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“Beyond Inclusion: from Participant to Professional”
Understanding Difference. Creating Inclusion.
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BASE delivers high-quality, evidence-informed training, workshops, and consultancy across Northern Ireland, helping organisations develop greater confidence, understanding, and competence when supporting autistic and neurodivergent individuals. Our training combines academic knowledge, lived experience, and over 20 years of professional practice, ensuring every session is engaging, practical, and directly relevant to real-world settings.
Whether you work within education, health and social care, community services, housing, employment, or the voluntary sector, BASE can help your organisation create more inclusive and supportive environments.
Why Choose BASE?
Unlike larger training providers, BASE is a Community Interest Company (CIC) and Social Enterprise.
This means your investment does more than fund training—it helps create positive social impact within local communities.
Income generated through training and consultancy is reinvested directly into BASE programmes that:
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Reduce social isolation
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Improve wellbeing and mental health
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Build confidence and resilience
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Support friendship and community connection
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Create progression and volunteering opportunities
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Improve outcomes for autistic and neurodivergent people
By choosing BASE, you are supporting meaningful local social value alongside professional workforce development.
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Meet Your Trainer
Training is delivered by David McLaughlin, Founder and Director of Brothers Autism Social Enterprise CIC (BASE).
David brings over 20 years of professional experience across:
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Autism Spectrum
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Neurodivergence
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Learning Disabilities
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Secondary Mental Health
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Community Development
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Bereavement and Loss
He holds:
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BSc Psychology
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MA Childhood Cognitive Development
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Postgraduate Diploma in Autism Spectrum Disorders
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PhD candidate specialising in Autism and Bereavement.
Training Topics
Training can be delivered as standalone workshops or combined into a bespoke learning programme tailored to organisational needs.
Autism & Neurodiversity
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Understanding autism and neurodivergence
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Strengths-based approaches
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Reasonable adjustments
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Neurodiversity-affirming practice
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Supporting inclusion and participation
Sensory Processing & Inclusive Environments
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Sensory processing differences
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Understanding sensory overload
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Regulation and support strategies
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Creating sensory-friendly spaces
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Reducing environmental barriers
Communication & Behaviour
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Understanding communication differences
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Meaning behind behaviour
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Positive support approaches
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Emotional regulation
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Responsive and supportive practice
Mental Health & Wellbeing
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Anxiety and depression
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Secondary mental health difficulties
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Resilience and wellbeing
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Trauma-informed approaches
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Promoting positive mental health
Safeguarding & Vulnerability
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Autism-informed safeguarding
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Identifying vulnerability
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Reducing risk
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Building safe and inclusive environments
Bereavement, Grief & Loss
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Autism and bereavement
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Neurodivergence and grief
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Anticipatory grief
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Disenfranchised grief
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Supporting individuals through loss and change
Training Formats
BASE training is available as:
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Short awareness sessions
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Two-hour workshops
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Half-day training
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Full-day training
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Team development sessions
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Professional seminars
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Conference presentations
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Organisational consultancy
Delivery Options
✅ In-person
✅ Online
✅ Hybrid Delivery
Autism Spectrum; Neurodivergent; Disability; Mental Health; Behaviour Cognition; Sensory Processing training delivery Northern Ireland Regional and online optional delivery. BASE autistic artists art gallery buy. Autism Neurodivergent consultation construction I.T. workplace reasonable adjustments. Profit for purpose; not for profit; community interest company; autistic late teen and adult social arts based intervention programmes - available in Belfast, Downpatrick, and surrounding areas.
Consultancy Services
Alongside training, BASE provides consultancy and advisory support to organisations seeking to improve autism and neurodiversity-informed practice.
Services include:
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Service reviews
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Staff consultation
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Policy development
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Programme design
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Community engagement initiatives
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Inclusive practice development
Creating Opportunities Through Co-Facilitation
Where appropriate, BASE aims to involve autistic and neurodivergent adults as co-facilitators within training delivery.
This creates meaningful opportunities for:
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Skills development
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Confidence building
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Paid experience
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Employability progression
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Representation of lived experience
We believe inclusion works best when autistic and neurodivergent voices are actively involved in shaping understanding and practice.
Book a Free Consultation
Every organisation is different.
We offer a free, no-obligation consultation to discuss your training needs and develop a solution tailored specifically to your team, service, or organisation.
Areas of Interest
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Autism Spectrum Conditions
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Neurodiversity & Co-occurring Conditions
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Sensory Processing
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Mental Health & Wellbeing
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Safeguarding
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Autism & Bereavement
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Neurodivergence & Grief
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Bespoke Training Requirements
Community First. Quality Always.
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Testimonials
Autism Spectrum; Neurodivergent; Disability; Safeguarding; Mental Health; Behaviour Cognitive Behaviour; Sensory Processing; Training Delivery Northern Ireland and UK. Autistic teenagers and adults; social arts based intervention programmes; Belfast and Downpatrick and surrounding areas. Autism | Neurodivergent and Bereavement, Loss, and Grief. Construction Buildings and Refurbishments; Consultations; Non Profit; CIC; Award Winning; CPD accredited; Best Autism trainings, services, and programmes in Northern Ireland. Profit for purpose.