Award-winning design and technology company, Athlon has partnered with The Peak15 Group, a large care and support provider, to launch Big Life Adventure, a first-of-its kind, inclusive social platform designed for adults with learning difficulties and/or autism.
The platform, created with and for the learning disability community, offers a safe, AI-powered space for building friendships, discovering new opportunities and navigating the digital world with confidence.
Big Life Adventure responds to a growing digital divide. Around 15% of the global population (that’s over one billion people) has a learning disability. Yet many remain digitally excluded, socially isolated, and shut out of the online spaces most of us take for granted. As technology in wider society accelerates, this exclusion risks becoming even more profound.
Rooted in lived experience and deep sector insight, Big Life Adventure was developed to bridge that gap. It offers a safe-by-design digital environment where embedded AI doesn’t just moderate, it actively models positive behaviour, nurtures wellbeing, and offers real-time support through an intelligent in-platform guide, the Big Life Buddy.
Niki Wakelin, CEO of Big Life Adventure commented:
“For individuals, Big Life Adventure tackles digital inequality head-on, raising expectations, delivering pathways and ensuring people with learning disabilities gain agency, voice and friendship. Embedded AI moderates content and models healthy digital behaviour ensuring loved ones feel reassured.
Athlon has created a brilliant digital ecosystem of tools that inspire and energise, providing a fresh and exciting way to bring people with learning disabilities together, lift aspirations and create culture cohesion across their community.”
Available both to individuals and organisations, Big Life Adventure operates via a low-cost subscription for direct users alongside tailored packages for organisations such as day centres, further education providers, supported living schemes and residential care services.
At the heart of the platform is Discover, a radically accessible, inclusive digital social space where users can connect, explore and express themselves on their own terms. Alongside this are private chat features, group spaces, a digital journal, calendar and curated resources, all designed to support confidence and independence.
Katie Strattan, Delivery Director at Athlon commented:
“It’s been a real honour to partner with the Big Life Adventure team on this incredibly powerful and unique product. Big life Adventure encourages connection and exploration, opening up new pathways for individuals with learning disabilities. We adopted a user-first approach from the outset, ensuring each feature and interaction was shaped with their needs in mind.
The ‘Big Life Buddy powered by AI, is an absolute game-changer. We’re providing a space for individuals to express themselves with confidence in a safe and secure way. We’re really excited to see this launch and can already see the potential for Big Life Adventure to scale and transform lives. This is only the beginning!”
The platform launched at Glastonbury Festival on June 25th where the team celebrated alongside platform users in a special live-streamed event from the heart of the festival.
David Holmes, Founder of Big Life Adventure, who joined the team at Glastonbury added:
“Big Life adventure is fundamentally about a life with no limits. The whole team alongside our valued partner Athlon, has created a vibrant, empowering digital space that gives people with learning disabilities the chance to live bigger, braver lives and to do so on their own terms.”