Neuroinclusion that grows with you
Research, training, advocacy, and trauma-informed support for organisations in Northern Ireland that want to become needs-led.
Spark brings together lived experience, social work, education, research, and communications — so you get the right team for the right project, at the right time.
We help organisations move from awareness to action, creating systems that are fairer, safer, and built to last.
Neurodiversity Spark is a lived-experience-led organisation advancing neuroinclusion through research, education, and trauma-informed support. We work with individuals, communities, and organisations to turn understanding into action and create environments where neurodivergent people can thrive.
Why Neurodiversity Spark exists
“Northern Ireland has the highest levels of PTSD in the UK, yet mental health services remain critically underfunded.”
Workplaces are feeling the pressure, managers are unsure how to act, staff are struggling, and organisations risk conflict, burnout, and turnover. Mental health and neurodivergence are often misunderstood and unsupported. Employers tell us:
“We don’t know what to do.”
“We’re scared to act.”
“We can’t pick up the phone to anyone.”
That hesitation costs staff, families, and organisations dearly.
Spark was created to bridge that gap and to give employers someone they can call before things escalate.
Spark exists to turn that hesitation into action.
We bring lived experience, research, and community together to build practical, trauma-informed pathways that help people understand, include, and empower neurodivergent individuals. Our work moves from awareness to action, helping workplaces, schools, and communities create environments where everyone can belong and thrive.
‼️N. Ireland Is Facing a Mental Health Crisis - Action Is Urgent‼️
Northern Ireland has the highest PTSD rates in the UK, with over 6% of the population affected a direct legacy of the Troubles (Commission for Victims and Survivors, 2023).
More than 60% of adults report childhood trauma, and nearly 1 in 5 live with four or more Adverse Childhood Experiences (Department of Health NI, 2022).
Our Services
We are the first organisation in Northern Ireland to offer employees an option to access both corporate social work and trauma-informed advocacy as part of a unified workplace wellbeing model.
Neuroinclusion Advocates
Lived-experience peer advocates who empower individuals, resolve conflict, and build agency.
Neuroinclusion Social Workers
Globally recognised as part of corporate social work - trauma-informed professionals who safeguard, support, and guide employers.
Full-Day Neuroinclusion Training - Expression of Interest
Every Spark training is part of our Pathway to Neuroinclusion, a practical, step-by-step approach to helping organisations create environments that nurture talent and prevent crisis before it begins.
Alongside these pioneering services...
Spark also offers
Neuroinclusion for Business - Full-Day Training
Immersive, intensive, interactive learning for leaders and HR teams looking to make change.
Talks & Awareness Workshops
1–2 hour sessions introducing neuroinclusion with empathy mapping and lived experience.
Research Hub
Co-produced research shaping policy, practice, services and products, and strategy.
Why Spark’s Neuroinclusion Pathway Matters in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland carries a legacy of trauma that still shapes our workplaces, families, and communities. Employers often want to support staff but lack the tools or confidence to act early.
Until now, no service in N. Ireland has brought together Neuroinclusion Social Workers and Neuroinclusion Advocates that organisations can access directly – whether separately or as a combined, holistic team.
This makes Neurodiversity Spark unique: we are the first workplace support service in NI offering Trauma-informed: Social Workers, advocates, research, training and more – in one integrated package.
It’s exactly what a high-trauma region like ours needs to fix systemic gaps, reduce escalation, and create workplaces where people thrive.
Neuroinclusion is not a checklist — it’s a pathway.
The three-stage Pathway (Awareness → Support → Embedding)
A Pathway for Every Organisation
Our Packages
From Starter → Core → Embedded: A progression for every workplace.
Starter – Early Intervention
£140/month - Triage support + 1 escalation/month
SME Example (Advocate + Social Worker):
A Belfast design agency notices tension between a neurodivergent employee and their manager.
Spark’s Advocate supports the employee to prepare their case clearly, while the Social Worker advises HR on small trauma-informed adjustments.
➡ Result: Misunderstanding resolved before it escalates, saving HR time and avoiding a formal grievance.
Core – Growing Confidence
£650/month - Up to 6 hrs/month Social Worker + Advocate
Education Example (Advocate + Social Worker):
A college in Newry faces repeated complaints from students with ADHD about exam accommodations.
Spark’s Advocates liaise directly with students and families, ensuring their needs are voiced, while the Social Worker delivers a staff training session on inclusive practice.
➡ Result: Student trust improves, staff feel supported, safeguarding and compliance strengthened.
Embedded – Culture Change
£1,500+/month - Dedicated hours + tailored training + strategic reporting
Corporate Example (Advocate + Social Worker):
A Belfast-based financial services firm with 300 staff partners with Spark.
Advocates work directly with employees needing case support (e.g. disclosure, adjustments, career progression), while the Social Worker co-designs new HR policies, facilitates manager coaching, and embeds inclusion into recruitment practices.
➡ Result: Staff retention improves, grievances drop, and the company gains stronger reputation.
⚡ These examples demonstrate:
- Social Workers → organisational coaching, trauma-informed systems
- Advocates → direct employee support, voice, agency.
- Together → a holistic, first-in-Northern Ireland approach that fixes problems early and prevents future ones.
Why partner with Spark
Our Neuroinclusion Support Model
Our Neuroinclusion Social Worker model is part of a growing global movement, often called corporate social work.
Employee Assistance & Wellbeing
Early triage and safeguarding to prevent issues escalating into HR disputes or tribunals.
Many Northern Ireland employers struggle to support staff experiencing stress, burnout, or family pressures. A social worker can provide early triage and safeguarding, preventing issues escalating to HR disputes or tribunals.
HR & Organisational Development
Trauma-informed coaching, conflict resolution, and retention support.
Social workers improve workplace culture by resolving conflicts, coaching managers in trauma-informed approaches, and supporting retention.
Community Relations & CSR
Demonstrating real social value by strengthening ties with families and communities.
In N. Ireland, businesses are increasingly expected to demonstrate social value. Partnering with a social worker strengthens ties with communities and ensures CSR initiatives deliver real impact.
Education & Professional Practice
Contributing to humane leadership and inclusive practice.
Local training institutions are beginning to highlight the role of humane leadership and ethical inclusion. Spark contributes by embedding neuroinclusion research into professional learning.
Cross-Sector Partnerships
Building trust, reducing grievances, and improving reputation in NI’s close-knit networks.
Northern Ireland employers often operate within close-knit networks. Social workers collaborating with private firms can lead initiatives that blend profit with purpose, reducing grievances, increasing trust, and improving reputation.
This shift reflects a broader recognition that workplace social work isn’t just about crisis response. It’s about fostering resilience, inclusion, and wellbeing across Northern Ireland’s unique cultural and business landscape.
Corporate Social Work in private businesses are becoming recognised not only for crisis intervention, but for shaping healthier workplaces and stronger community links.
“Letting employees choose their own advocate isn’t just empowering, it’s trauma-informed. It restores control to those who’ve had it taken away.”
Our Ethos
Powered by Lived Experience. Grounded in Research. Rooted in NI.
Everything we do is co-produced, trauma-informed, and shaped by the communities it serves.
- Practical solutions → grounded in day-to-day reality.
Compassionate support → restoring dignity and agency.
Evidence-based impact → backed by our Research Hub.
- Local-first delivery → rooted in NI culture, connected globally
Community & Voice
“What Northern Ireland needs is an organisation amplifying neurodivergent voices, sharing stories, and driving advocacy forward.”
Spark is more than a service provider, we are a movement of employers, families, and individuals working together to create safer, more inclusive workplaces.
Ready to Act Before It’s Too Late?
Spark helps you support staff, strengthen culture, and build safer workplaces. Whether you start small or go all in, we’ll grow with you.