Supporting Adults with Autism Mike MacCallam, Senior Commissioning Manager The creation of this material by Norton Radstock College has been financed by the Skills Funding Agency Equality and Diversity Innovation Fund 2013/14. Copyright in this material is vested in the Crown but it is made freely available through an Open Government Licence. This licence enables you to use and adapt the material but you must attribute Norton Radstock College as the creator and include details of the licence. Full details of the licence are available at http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/

What is Autism Affects the way people relate to and communicate with the world around them Varies from individual to individual – wide spectrum Three main areas: Social Interaction – relationships, emotional indifference Social communication – difficulty with verbal and non verbal communication including facial expressions and tone of voice Social imagination – difficulty with flexibility of thought, abstract thinking, organising and planning ahead

Common workplace challenges faced by people with autism include: Problems fitting in the general workplace environment, especially if the workplace is not familiar with the needs of people with autism Misunderstandings or problems understanding others' emotions and providing inappropriate responses Difficulties understanding verbal instruction Inflexibility to routine changes Repetitive and obsessive behaviours may cause conflict at the work environment Sensory processing issues can sometimes interfere with work performance Some co-workers and employers may not be sensitive to the needs of people with autism

Skills of people with Autism in the workplace Problem solving skills and attention to detail Good with logical and structured approach to work High levels of concentration – able to work persistently and without distraction Reliability and loyalty – conscientious and committed, punctual, honest, high level of integrity. Lower levels of absenteeism Technical ability and specialist skills and interests Detailed factual knowledge and excellent memory skills Resourceful

Additional benefits to the organisation/community Being ‘Disability Confident’ Improved skill set of workforce – increased awareness and understanding; increased tolerance of colleagues, fairness and equity Domino effect of valuing all staff Enhanced reputation and customer feedback Increased productivity Breakdown barriers amongst wider community Feel good Factor

First Impressions Tina (Employer) Lewis (Employee) What can we offer Lewis? Concerns over communication? How will Lewis cope? Will the work be too much? How will I know if Lewis is happy or not? Uncertainty over outcomes for Lewis Not wanting to get things wrong for Lewis Feeling uncertain if I could prove myself Lacking confidence Quiet and inconspicuous How would I fit in? Needing clear instructions Need to build up a routine

Rewards Tina (Employer) Lewis (Employee) Seeing Lewis’ growth in confidence day by day Having a hard working, reliable and intelligent person working in the team Recognising incredible speed and accuracy of tasks completed Building trust and honesty Discovering the person behind the condition including Lewis’ wicked sense of humour Growing sense of confidence and self worth Discovery of new skills and tools to work with Gaining connections in the workplace Experience of life in the workplace Insight for work in the future

Reflection Tina (Employer) Lewis (Employee) Fantastic experience and Lewis has completed some brilliant work Better than expected outcomes Never judge a book by its cover! Don’t presume that just because someone has a particular condition that they won’t be a brilliant employee Making a difference to someone's life. Extremely satisfied with how the experience has worked out Enjoying working and applying knowledge to new tasks Feeling mature, valued and equal Greater ability to communicate with others Sense of readiness for the future.