The Spark
It started with a question: What if we could help people find not just jobs, but purpose?
In 2016, a group of passionate changemakers came together with a shared belief - that underserved communities deserve more than charity. They deserve real opportunities to live with independence, dignity, and direction.
So they built Trampolene: a social innovation enterprise designed to connect overlooked talent with meaningful work.
PC: Trampolene
The Courtship
The journey took them to unexpected places of discovery - especially among neurodiverse individuals and people with disabilities. Through one-on-one assessments, the team began to uncover not just skills, but the unique ways each person learns, thinks, and thrives.
They saw what others didn’t: with the right support, someone once labelled “unemployable” could become a forklift-certified warehouse wizard. (Shout out to Gareth, who proved that neurodiverse individuals are more than capable of handling heavy machinery-and stereotypes.)
“Working together and communicating is the most important thing when you’re part of society… It’s hard to work alone, but you can gain skills by learning from colleagues and friends.” - Gareth, Trampolene participant
Gareth earned his forklift license in 2024, breaking both stereotypes and new ground.
The Love That Held It Together
In 2019, Trampolene launched pilot programs that confirmed something powerful: many on the autism spectrum thrive in roles that require structure, focus, and precision - like engineering and data work.
By 2022, they launched GATES - Growing Alternate Talent for the Engineering Sector - a program designed not just to place people in jobs, but to build long-term success. Instead of focusing just on the trainees, it brought families, employers, and coaches into the process - creating an ecosystem of support from recruitment to retention.
“It’s a privilege to journey with our trainees and help them attain their goals. Although challenging or chaotic at times, it’s been very rewarding.” - Jamie Yeo, Job Coach, Trampolene
Trampolene’s support extends beyond the office. Their weekly Valor Programme offers exercise sessions, group hikes, and social games - keeping trainees connected, confident, and active.
“The weekly Valor Programme is a great way to interact with fellow trainees and to keep myself socially and physically active. Not only do you get to play some active games and go on hikes, you also get to learn new skills.” - Ethan Lim, Trampolene participant
PC: Trampolene
“We have a deep appreciation for the support Gareth has received from the Trampolene team… Their holistic approach and belief in his potential, exemplified by his achievement of a Forklift Operator License, are invaluable.” - Gareth’s mother
PC: Trampolene
The song that describes our relationship:
Try by P!nk
You can follow the journeys of participants like You Kai Xuan and See Chun Shan, who continue to grow with the help of long-term coaching.
In 2024, Trampolene asked another question:
What if we didn’t wait until adulthood to start?
PC: Trampolene
The answer is Undifferent - a co-living and learning pilot centre for youth with different learning needs. A soft place to land. A strong place to grow. We’re proud to keep walking alongside Trampolene in this next chapter, as we work together to break down more barriers to belonging, learning, and meaningful work.
The Lesson
What began as a pilot is now a proof point: hiring inclusively brings the same return on investment as any other hires. For employers unsure where to begin, internships and job trials are a good starting point. The onboarding might take a little more time, but the value of long-term consistency, loyalty, and performance is immeasurable.
"We often place the responsibility for change solely on individuals. But Trampolene reminded us to look deeper – at the overlooked environmental triggers and even our own actions that may unintentionally contribute to them. Real change happens when systems shift, not just when individuals are asked to adapt." - Xin Ying
Because when we see people not as problems to fix, but as talents to discover, it’s matchmaking with a meaningful twist.
PC: Trampolene
The ones who’ve grown with us
Our long-term partners and the journeys we went on together
