Autism EmployABLE - .NET Framework

Copyright Autism Queensland 2020

Autism EmployABLEThe long view of an autism-specific

employment service

When I work, I feel a sense of independence. It gives me back a sense of purpose in life.

Now I can be somebody in the community.

Autism EmployABLE participant - 2020

Autism EmployABLE is funded through an Economic Participation of People with Disability grant as part of the National Disability Insurance Agency, Information, Linkages and Capacity Building (ILC) program.


Contents

Current Landscape

Meeting an Unmet Need- The Role of Disability Employment Services

National Disability Insurance Service Provision

Autism EmployABLE Program Eligibility

Scope of Autism Employable

Achievements to Date- Sustained Employment Outcomes- Employer Engagement- Bespoke Participant-led support- Wrap Around Support Services

Continuation of the Program

Future Considerations- Why is the Autism EmployABLE Program so Important- Impact of Increased Rates of Autism Diagnosis- Autism EmployABLE Makes Financial Sense- Autism EmployABLE Makes Ethical Sense

Where To Now?

Autism EmployABLE Evaluation & Feedback

References

Appendices- Appendix A Story of change – Jacob- Appendix B Story of change - Oliver

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Copyright Autism Queensland 2020 Copyright Autism Queensland 2020 2

Current Landscape

The right to employment is recognised by the United Nations (UN) as a basic human right, yet for too many individuals on the autism spectrum this continues to be out of reach (Honeybourne, 2020).

Individuals on the spectrum are one of the most marginalised groups in Australia in terms of access to employment. They are three times more likely to be unemployed than those with other disabilities and nearly eight times as likely when compared to people without a disability.

Population Unemployment Rate

Participation Rate

People on the spectrum 34.1% 38%People with disability (excluding autism) 10.3% 53.4%People without a disability 4.6% 84.1%

These statistics highlight the numerous significant barriers to employment for people on the spectrum, which may include:• Lack of autism-specific job support to develop broader employment-related skills such as searching for

jobs and communicating with potential employers.• Employers’ lack of understanding of autism and erroneous suppositions such as assumption of

intellectual impairment.• The focus of employers on the negatives of the condition rather than strengths and positives.• Social and communication difficulties such as interpreting nonverbal cues and following directions.• Interviews that test social skills and the capacity to “sell yourself” rather than testing the ability to do the

job.• Existing recruitment processes that are not sufficiently agile to allow individuals on the spectrum to

demonstrate their capabilities.• The need for longer times to process information and formulate a response to questions or instructions.• Exhaustion from trying too hard to ‘fit in’ and manage anxiety.• Difficulty with self-advocacy which can result in their needs not being met.• Job search that is elongated by a lack of targeted individualised support.• ‘Placement’ into unsuitable roles that are not commensurate with the skills and qualifications of job

seekers on the autism spectrum due to by a lack of targeted individualised support.

Meeting An Unmet Need

The Role of Disability Employment Services (DES)Over the course of the program Autism Employable has established collaborative relationships with a number of DES providers linked to our participants.

For some participants it has been beneficial to be linked to a DES provider to access support not otherwise available to them. This includes work experience placements under the National Work Experience Program (NWEP) and wage subsidies for employers. Of the 20 participants who are currently working as a result of our pro-gram, six are being supported by a wage subsidy from a DES provider.

However, high levels of dissatisfaction with DES providers have been reported by our participants. Only 45 per cent of the participants who engaged with the program reported they were registered with a DES provider and many of them reported only receiving fortnightly phone contact. A significant proportion of those who were not registered indicated that while they had been previously linked to a provider, they no longer wished to be.

“It’s been nice to have

just

one consistent person, l

ike

(Autism EmployABLE staff

member) and she’s able to

continue to be supportin

g

throughout the whole t

ime.

While at (DES program) it

was a bit disruptive ch

anging

people every sort of few

months.”

Autism EmployABLE

participant - 2020

(Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2018)

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According to an independent evaluation of this program involving interviews with 15 participants and six family members, the main concerns with their DES providers were the lack of consistency due to high staff turnover, limited understanding and knowledge of autism, and of individual needs.

Similarly, a key finding from Specialisterne Australia’s ‘National Autistic Jobs keeper and Employee Survey’ was that only 29% of respondents felt they had received sufficient support from their DES provider.

Many people on the spectrum who are motivated to find work, are reliant on an employment support system that is, in many cases, not able to meet their needs. DES providers are generalist in scope, covering a wide range of physical and mental disabilities, and rarely having specialist autism-specific knowledge and an ability to assess individual needs based on that person’s disability and possible accommodations needed to support them appropriately.

Although autism’s prevalence as a primary disability has steadily increased from 2.8% of the total DES caseload in 2011 to 3.8% in 2020 (Labour market information portal DES September 2011-2020) it still accounts for a comparatively small number of participants in relation to DES caseloads as a whole (11,468).

Individuals on the spectrum are therefore often not considered the core business of DES providers. Moreover, the DES performance model rewards ‘speed to placement’ which can drive undesirable behaviours such as placing individuals into any role to meet key performance measures, regardless of their interests or qualifications.

As a result, a growing number of individuals on the spectrum are placed in positions that are not commensurate with their skills and interests due to a lack of skill identification and appropriate job matching. For example, job seekers with master's degrees being placed in menial jobs such as shelf stacking in a supermarket.

“Autism EmployABLE is different, we provide participants with autism specific coaching, bespoke job matching and consistent dependable support.”

National Disability Insurance Service (NDIS) Provision

This is just one of Autism EmployABLE’s points of difference as we provide our participants with specialist bespoke consistent support. To date there has been an even split between Autism EmployABLE participants who receive NDIS funding and those who do not. The split is not necessarily indicative of level of support required. Access to advocacy and understanding the NDIS application process is often limited. A large proportion of our participants have tried unsuccessfully to seek NDIS assistance.

It is noted many of our participants who successfully gained employment as a result of the program have, on average, been looking for work for at least a year, with some for two years plus. Moreover, some have been unsuccessful years after leaving school or finishing a degree qualification. These participants had essentially ‘fallen between the cracks’ where their needs were not being met by either a DES provider or the NDIS.

They urgently needed tailored support to find and keep a job and as a result significantly benefited from the individualised specialist support available from the Autism EmployABLE program.

“I very, very, very

quickly learned that the

y (DES

staff) are not there to

help…

Any sort of pushing I r

eceived

was pushing into a prog

ram or a

class or a course or a co

mpletely

inappropriate thing for

me”.

Autism EmployABLE

participant - 2020

A participant perceived some

DES services as being

“…a big money grab. It’s

incredibly obvious once y

ou

get put through the rin

ger

that you’re just a num

ber.”

Autism EmployABLE

participant - 2020

“I’m willing to try (applying

for NDIS funding)... but it

sounds like I’m not ‘disabl

ed

enough’ to qualify.”

Autism EmployABLE

participant - 2020


Autism EmployABLE Program Eligibility

From the very beginning we wanted the program to be as inclusive as possible, offering access and support to all individuals on the spectrum regardless of their area of interest, skills, and abilities.

The only parameters were:• A diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder• 18 years or older• A motivation to work and looking for a minimum of eight hours

paid employment in an open employment market.

There are a number of programs such as Specialisterne and Xeceptional that work with individuals on the spectrum in talent programs. Each applicant is assessed and only the very best are recruited for predominantly high-level IT roles. While these programs are fantastic for those with the aptitude and skills for an IT role, not all individuals on the spectrum have IT skills or even an interest in working in the industry.

No other program exists that is as broad based and inclusive as Autism EmployABLE.

We work with participants with a wide range of skills and interests looking for both entry level positions through to graduate roles and beyond.

Areas of interest and employment have included:• Childcare• Electrical engineering• Graphic design• Food production• Retail• Accounting• Hospital cleaning• Car parts interpretation

Scope of Autism EmployABLE

The geographical reach of the pilot program is currently predominantly Brisbane, although we have offered assistance to some participants in the Moreton Bay, Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast regions.

The initial intake assessment generally occurs at the office in Sunnybank Hills, although these meetings were transitioned to online support (video conferencing) during the COVID-19 lock down. The team also met with participants at local libraries, Disability Employment Service (DES) providers and at places of employment.

Support provided by the team to participants includes:• An initial assessment of needs, skills, and interests.• An opportunity to build rapport, gain trust and understanding of the individual.• The opportunity to explore all aspects of employment through an autism lens including finding a job that

matches their skills and interests, searching for and gaining employment and support needed tomaintain work.

• Extensive support with many aspects of social communication around applying for work, interviews andstarting work.

• Participant-led support assisted by use of the Adult and Adolescent Goal Setting Tool (AAGST) forNeurodivergent Individuals including those on the Autism Spectrum. (The AAGST uses a picture-basedcard-sorting process involving the user sorting the cards into priorty piles including “Yes, I want to workon this”, “No, I don’t want to work on this right now”, and “I’m not sure about this”.)

“The program, everything

-

it’s help... Help like th

is does

not exist anywhere else.

”

Autism EmployABLE

participant - 2020

• Groundskeeping• Reception• Food service• Mentor (in an autism program)• Postal services• Sales assisting• Order checking• Law


Integral to this program is the provision of information and support for employers and potential employers that employ our participants.

The following activities occur in the workplace:

• Provision of information to employers to highlight the benefits of employing someone on the spectrum.• Initial autism-specific evaluation to identify the suitability of a role for a participant.• Training where needed to assist businesses to understand the strengths of and challenges faced by

people on the spectrum, and appropriate workplace accommodations if required.• On-the-job autism-specific coaching for employees on the spectrum and their co-workers to facilitate a

productive and inclusive working environment.

Employment success for individuals on the spectrum is underpinned by the employer’s knowledge and understanding of autism and tailored job match (Dreaver et al. 2019; Walsh et al. 2014). Furthermore an understanding of autism promotes higher levels of employer/employee engagement and acceptance towards the individual on the spectrum. This also contributes to job performance and sense of wellbeing. A recent study by Nicholas et al. (2019) showed that employer capacity building through education of autism and engagement with individuals on the spectrum positively impacted employers’ intention to employ.

Achievements To Date

Sustained Employment Outcomes To date, the Autism EmployABLE program has assisted 23 adults into employment, including three who have been working full time for over six months. This is testament to the talented participants with whom we work, their skills and abilities and pure tenacity to want to succeed. Moreover, this has been accomplished during a global pandemic, a period of extreme uncertainty, rising unemployment rates and global recession with a participant group that is all too often deemed hardest to help.

“We are just getting started in terms of what we are capable of delivering.”

Employer EngagementOver the past 12 months, the program team have contacted more than 3000 business, established relationships with around 40 companies (see appendix), with a further 150 expressions of interest for 2021. These range from large organisations to sole traders who are keen to learn more about our program and the benefits of employing individuals on the spectrum. This has the potential to lead to multiple job opportunities across a range of different industries that will support a diverse range of individuals on the spectrum to reach their employment goals.

Bespoke Participant-led Support

The AAGST tool used by the program is designed specifically for use in goal setting with adolescents and adults on the autism spectrum. It enables the use of person-centred information to produce a tailored ‘road map’ for individuals, which informs the workplace accommodations they may require. Based on their road map, the participants are supported to develop self-advocacy skills such as informing new colleagues and supervisors how best they communicate, work at their best, like to receive instructions, sensory considerations and other areas of potential support and environmental adaptations that may be required.

This ability to provide a highly specific and targeted approach with the participants is crucial. The road maps are produced with input from the individual, and they can assist in improving the participant’s own level of self-awareness of their needs within a working environment. We support participants to develop the language needed to self- advocate. Additionally, it is a resource for an employer/co-worker to provide useful practical information on how to work successfully with this individual and improve the likelihood of continued sustainable employment.

Wrap Around Support ServicesThe program has also been involved with other aspects of support for participants including:


• Linking in with their GP to facilitate a Mental Health Care plan• Successful advocacy to navigate NDIS planning sessions• Support at an Employment Service Assessment (ESAt) which involves assessment of a person’s

ability to participate in the workforce and the number of hours (benchmark) that the participant is deemed able to work.

• Assistance to communicate more effectively with their DES provider to build beneficial relationships.

Continuation of the Autism EmployABLE program will:• Enable the program team to further develop the relationships (especially those listed in the

appendix C) we have spent time and resources fostering.• Allow the team to continue to build new connections and collaborations that will further support

adults on the spectrum into meaningful employment.• Enable future participants to benefit from working with employers who embrace neurodiversity and

see the advantages of hiring individuals on the spectrum.• Progress the cultural shift towards neurodiversity within organisations.• Continue to assist organisations to develop inclusive recruitment practices, inductions, and ongoing

inclusive work environments.• Develop and facilitate employment pathways with large organisations for roles that will significantly

benefit from employing individuals on the spectrum.• Expand our service delivery to meet ever-increasing demand from adults on the spectrum, their

families and DES providers.• Genuinely continue to positively impact unemployment rates of this highly marginalised cohort.

Future considerations

Why is the Autism EmployABLE Program So Important? Autism EmployABLE has clearly shown what can be achieved by adults on the spectrum when the right supports are made available to them. Our specialist support coupled with targeted employer engagement and increased autism awareness provides the necessary components for participants to thrive in their chosen work environment.

Impact of Increased Rates of Autism DiagnosisIncreasing numbers of individuals are being diagnosed with autism, with the highest percentage increase occurring in the 0-14 age group. As these children reach adulthood, the flow-on effects in terms of increasing volumes of requests for support will continue into the future. It is therefore critical to ensure the continuation of specialist support to cater to this growing population of young people on the spectrum. Support tailored to their unique needs is essential if these young people are to achieve the best possible life outcomes.

Autism EmployABLE Makes Financial SenseThis program has proven to be a cost-effective and successful way of supporting individuals on the spectrum into employment. We estimate, based on our employment outcomes to date, that expenditure on Disability Support pension and Jobseeker payment will reduce by approximately $180,000 annually, plus individuals will positively contribute income tax. This table highlights the considerable financial impact by reducing time spent as a DSP/Jobseeker recipient would have on the federal budget.

Number of participants

Cost of DSP for 1 year

Cost of DSP for 3 years

Cost of Jobseeker for 1 year

Cost of Jobseeker for 3 years

1 $22, 375 $67, 125 $14, 708 $44, 12410 $223, 750 $671, 250 $147, 080 $4, 410, 24020 $447, 500 $1, 342, 500 $294, 160 $882, 54030 $671, 250 $2, 013, 750 $441, 240 $1, 323, 720

https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/individuals/services/centrelink/disability-support-pension/how-much-you-can-get/payment-rates (Figures

are based on a single adult over 21 years.)


A recent study by Brooke et. al (2018) concluded that individuals on the spectrum showed the highest employment retention rates of 87% at 18 months compared to those without autism when they were properly supported and placed in jobs that aligned with their skills and interests.

Autism EmployABLE Makes Ethical SenseEmployment substantially enhances the wellbeing of the participants. We want to be able to continue to support our participants’ right to access suitable and sustainable work. As we are receiving multiple requests for support from people on the spectrum and their families every week, there is clearly a significant unmet need for this program in South East Queensland.

Where To Now?

The Autism EmployABLE program needs ongoing funding that will enable it to transition from a pilot program with limited reach to a government-funded program capable of providing specialist support to a greater number of people, over a larger geographical area in order to meet the ever-increasing demand.

Autism EmployABLE bridges the gap by finding and sustaining meaningful employment for adults on the spectrum who have been failed by ineffective DES provision and inability to access NDIS funding.

Our current funding is due to cease at the end of January 2021. We are aware that a new round of ILC grants have recently been released however, they do not come into effect until June 2021. Even if we are successful in securing one of these grants, we will still lose our experienced and qualified team along with the collaborations and business relationships, we have spent time and resources creating.

We are especially concerned about the loss of support for current participants who are in various stages of looking for and participating in work. This ILC grant round only affords a 12-month provision and will not deliver long-term sustainability of the program. While it is anticipated that some components of this service may be purchased through individual NDIS support packages, many of our participants are not eligible for individual NDIS funding and others do not have sufficient funds in their packages.

It also does not address the continued support the business community needs to continue to successfully build capacity to hire individuals on the spectrum and understand the financial and cultural rewards of doing so.

Furthermore given the growing demand for the Autism EmployABLE program throughout Brisbane and South East Queensland, further funding that allowed us to broaden our reach and assist individuals throughout South East Queensland and beyond would have a significant impact on employment procurement in the Autistic Community.

The funding will ensure our highly skilled team can continue working with existing and new participants across Greater Brisbane. It will create more inclusive work environments and enable the business community to tap into the vast autistic talent pool. We will positively impact Queensland’s unemployment rate and continue to address the substantial needs of this highly marginalised group.


Autism EmployABLE Evaluation & Feedback

An evaluation of the program with 15 clients and six family members was overwhelmingly positive, with feedback from interviews very positive. They provided descriptions including: “really encouraging”, “really supportive”, “fantastic” and “awesome”.

All the clients who had gained employment at the time of interview (six of 15) expressed a high level of satisfaction with their new job suggesting a good employee-job match with comments including: “It is a job I want to do for a long time” and “I love to do that job”.

All the employed clients expressed feelings indicative of improved emotional wellbeing since gaining employment (eg increased confidence, self-esteem, independence or purpose) with comments such as: “…when I work, I feel a sense of independence. It gives me back a sense of purpose in life. Now I can be somebody in the community”.

Family members also reported similar improvements in emotional wellbeing: “…he’s gained confidence, I can see it, he feels very positive, and he loves going into the office.

One also said Autism EmployABLE should be: “...a continuous program, and not just a short funded one. I think it’s something that is needed, full stop.”

Clients and family members were unanimous in describing their experience of Autism EmployABLE as being superior to their experience of non-specialist DES Providers.

“… it’s more tailored to people on the spectrum and the support is well tuned for each people’s needs”

“Autism Queensland’s way up there, it’s way higher than (other disability employment service).”

“The program, everything.…help like this does not exist anywhere else”.

When speaking about the support and autism information session provided, an employer stated that it was incredibly worthwhile”, and he thought the roadmap of individualised participant information was “invaluable!”.

“I encourage everyone w

ho

is on the spectrum... who

is looking for work to g

et

involved with this progr

am”

Autism EmployABLE

evaluation participant -

2020

“So I guess my advice would be keep on doing

what you’re doing. You’ve helped me a lot and I’m sure you’ve helped lots of

other people.”

Autism EmployABLE evaluation participant -

2020

“I hope that the program stays around. If it’s helping me it must be helping so many other people too.”Autism EmployABLE evaluation participant - 2020


References

Australian Bureau of Statistics (2018). Disability, Ageing and Carers, Australia: Summary of Findings.

Brooke, V., Brooke, A. M., Schall, C., Wehman, P., McDonough, J., Thompson, K., & Smith, J. (2018). Employees with Autism Spectrum Disorder Achieving Long-Term Employment Success: A Retrospective Review of Employment Retention and Intervention. Research and Practice for Persons with Severe Disabilities, 43(3), 181–193.

https://doi.org/10.1177/1540796918783202

Dreaver, J., Thompson, C., Girdler, S., Adolfsson, M., Black, M. H., & Falkmer, M. (2020). Success Factors Enabling Employment for Adults on the Autism Spectrum from Employers’ Perspective. Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 50(5), 1657–1667. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-019-03923-3

Honeybourne, V. (2020) The Neurodiverse Workplace. (p10). London. Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

Nicholas, D., Mitchell, W., Dudley, C., & Zulla, R. (2019). Perspectives of employers about hiring individuals with autism spectrum disorder Evaluating a cohort of employers engaged in a job-readiness initiative. Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 50(3), 353–364. https://doi-org.ezproxy.uow.edu.au/10.3233/JVR-191018

Walsh, L. Lyndon, S., & Healy, O. (2014). Employment and vocational skills among individuals with autism spectrum disorder: Predictors, impact and interventions. Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 1(4),266-275. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40489-014-0024-7


Appendix A - Story of Change - Jacob

Building capacity through on the job support and navigating a new work environment

When Jacob* commenced the EmployABLE program, he had very few meaningful activities in his week and very little direction as to what he would like to do.

Jacob also lacked insight into how he was perceived due to theory of mind difficulties. This severely impacted his ability to gain and sustain employment. As such considerable time was spent helping Jacob develop his workplace social communication skills by providing information on verbal and nonverbal communication, and importantly how he may be perceived by his co-workers

The EmployABLE team facilitated a number of interviews and two work trials, but he was unfortunately unsuccessful. He was then interviewed at the Princess Alexandra Hospital and accepted onto the initial training program. However, we quickly received feedback that they did not think Jacon was suitable for the program. After some discussion with his supervisor and trainer regarding the challenges Jacob faced, and how his autism presented, Jacon was able to continue with support from the EmployABLE team.

The EmployABLE team continued to provide specific feedback on the tasks of the role and the ways in which Jacob could best be supported to learn them independently.

Our report, which was based on observations and knowledge of the participants skills and challenges, showed that Jacob needed structure and routine in order to thrive. Constant changing of work locations to different wards and associated tasks would not only cause extreme anxiety and impede his ability to work independently, but render the role untenable.

The hospital listened and have given Jacob the opportunity to remain on the same ward to build his skills and job confidence over time.

Through the work of the EmployABLE team we were able to negotiate a more suitable job role for Jacob that would meet his needs and skill set.

The time spent gaining an understanding of the expectations of the role and then breaking down tasks and conveying them to Jacob, was a crucial part of the process that enabled him to become more independent in the role.

Additionally, autism-specific knowledge and understanding provided insight into potential areas of difficulty for Jacob and enabled us to advocate for him and collaborate with the employer to find workable solutions.

Jacob continues to meet with the EmployABLE team via videoconference for further support and guidance and to reinforce all that has been learnt. It was a pleasure also to have the opportunity to work with such a supportive employer. This highlights how a successful employment outcome can be achieved when the needs of the individual on the spectrum are met.

*name has been changed


Appendix B - Story of Change - Oliver

Building capacity through sharing of diagnosis and navigating employment opportunities

Oliver* completed a Law degree at the University of Queensland in 2018. He had not been able to secure work related to his degree since completion, despite applying for over 30 positions. On a few occasions he made it to interview stage, but was unable to progress further. Oliver was also being encouraged by his family to apply for any positions including labouring jobs just so that he could start earning a wage. He was becoming incredibly despondent.

The EmployABLE team spent time discussing with Oliver the various aspects of his methodology of sourcing and applying for work. We also facilitated participant-led goal setting regarding building social communication skills, especially those pertaining to interviewing and in-work experiences.

Oliver also mentioned he had not shared his diagnosis with any of the potential employers he had applied to. We discussed the benefits of sharing a diagnosis with a potential employer and any areas of concern he had. Oliver then decided he would like to share his autism diagnosis and gather information on how that could be approached. Moreover, the implications and follow up questions that might result, were discussed. We assisted Oliver in preparing answers for many common questions and the language he would use to explain how he was impacted by his autism.

We also supported Oliver to learn to ask for any accommodations to help mitigate challenges throughout the interview stage and beyond. His “Road Map” of strengths and challenges was formulated over a number of sessions and informed by a current assessment report. It discussed the ‘Autism Advantage’ and how to promote aspects of his personality and skill sets that were extremely valuable to an employer. We guided Oliver through key selection criteria, resume writing and interview assessments.

Oliver was successful in securing a position with the Department of Communities. We proactively marketed his key abilities and supported him throughout the interview and then induction process.

Oliver was able to reframe his skills and abilities and to see the great benefit they would bring to the right organisation, whilst also having the ability to ask for support appropriate with his needs.

*name has been changed

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