Autism is a lifelong developmental disability. It is a spectrum condition also referred to as an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The word ‘spectrum’ is used because while all ASD people share three main areas of difficulty (social communication and interaction, flexibility of thought) the condition affects people in very different ways. Some are able to live relatively independent lives, while others will require a lifetime of specialist support. Today, between 1 in 100 and 1 in 150 individuals are diagnosed with autism, amounting to around 3.3 million people with autism in the European Union (Autism-Europe, 2009). Studies indicate that across the European Union between 76% and 90% of ASD adults are unemployed (The National Autistic Society, 2013). Given that individuals with autism often struggle with the social and communication aspects of work (i.e understanding instructions, interviews, working in a team) these statistics might not seem surprising. However, the greatest employment obstacles that people with ASD face are not caused by their disability but by lack of access to opportunities and by stigma and discrimination in relation to their condition (Autism-Europe, 2014). Despite that, adults with autism often really want to work and have many strengths that can make them potentially outstanding employees (i.e attention to detail, loyal, reliable) (Redman, S. et al., 2009).They simply need assistance to overcome the barriers and difficulties they face. Across Europe, there is a serious lack of education and training that could give people with autism the vocational, social and communication skills that are required for employment. When a person with ASD does seek employment, regardless of whether they managed to gain a relevant education or not, they are often faced with stigma and discrimination related to their autism. Even if a person does not reveal their condition to a potential employer, chances are they will be turned away because employers interpret their communication and social interaction difficulties as clear signs that they are not suitable employees, instead of seeing that with specific forms of support the individual could perform well in the job. Furthermore, for those who do manage to gain a job, keeping it is another challenge, as the combination of inherent difficulties, lack of support and social attitudes can be overwhelming for a person with ASD (Autism-Europe, 2014). The project has the following objectives: • Understanding the benefits of a neurodiverse workforce • understanding autism • increasing awareness of the difficulties an ASD person may face at the workplace • Creating an autism-friendly recruitment process. • Designing an autism-friendly workspace During the project we will develop IO1: “opportunities4autism” VET trainer curriculum IO2: “opportunities4autism VET trainer Handbook IO3: “opportunities4autism” Practical Guide for employers IO4: e-learning platform 6 Multiplier events (1 in each partner country) including 1 final International conference 2 Learning-Teaching-Training (LTT) activities: Short term training event for VET trainers (C1) 1 short term training event for employers (C2) will be carried out resulting in not only raising awareness about ASD, but also in the VET trainers’ professional development
The main objective of the Opportunites4ausitm project was to develop, test and publish an innovative training package for VET trainers who, having acquired the necessary knowledge and skills, will be able to organize training seminars for employers, HR and recruitment managers, business and industry leaders, SMEs, larger corporations, line managers on understanding, recruiting and supporting autistic people in the workplace. Specific Objectives: - Strengthen the core competencies and skills of VET trainers to make employers aware of the benefits of hiring people with ASD. - Increase awareness of autism and the barriers and needs that people with ASD face in the workplace. - Promote collaborative learning structures as a way to engage participants in developing an inclusive approach to business management. - Raise awareness of the importance of using innovative teaching-learning methods. - Establish permanent international networks to promote the exchange of knowledge, experience and expertise regarding the employment of people with ASD.
Autism is a lifelong developmental disorder. It is a condition on the spectrum, also referred to as autism spectrum disorder (ASD). People with ASD have three main areas of difficulty: social communication, interpersonal interaction and flexibility of thought. Some people on the spectrum are able to lead relatively independent lives, while others will require a lifetime of specialized support. Above all, people with autism have the right to inclusive employment and the right to reasonable accommodations and support that will enable them to work effectively. When seeking solutions, it is important that they are based on facts, not assumptions, and that the emphasis is on the abilities of these individuals, not their disabilities. Despite the measures taken, the vast majority of adults with autism are still unemployed, so further action is urgently needed, most importantly to make employers aware that people with ASD can be good employees with proper management based on the principles of inclusivity and diversity.