Funding is gratefully acknowledged from Autism Speaks and the Sinneave Family Foundation Examining Employment among Adults with Disability: Toward Inclusion and Engagement David Nicholas Lonnie Zwaigenbaum Margaret Clarke Kevin Stoddart Herb Emery Barbara Muskat Laura Ghali Wendy Roberts Pat Mirenda Tom Jackman Margaret Spoelstra Sarah Duhaime Peter Gerhardt - USA Isabel Smith Cynthia Carroll Canadian Association for Community Living Ready Willing and Able Employment Workshop/Roundtable Montreal, January 31, 2014
Objectives } To explore the vocational experiences of adults with ASD } To identify barriers and facilitators to vocational outcomes
Methods Survey of Vocational Resources: n=103 Key Informant Interviews: n=141 • Individuals with ASD: 45 • Parents/Caregivers: 60 • Services Providers: 36 • Employers: 19 Delphi Consultation
Service Planning and Evaluation: How well are vocational services of the organization planned and evaluated? Organizational Capacity: How well is the organization able to meet the vocational needs of persons with ASD (within its resource capacity)? Enhancing Systems Capacity : How well does the organization support broader systems of adult services? Community Capacity : How well does the region or municipality meet the vocational needs of individuals with ASD?
Total responses by Domain (as Percentages): National Domain 1: Service Domain 2: Enhancing Planning and Evaluation Systems Capacity 60% 70.00% 50% Agree 60.00% Agree Neutral 50.00% 40% Neutral Disagree 40.00% 30% Disagree Don't Know 30.00% 20% Don't Know Not Applicable 20.00% 10% Not applicable 10.00% 0% 0.00% 1 1 Domain 3: Domain 4: Community Organizational Capacity Capacity 60.00% 50.00% Agree 50.00% Agree 40.00% 40.00% Neutral Neutral 30.00% 30.00% Disagree Disagree 20.00% 20.00% Don't Know Don't Know 10.00% Not applicable 10.00% Not Applicable 0.00% 0.00% 1 1
Canada Wide Demographics – Persons with ASD Male: 69%; Female: 31% 18-25 yrs: 54%; 26-40 yrs: 32% 41-65 yrs:14%; 65+ yrs: 0% Urban: 80%; Rural: 20% Autism 26%; PDD-NOS 15%; Aspergers 59% English - 1 st language: 84%; Other language: 18% No supportive family members: 4% 1-5 supportive family members: 83% 6-11 supportive family members: 6% >11 supportive family members: 8%
Psychological/Emotional/Mental Health Challenges EMOTIONAL/PSYCHOLOGICAL CHALLENGES: • anxiety, mental health issues • lack of confidence • self-esteem FOCUS/CONCENTRATION: • “he can’t think about doing four things at once…he can focus on one” • study for hours see patterns, but can't remember ENVIRONMENTAL/PROCESSING: • sensory issues • verbal details • time insufficient to process tasks or emotions/situations • blunt communication misinterpreted SOCIAL/RELATIONAL: • colleagues/supervisors • eye contact • others not direct • difficulty with strangers • too honest
} Physical/Biological Issues (e.g., sleep, attention) } Logistical Issues (e.g., travel/transportation) } Disclosure of ASD } Market Issues (e.g., few jobs, difficulty competing) } Job Structures/Demands (e.g., tasks too great, “not enough time to recuperate”, “You can’t have meaningless rules that muddle up my mind.”)
Elements of Workplace Success … Relationship Formation with Employer } familiarity with supervisor } employer has an understanding of ASD and supports employee External Navigator/Advocate } employer open to support person during orientation } follow up between job coach and employer } individualized and regular support } employer letting job coach attend to crisis } intervention to both individual with ASD and employer Strategies and Skill Development } help with social skills } time to accomplish task/time to process emotions } visual triggers to facilitate memory retrieval } scripted role play } clarity of tasks and processes (tasks broken down)
Stability of Employment } remuneration/incentives } consistency of job experience } employer open to work environment adjustments } ‘effective’, sensitive non-patronizing support person/agency } optimizing success } recognition for the value of contribution
Workplace Environment } positions offer good fit with the skills/ aptitudes of the individual } consistent with interest } commensurate with skills and strengths } individuals are permitted to work from their skills and strengths, rather than from limitations or avoiding weaknesses } balance in reaching to skills while generally avoiding areas of challenge
Workplace Environment (cont’d) } person-centered – oriented for success } clear, achievable job expectations } attention to detail } active communication including “checking in” } opportunity for skill development } awareness of potential sensory concerns } calm atmosphere } mutual understanding and respect for involvement and support (balanced support/two-way support)
Workplace Preparedness } supportive involvement of HR or management } some knowledge about issues of disability relative to the workplace } open communication between HR/ employer and employee } openness to having a job coach } job coach communication with internal mentor } feedback mechanisms
Systems Issues } overall lack of adult-focused community services } good intensions but limited understanding and pre- conceived notions } varying transition support } issues for families in poverty or isolated populations } support organizations - confusing as to what each agency offers and who is eligible for programs } lack of balance - more job preparation services than job placement and retention services
Employment Engagement Model in Disability: Relational/Structural Interface Structural/Programmatic Issues • Service availability • Service access • Information navigation • Coordination Tailored Individual Family Navigation ACCESS Support and Support ENGAGEMENT • Job preparation – job • Honoring family role RETENTION skills, life skills • Augmenting/easing ADVANCEMENT • Job access – fit family role • Job retention support Community/Workplace Capacity • Organizational/employer capacity enhancement • Workplace accommodations (e.g., sensory, environmental, challenge management) • Associated supports (e.g., mental health, housing, transportation, etc.)
Nova Scotia Results: Organizational Capacity Domain #3: Organizational Capacity 50.00% 45.00% 40.00% Agree 35.00% Neutral 30.00% Disagree 25.00% Don't Know Not Applicable 20.00% 15.00% 10.00% 5.00% 0.00% 1
Nova Scotia Results: Community Capacity Domain #4: Community Capacity 70.00% 60.00% 50.00% Agree Neutral 40.00% Disagree Don't Know 30.00% Not Applicable 20.00% 10.00% 0.00% 1
Employment Landscape in Nova Scotia } National Results were very similar to results in Nova Scotia } Disability Community } Employability table (meet monthly) } Inform government of key issues around accessing employment opportunities and vocational training } Ability Starts Here Newsletter ¨ Profiles organizations and employers doing good work in NS
Autism Nova Scotia (ANS) } ANS Community Education and Training Programs } Job Coach Training (2 day program) } Looking at online options } Autism Works Program } Employer education (lunch and learns, HR, and Employer Manual) } T.R.A.A.C.E (Transition Readiness and Autism Community Employment) Program (15-18 years) } Supported Employment (18+ years of age) } Social Enterprise – Promise of a Pearl
} An Alliance of over 50 autism organization and individual members across Canada, including Autism Society of Canada and the Autism Foundation Canada } Current initiatives include working with the Public Health Agency of Canada and Dr. Jonathan Weis to develop and implement a national needs assessment survey for parents/caregivers, professionals and individuals living with ASD in Canada } Collaborating and supporting the RWA initiative with CACL } Working with the Federal government to develop and national framework or blueprint for ASD to enhance the quality of life for all Canadians impacted by the disorder.
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