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Cognassist: No learner left behind

Cognassist is the UK’s leading digital neurodiversity assessment and training provider. The company was founded by Chris Quickfall who was diagnosed with dyslexia while studying at university. Cognassist helps adult learners and apprentices identify hidden learning needs and arm them with the tools they need to reach their full potential. Providing digital cognitive assessments, personalised learner journeys and neurodiversity training, they help improve retention and attainment rates for over 100 organisations in the UK.

Diffusion was appointed by Cognassist, to not only help champion neurodiversity in educational institutions and businesses but also to highlight the important benefits its cognitive assessments offer.

Insight & Idea

The campaign focuses on promoting the mantra that no learner is left behind, looking to challenge the status quo and reduce any unfair stigmas that may exist around neurodiversity. With the aim of reaching Cognassist’s core audience of businesses, apprenticeship providers and educational institutions, we included a mixture of thought leadership, reactive issues commentary and corporate profiling.

To further highlight the lack of awareness and support for neurodiversity in the workplace for apprentices, Diffusion and Cognassist conducted an audit of the top 50 apprenticeship providers in the UK and measured their performance in supporting neurodiverse learners – investigating areas such as recognition of neurodiversity, accessibility tools and support services. This was pitched to secure a wave of media exposure.

The campaign additionally shed light on the issue of women often going undiagnosed until later in life, the impact this has on their career development together with guidance on how to identify neurodiversity in young professionals starting their careers.

To help journalists understand neurodiversity, Diffusion offered national media contacts their own Cognassist cognitive assessment, analysis of their cognitive profile together with an introduction to neurodiversity and the challenges that result from under diagnosis.

Impact & Action

Diffusion’s campaign is positioning Cognassist as a UK champion of neurodiversity.

The coverage quickly prompted a 400% increase in traffic, generating new business leads with several organisations and retailers, and an influx of positive praise from the neurodiverse community.

In addition, over 50 media opportunities were secured in 2021 with titles including The I, The Daily Telegraph, HR Magazine, Sheer Luxe and Manchester Evening News. Trade specific guest columns have been secured with Hairdressers’ Journal, Process Engineering and ACCA Global – the magazine for the Association of Certified Chartered Accountants.

A highlight came as Diffusion secured a profile opportunity for Cognassist’s founder Chris Quickfall on CEO Secrets with the BBC, exploring the challenges he had faced setting up the business with dyslexia and how that shaped the growth of the business.

Eight journalists from titles including The Guardian to The Times have agreed to undertake assessments to learn more about neurodiversity and how Cognassist can help.