making.things.happen

Aubergine is about making things happen; creatively, divergently and equitably

For most people, when walking into a busy, bustling café the brain is able to automatically filter out various noises so that you can focus on, for example, a conversation. For autistic people this filter doesn’t quite work in the same way, meaning some sounds like a screeching espresso machine might stand out more and become overwhelming, leading to sensory overload and an uncomfortable dining experience.

We’re on a mission to change that.

After being diagnosed with autism at the age of 34 and struggling with an employer who didn’t understand the complexities around neurodivergence, Selena Caemawr put a post on social media that said,

“I’ve worked out why being in a job is so hard: All of the other colleagues aren’t autistic”

and right away, things started to fall into place and Aubergine was born.

In 2019, after receiving a grant from the National Lottery we opened our first café space as a pop-up in Cardiff’s High Street Arcade. It was a testing ground, where we were able to conduct research and engage with the local community. From the get go, it was a welcoming space with neurodivergent people front and centre of the business plan: cutlery was sorted in a separate space, a special quiet coffee machine minimised the auditory stimulation in the café and the needs of neurodivergent staff members were carefully considered and met, providing employment opportunities to those who struggled with jobs in the outside world.

We wanted our community to know that they could sit somewhere and enjoy a coffee, get on with some work or tuck in to a delicious meal without feeling anxiety around the social expectations of being in a café environment. We provided a room divider for those who didn’t feel comfortable eating in front of others or needed some privacy and we listened to what our customers needed to make the space welcoming for them. But perhaps most interestingly, we observed something we didn’t expect:

Neurodivergent customers sparked up conversations with people sitting on other tables, swapped social media handles and connected with each other. By encouraging our community to feel ownership over the space, we gave them the freedom to communicate with one another - or enjoy some alone time without the challenges of social interactions many face in café spaces designed for a neurotypical customer base.

After three months, we took on our first major project and decided to move into a more permanent location in Riverside, Cardiff. The space needed refurbishment before it was ready for us to open and the community came together to paint, decorate and finish the café and provided another opportunity for people to feel like they had ownership over the space. By the time we were ready to open, the COVID-19 pandemic had arrived and so we turned to forging an online community to tackle social isolation.

With the help of some funding from the Arts Council, we were able to employ neurodivergent artists to deliver online workshops - and provided materials for people on lower incomes to take part at no cost.

Screwfix also provided some funding to cover the cost of the refurbishment project and we received support from the People’s Post Code Lottery, Comic Relief, Disability Wales and Cardiff Council.

Over time, we moved to our current site in Cathays, in the heart of Cardiff’s university student area where we thrive in unleashing the potential of neurodivergence and offering a safe space for autistic people to make the lives they want to live happen.

For us, it’s not about adapting our business model to suit people’s needs but rather designing flexibility into our space so that it embraces people from across the spectrum.

LIKE WHAT WE OFFER?

Come along to our Cafe or attend one of our arts programmes

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WHAT PEOPLE SAY

Aubergine has made me feel grounded in a community, and having only moved to Cardiff last year I really needed that. I've made friends, attended lots of fun events and grown as an artist in the space.

– Cosy

Aubergine gives neurodivergent and LGBTQ people a space where they feel they can be themselves. Aubergine recognises strengths more than other organisations might. Working at Aubergine means I can take buses and trains on my own now

– Sarah : Aubergine Cafe

This was my first group of actually autistic and otherwise neurodivergent clients. I ran new workshops on 'life skills', ‘sensory profiles’, and ‘how to clean your home’ and these were so well received that I was able to expand my client base. Five years later I am still in business thanks to the support I gained from Aubergine and its customers

– Monique