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Building an Autism-Supportive City: Training Municipal Staff and First Responders
I have learned so much when working and interacting with people who have autism and neurodivergence. They offer such a unique perspective and taking the time to better understand the world through their lens, is an opportunity to better ourselves. A truly inclusive environment, in my opinion, is...
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Broadening Employment Opportunities for Adults with Autism and/or Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities (I/DD): A Call to Action
Every morning at First Place–Phoenix, a supportive housing property in Midtown Phoenix, Arizona for adults with autism and/or intellectual/developmental disabilities (I/DD), residents head out with determination and hustle. Some volunteer. Some hold part-time or full-time jobs. Others are still...
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Prospect Meadow Farm: Empowering Autistic Adults Through Vocational Training, Employment, and Community Building
Located in the Pioneer Valley of western Massachusetts, ServiceNet’s Prospect Meadow Farms provides vocational training and employment for more than 100 differently-abled adults aged 22 to 70, 20% of whom are on the autism spectrum. The original farm, located on 11 acres in Hatfield, was...
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Lessons I Learned From Job Coaching
Job coaches are professionals who not only support an individual with a disability in a community setting, but also teach skills to help them be ready for future employment. I have two perspectives, that of a person who had a coach and being the coach myself. Back in my secondary school days, I had...
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Creating Inclusive Work Environments for Employees with Disabilities
Historically, adults with disabilities have faced high levels of discrimination in the workplace environment. The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, or ADA, was enacted in an effort to eradicate discrimination against employees with disabilities while also requiring employers to provide...
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Mobilizing to Maintain Continuity of the Yes She Can Training Program
Yes She Can provides a job skills training program for young women with autism and related social and learning disabilities. The program is implemented at Girl AGain boutique where clinical professionals and business managers coach trainees in all aspects of running the business. It has been a...
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Creating a Win-Win When Hiring People with Autism: How One Small Company Made it Work
A wave of high school and college graduates with talent, ability, and a tremendous capacity to contribute are hitting the job market but they are not getting hired. Recent statistics show that 75% of people with autism spectrum disorders are either unemployed or under employed. Many of those that...
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Jobs That Teach Employers and Employees
Jewish Child Care Association’s Compass Project helps young adults with special needs identify career and educational directions and foster friendships through socialization programs. It also encourages participants to pursue their dreams. Compass staff helps clients develop job readiness skills,...
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Autism in the Workplace: Identifying Opportunities and Providing Support
Between 1997 and 2011, the unemployment rate of those diagnosed with disabilities has ranged from 72% to 88%. This is an astounding number of persons with disabilities and Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), specifically, without a job. Despite the enthusiasm, motivation, and dependability so many job...
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What Employers Need to Know About Asperger’s Syndrome: Accommodating Managers and Professionals on the Spectrum
There is increasing evidence, albeit anecdotal, that autism is now on the radar screens of employers. Last year, SAP, the giant software company, pledged that in the next few years 1% of its workforce will be individuals on the autism spectrum. The announcement generated widespread publicity....
