Meet Clare
Clare Green is the founder of Bourne Dyslexia and The Bourne Advantage, based in Bournemouth, UK. A diagnostic assessor by training, she combines expertise in neurodiversity with a personal understanding of what it means to think differently. Clare is an advocate, connector, and entrepreneur who works to transform the traditional assessment process into a pathway for real-world opportunity. Her mission is to ensure that neurodivergent students not only understand themselves but also have access to meaningful opportunities, mentors, and role models who truly get it.
Growing Up Between Labels
Clare’s childhood was defined by a quiet struggle against misunderstanding.
“My childhood shaped me more than anything, especially rejection and the weight of labels that never felt true,”
She recalls long stretches of trying to conform, to prove herself within systems that weren’t designed for the way she thought. Over time, she learned to stop trying to ‘fix’ who she was and instead trust her own mind. “Reframing those labels into fuel rather than limits changed everything,” she says.
It was this personal insight into neurodivergence that planted the seeds for a career rooted in empathy and action. Clare saw not just her own path but the gaps that countless others faced, and it became impossible to ignore.
From Diagnosis to Action
Two pivotal moments reshaped Clare’s trajectory. First, understanding her neurodivergence not as a deficit, but as “a different operating system.” Second, witnessing families leave assessments asking, “what happens next?” That persistent gap between diagnosis and real-world opportunity struck her as a call to act.
“I wanted to build what was missing,” Clare says. She recognized that assessments, while crucial, often ended in uncertainty. Her mission became clear: to transform what could be a transactional process into a bridge to opportunity, connection, and confidence.
The Lessons of Early Misunderstanding
Clare recalls the moments when being different felt like a burden rather than a gift.
“I spent a long time internalising other people’s expectations and feeling like I had something to prove, even to myself,”
Those early experiences, though difficult, became a source of insight. They taught her to recognize when systems fail individuals and inspired her to create spaces where neurodivergent minds are valued rather than corrected.
Redefining Leadership Through Values
For Clare, leadership is about building systems that work for everyone, not just those who fit a conventional mold.
“My leadership is about building what should already exist, practical pathways, real role models, and systems that actually work for different ways of thinking,”
She sees her work as a way to model resilience and authenticity, showing that serious work can coexist with playfulness and human connection.
Success on Her Own Terms
Clare has redefined what success means in both life and work.
“It’s no longer about external validation but more about being true to myself and building a life and body of work my younger self would be proud of,”
Success, for her, is alignment: creating initiatives that are purposeful, honest, and genuinely impactful for neurodivergent communities.
Building Bridges and Opportunities
Through Bourne Dyslexia and The Bourne Advantage, Clare’s work sits at the intersection of assessment, advocacy, and opportunity. While honouring the diagnostic process, she has built something that goes further, actively connecting neurodivergent students to real-world pathways.
“Once you see how many neurodivergent people are doing twice the work for half the recognition, you can’t ignore it,”
Her approach emphasizes lived experience and practical access. Through The Bourne Advantage, students gain direct opportunities, mentorship, and role models from neurodivergent-founded organizations.
“This isn’t hand holding. It’s hand over. From one generation of different thinkers to the next,”
It’s a tangible shift from focusing on deficits to highlighting potential.
A Call to Neurodivergent Founders
At this early stage, The Bourne Advantage is actively seeking neurodivergent founders and business owners who want to give back by creating meaningful opportunities for neurodivergent students.
Founders who contribute to the community are recognised with The Bourne Advantage® badge, a mark that highlights organisations committed to inclusion through action. The badge signals that a founder is not just talking about neurodiversity, but actively creating pathways for the next generation of neurodivergent talent.
For Clare, this is about building a visible, values-led ecosystem, one where lived experience leads the way.
Looking Ahead: A Platform for Change
Clare envisions a global platform that empowers neurodivergent students to engage with real opportunities, not just inspiration. She seeks founders and sponsors who share her unapologetic belief in creating spaces that work for different ways of thinking. Her goal is simple yet profound: practical access that builds confidence and transforms long-term outcomes.
“Don’t spend your life trying to earn a seat at tables that weren’t built for you. Trust how you think, even when it feels slower, messier, or misunderstood,”
It’s advice drawn from her own journey, a reminder that authenticity is often the most radical act of all.
Reflection on Purpose
For Clare, success is no longer measured by external validation, but by alignment with her values. “Being one of the good guys. Leading with values and building a business that does well because it does good,” she reflects. Her story is one of resilience, curiosity, and a quiet insistence that difference is not deficit — and that opportunity should match potential.
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