What to expect
As neurodivergent people, many of us naturally think in visuals, imagining incredible characters and worlds and love bringing them to life through drawing.
In Character Lab, Otis, our in-house graphic artist, will guide you through fun and practical sessions to develop visual representations of your characters and bring your ideas to life in sketches, scenes or comics. This club emphasizes the joy of drawing and visualizingโwhether you're doodling for fun, refining your style, or dreaming of making your creations part of a bigger story.
๐ฎ Meet like-minded visual creators, be yourself, and share your passions
๐ก Join club challenges to create, share, and refine characters and stories
๐งโโ๏ธ Enjoy a low-demand club space, perfect for burnout, anxious, or PDA creatives
๐ Feel inspired and supported by neurodivergent club leaders and creatives
How meet-ups work
We start session in zoom, and introduce our brief for the week - anything from imagining our character in a particular context, thinking about how we draw them in different emotional states, or sketching out a cool storyline.
We then use Slido, an anonymous chat tool to chat through some ideas of what we might sketch, and how we might use different techniques to bring our ideas to life.
We do two sketch 'sprints' of 15mins, sharing our work in-between if we feel comfortable doing so. At the end we ask for ideas for future briefs and celebrate our week's creations!
Our Online Community
Subscribers get FREE access to our online community to connect with club members bet.ween sessions, join art challenges, and take part in free events.
In this neuro-affirming space, you can safely connect, make friends, and explore your interests while building confidence in being uniquely you.
To learn more about the community, click here
Meet your session leader
Otis is a talented graphic artist with a passion for visual storytelling and character design. Currently studying graphic design at university, Otis brings their creativity and love for art to every session. Theyโve even run their own Etsy shop selling intricate mandala art, showcasing their dedication to craft and detail.
Prices & Booking FAQs
Group Size:ย 4-12
When:ย Term-time
3 x 12 week blocks with no break for half terms
Autumn: w/b 16th Sept-6th Dec
Spring: w/b 6th Jan-28th Mar
Summer: w/b 21st Apr-11th Jul
Price:ย Taster ยฃ10 using code ArtTaster10 I Drop-in ยฃ15 I ยฃ50 short taster course I ยฃ150/term
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What free events can i access in the community?Every Second Tuesday from 6-7 PM: Role Model Sessions Join us every Tuesday for our inspiring Uncommon Journeys series, where successful neurodivergent young adults share their stories and experiences. These sessions are designed to empower and motivate your child by highlighting how others have embraced their differences, overcome challenges, found their passions, and turned their strengths into success. Every Tuesday from 5-6 PM: โGamersโ Club Try new games with your community-mates!
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How do i signup?The community is a secure space, so to signup to a monthly subscription and join the community youโll need to go through a 4-step process where we gather the information we need for safeguarding purposes and complete a verification call. This can take 1-5 days, depending mainly on how quickly the verification call is complete. You can start this process click the link below which will take you to step 1 of this 4-step process. Step 1: Tell us what club youโd like to subscribe to Step 2: Share your personal details and i.d we need for safeguarding Step 3: Complete a video verification call Step 4: Pay for your subscription and join the community space
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What is the Uncommon Community?The Uncommon Community is our new online space for kids to belong and a safe place to have fun. From July all Club members signing up to a monthly subscription will get FREE access to the Uncommon Community including. ๐ Free events: Role Model Talks: Led by inspiring neurodivergent young adults Socials: Casual meetups, such as film nights and book club ๐ฌ Community spaces: Question of the day: Daily, quizzes and polls to get to know one another! Community Challenges: Fun monthly challenges Share your creations: Showcasing member's creative work Member directory: Find clubmates and uncommoners who share your interests ๐ฌ Chat channels: Pets, Plushies and Plants: Meet everyone's favourite non-human buddies, swap photos and updates Interests: Share your passions Gaming: Find people who like games like you! Find a game: Message to find people online to play with! ๐ Extra resources: Resource Space: Access to a collection of helpful and fun videos
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How do we keep kids safe in the community?We're committed to making the Uncommon community a safe and secure space. Where you can relax in the knowledge that your young people are able to make friends, and have fun without the risks associated with unsupported online spaces. That's why we: Require all community members to go through a member verification process, so we know exactly who's in the community Have a team of experienced neurodivergent community moderators able to support our community members Have created private club, course and camp spaces in the community, so that t(w)eens can build friendships in small supportive spaces, overseen by club leaders Run regular meetups for our club, course and camp members, all led by experienced neurodivergent facilitators who provide the structure and support that our young people sometimes need to build their confidence or help them find friendships Don't allow private messaging between young people, but instead create small chat spaces where young people know each other and feel safe talking openly Require members to subscribe to the community, so that young people can build friendships knowing that their new friends will regularly return to the community space Have our Uncommon Community Code of Conduct which guides how Uncommon, our Uncommoners and their parents should be kind, be safe and be respectful in the community
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How much does it cost?Our community operates on a subscription model. There are 3 ways to get access to the community. ๐ฅฐ Community subscription: Pay ยฃ25 per month and get full access to community features and free events. ๐ Course or camp enrolment: Sign up to any of our courses or Summer camps and youโll get FREE access to the community for the duration of your course or Summer Camp. Plus access to your private course or camp space. Follow these links to sign up for camps or courses. ๐ฅณ Club Subscription: Sign up to any monthly club subscription and get FREE access to the Uncommon Community. Plus access to your private club space. Clubs range from ยฃ40-90/month. Learn more about club subscription prices by following the link below. Follow this link to learn more about subscription prices and to start your signup process.
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Why join the Community?๐ง๐ผ For Kids A safe space to unwind, have fun, and recharge Opportunities to discover new interests, build leadership skills, and connect with peers A supportive environment that celebrates individual strengths and fosters personal growth ๐งโ๐คโ๐ง For Parents: Peace of mind knowing your child is in a neuro-affirming environment Transparent communication and regular updates on community activities Resources to help you reinforce what your child learns and support their well-being Join us and become part of a community that values and supports neurodivergent kids and their families. Together, we can create a space where everyone feels valued, included, and empowered to be their best selves.
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Enhanced Self-EsteemKnowledge is power. By understanding their unique strengths and challenges, teens build self-awareness and confidence.
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Knowledge EmpowersArmed with knowledge, teens can navigate their world more confidently, make informed decisions about their lives, and gain control and autonomy.
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Reduced AnxietyImprovded understanding of neurodivergent traits can help teens navigate daily life, social interactions and academic challenges, and become less anxious.
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Validation and UnderstandingEngaging with peers with similar challenges validates teens experiences, creates a sense of camaraderie and reducing feelings of isolation.
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Increased Self-AcceptanceBeing in a space with similar peers helps teens embrace their unique identities with pride, leading to increased self-acceptance and resilience.
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Improved Social ConfidenceInteracting with supportive peers helps teens develop their own unique approach to friendships and communication and builds social confidence.
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๐ Session 4: Sensory DifferencesYoung people explore how they take in and process sensory information, and what that means about their own unique needs and preferences, and how they can adopt tools and techniques to feel more comfortable in educational and social environments and out-and-about. For ages 8-13 we start to think about our internal senses and how improving awareness of our internal senses can help us manage our wellbeing. For ages 13-18 we look in depth at how to strengthen our interoception, how to understand auditory processing differences and itimpact on school and friendships, and how we can 'design our day' to ensure we charge our sensory battery.
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๐ Session 3: Managing StressYoung people learn more about the science behind stress and social anxiety, develop a greater awareness of how stress shows up for them, and start to brainstorm what they can do about it.โ For ages 8-13 we use a very light touch approach, raising awareness and focusing on simple strategies they can use to destress. For ages 13-18 we look at the neuroscience behind stress and how we can try 'brain hacks' that put our brains back into rest and relax mode.
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๐๐ผ Session 1: Building confidenceOur introductory session encourages young people to explore the positive aspects of their neurodivergence and identify their own unique strengths.
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โฐ Session 5: Understanding Executive FunctioningThis session explores the differences in neurodivergent young peopleโs ability to plan, organise, start tasks, transition tasks, emotionally regulate and track time. We then explore how to find unique solutions that work for us, and talk about how we can talk to friends and family about our needs.
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๐ฌ Session 2: Navigating FriendshipsThis session encourages young people to think about what makes a good friend, focusing on the huge strengths that our neurodivergent traits can bring. For ages 8-13 we explore the different ways we can show our friends that we care and how we can let our friends know what makes us feel cared for. For ages 13-18 we explore rejection sensitivity and how friendships and communication styles might look different for us.
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๐ข Session 6: Communicating My NeedsOur final session encourages young people to take everything theyโve learned about their own needs and preferences, and gives them the communication tools to more effectively advocate for themselves.
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Can I change or cancel my booking?Yes, you can rebook your session using the links in your confirmation email. We understand that life can be unpredictable and that young people will sometimes be unable to attend sessions if they've had a difficult day. If you can't attend a session then you can use links in your confirmation email to rebook your session. No explanation needed. If your child finds that the course isn't right for them at this time, then we can offer vouchers towards alternative lower-demand sessions, or a gift card for you to pass on to others.
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Don't see dates or times that work for you?Sign up to our mailing list and we'll be releasing more dates on other weeknights, and holiday intensives too.
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What sessions should I book?We recommend signing up for the full six week course, which covers all the topics young people need a grasp of to understand their unique brains. Or you can pick and mix sessions that fit your needs.
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Signing up for a Holiday Course?Book the appropriate holiday course package listed below under 'buy now' and then book onto the 6 sessions of your holiday course.
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Can i change or cancel my booking?We understand that life can be unpredictable and that young people will sometimes be unable to attend sessions if they've had a difficult day. Clubs If your child can't attend a taster or drop-in session, we are happy to rebook you onto an alternative date For club subscribers, if we you're unable to make your normal session and there are alternative sessions that week week, we will offer you space on a different club day if available If your child finds the club isnโt the right fit, or its not the right time for them to join, then you can cancel your club membership subscription at any time Courses or Camps If your child is unable to attend class on a given day, weโll share the session recording with you, so you can watch it at a time that works better for them Where possible weโll also offer you the chance to attend that session on an alternative date (subject to availability) If your child finds that the course isn't right for them at this time, then we can offer vouchers towards alternative lower-demand sessions, or a gift card for you to pass on to others.
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How do subscriptions work?From August 1st our community and many of our clubs will operate on a monthly subscription. Subscriptions are payable in advance, on a monthly rolling basis You can cancel your subscription at any time through our community platform Once your subscription has ended youโll no longer be able to access the community or weekly club meet-ups However your profile will remain active, and you can rejoin the community at any time by subscribing to a new club, or to the community itself
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Do you offer discounts or payment plans?We offer a 30% discount on course, camp and club prices for families on Universal Credit. We are also able to offer this discount to families on legacy means tested benefits. Please complete this form, and we'll send you your family discount code! We can also offer payment plans for camps, courses and fixed-term clubs to spread the cost of payments over a 2-3 month period. Please email the team on hello@uncommonminds.co.uk for more details.
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How do your taster sessions work?Where possible we offer ยฃ10 taster sessions. Parents are welcome to join taster sessions, and young people can choose to take part and interact or just watch and listen. For clubs accepting members on a rolling basis, tasters are bookable on the club page, and prospective club members join our regular club meet-ups. For clubs where capacity is limited we ask parents to fill in a taster request form. We then allocate you a taster session date, so that we can let existing club members know in advance of new joiners. For courses or fixed term clubs we run taster sessions ahead of course/club start dates, bookable on course/club pages.
What families say
"'D' engaged really well once the instructors got his imagination going. Today he was able to share his work with the camera on his face - major progress!"
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"My child doesn't always cope well with things like art classes as she finds the instruction hard. She really enjoyed this though as she wasn't being told what to do."
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"She did it independently in the middle of autistic burnout!"
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"'M' has acute anxiety and the positive environment was really positive for her"
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