A spectrum of opportunities: training field professionals on how to recruit and support individuals with autism at the workplace Erasmus Project

Project Title

A spectrum of opportunities: training field professionals on how to recruit and support individuals with autism at the workplace

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for vocational education and training

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2020

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses; Labour market issues incl. career guidance / youth unemployment

Project Summary

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

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 177480 Eur

Project Coordinator

Szczecinska Szkola Wyzsza Collegium Balticum & Country: PL

Project Partners

• FUNDACION INTRAS
• STANDO LTD
• Fondacija hiljadu zelja
• CESIE
• ASOCIACION MI HIJO Y YO, PSICOLOGASEN EL HOGAR PARA LAS FAMILIAS CONTGD