friend/family member for support if you want to.

Our facilitators are all autistic/neurodivergent and trans, non-binary or gender variant individuals who are there to help keep the space safe, to answer any questions you might have and to talk to you about our services or direct you to other local support options. If you are feeling nervous, please try and approach one of us and we will be happy to sit and chat with you.

Accessibility

• Step-free access.
• Accessible gender-neutral toilet.
• Range of seating options (sofas, armchairs, cafe chairs).
• No background music.
• Air-con and heating which can be adjusted by facilitators.

Transport

• Disabled parking bays on Jubilee Street a few metres away from the entrance.
• Limited local on-street parking.
• The nearest car park is RCP Parking, North Rd, BN1 1YR (3 minute walk).
• 8 minute walk from Brighton Station.
• Bus stops within a 5 minute walk include Old Steine, North Street and North Road.