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These people quit their jobs to help neurodivergent adults get the support they need

Nickel Support, in south London, works with 100 trainees every week, building confidence and skills.

A company supporting neurodivergent adults a week into employment has its eyes on expansion after a £35,000 investment from Big Issue Invest, the investment arm of the Big Issue.

Created after its two founders saw people with learning difficulties not getting enough help, Nickel Support CIC now works with over 100 trainees a week, helping neurodivergent adults and adults with learning difficulties.

After working for over 20 years combined in the disability sector, Nick Walsh and Elena Nickola quit their jobs and started the company to give respect and opportunities to people who might not get them otherwise.

Nickel Support
With a new hub, Nickel Support hopes to help even more people. Image: Nickel Support CIC

Based in Carshalton, south London, Nickel Support now employs 30 people. But with the new investment, Nickola and Walsh have their eyes on a new hub in nearby Cheam, which will help them give training and opportunities to more people.

Walsh said: “I am extremely proud of what Nickel Support has become.

“We offer an individualised service and this in turn has meant we have seen massive skills and confidence developments of the trainees over the past few years.

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Anabel Feria Dominguez, investment manager at Big Issue Invest, said: “It is an absolute pleasure to be able to support an incredible organisation such as Nickel Support. I am excited to watch them grow from strength to strength!”

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When most people think about the Big Issue, they think of vendors selling the Big Issue magazines on the streets – and we are immensely proud of this. In 2022 alone, we worked with 10% more vendors and these vendors earned £3.76 million in collective income. There is much more to the work we do at the Big Issue Group, our mission is to create innovative solutions through enterprise to unlock opportunity for the 14million people in the UK living in poverty.

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