In early 2011, Temple Grandin was the keynote speaker at the “Autism and Employment” forum - the 2012 event is being scheduled for October at 3M. One of the cofounding sponsors of the conference, Best Buy, has launched an e-learning tool on scenarios that help educate and advocate for those with Autism Spectrum Disorders already in the workplace to sustain employment. The e-learning website aims to help workers develop social skills and better read facial expressions and nonverbal language.
(source: http://www.ausm.org/waysToHelp/documents/Annual%20Fund%20Letter2011online.pdf)
More on Best Buy and Corporate Social Responsibility
…
(source: Job at Best Buy provides new opportunities for autistic student Phil Woodard | MLive.com)
Here is a video showing another Best Buy employee success story - this time Ryan who has Asperger’s Syndrome: The Ryan Hemphill Best Buy Story - YouTube
Here is some of the transcript of the video:
Inspired by Walgreens’ Anderson, South Carolina distribution center (DC) (see 'Agricultural specialisterne': rural employment revolution for those with Autism - #8 by Visionary7903), Best Buy has done a similar thing with its new Shepherdsville, Kentucky DC: Shepherdsville Distribution Center Story - YouTube
(source: Options Unlimted, Inc. - History)
In early 2011, Temple Grandin was the keynote speaker at the “Autism and Employment” forum - the 2012 event is being scheduled for October at 3M. Another of the cofounding sponsors of the conference was Cargill. At the conference, Bill Buckner, senior vice president of Cargill’s animal-nutrition division, unveiled a pilot program for autistic students in high school. Buckner said:
(source: Temple Grandin urges companies to hire autistic workers - East Valley Tribune: Business)
Indeed Temple Grandin is involved in various Autism-related conferences, not just those related to employment. For an example of her busy schedule and the way she generously gives her time away
, see the following from mid-2010:
(source: Cargill: News - Animal Welfare and Autism Expert Dr. Temple Grandin to Visit Wichita)
Along with Temple Grandin, Kate Duffy is the co-author of the book, Developing Talents - Careers for Individuals with Asperger Syndrome and High Functioning Autism. Right about now, the two are co-presenting a seminar in Toronto, Canada on this same topic…
The Geneva Centre for Autism, co-sponsored the workshop mentioned in the above post. The Centre is Canada’s largest autism service organisation and an international leader in the field of autism education and training:
Kate Duffy was Temple Grandin’s co-author for the book Developing Talents: Careers for Individuals with Asperger Syndrome and High-Functioning Autism. Duffy, along with Tom Thirlkel, runs The Developing Talents Project. This Project uses the ideas in the book to help young people with Autism and Asperger’s Syndrome figure out their talents, strengthen their communication skills and prepare for the transition to work.
Kate Duffy also has taught small business for a number of years through the First Step Fund, a micro-business training organization.
Microenterprises are businesses that have five or fewer employees. A person with an Autism Spectrum Disorder is often ideally suited to working on their own, and many microenterprises consist of a sole trader situation. That way, despite the challenges involved, a person on the Autism Spectrum can gain control of their life.
Here is a set of slides for a presentation Kate Duffy was involved in on Entrepreneurship or Self-Employment as a Viable Option for Individuals with Disabilities
(sources: Developing Talents Project; About Us)
An example of successful small business ownership, written by Kate Duffy is quoted below. Note the similarity to Griffin Hammis’ Customized Employment approach: Specialisterne: leveraging the unique skills of Autistics at competitive market terms - #65 by Visionary7903. Here the non-verbal Joe got help from his parents, while his strengths are being utilised by making sure that he is in a business that he is truly passionate about…
(source: Poppin Joe’s)
Indeed, proper governmental supports are often available, if one knows where to look, for people with disabilities to succeed in self-employment. Here is an example of supports utilised in a Customized Employment* situation, the approach favoured by Griffin Hammis Associates:
*Customised Employment is where the relationship between employer and employee is negotiated and personalised in a way that meets the needs of both. It is a great way for those with disabilities to obtain and retain employment.
(source: http://www.onestops.info/pdf/SelfemploymentCE1.pdf)
It is a great incentive for people with disabilities, of course, to continue to be eligible for benefits as they enter the workforce.![]()
Plans for Achieving Self-Support (PASS) were developed as an incentive to enter the workforce to encourage individuals who receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Supplemental Security Disability Income (SSDI). The point of this plan is that it allows an individual to work and save money without being penalised with a deduction from their SSI or SSDI check. There are restrictions though on how the saved money can be used.
Molly Sullivan of Griffin Hammis Associates is an expert on the matter; here is a presentation of hers on Plans for Achieving Self-Support: START UP | Self-Employment Technical Assistance, Resources, & Training
(source: ICI - Postsecondary Education Options for Students with Intellectual Disabilities)
A paper from staff at Griffin Hammis Associates makes the point that Plans for Achieving Self-Support (PASS) are vastly underutilised. PASS plans offer opportunities, for people with disabilties, via consumer-controlled money to:
- go into employment;
- earn a post-high school qualification to enhance employability;
- acquire specialised skills;
- buy job development and coaching services; and/or
- cover transit costs.
The paper also offers an example where a PASS was successfully utilised:
On a very different note, I will now focus on an athlete with Autism. And this is very pertinent for those of us in the Southern Hemisphere, today being the last day of Summer ![]()
We have seen in this thread that nature can bring out the best in people on the Autism Spectrum, and for Clay Marzo the waves and surfing are what he lives for…
Here is a full version of the documentary (‘Just Add Water’) from a few years ago on Clay Marzo, a Hawaii-raised professional surfer with Asperger’s Syndrome: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-F6uB4xt8o
Notice how one of the surfers comments that he seems much more comfortable in the water, in terms of interacting with others and even eye contact, than on land…
From the Clay Marzo film, ‘Just Add Water’, pasted in below are insights from two Autism experts. Note that the ideas described do not just apply specifically to Clay Marzo and Surfing. They could as easily apply to some of the Autistics clearly excelling in other fields, utilising their obsessiveness in one area of interest to succeed…
We have seen in this thread that nature can bring out the best in people on the Autism Spectrum, and that goes for Clay Marzo too. As a professional surfer, he excels on the water, rather than on a rural environment.
Clay Marzo also helps regularly out at Surfers Healing, an organisation dedicated to using the surfing experience as a therapeutic tool to help Autistic children…
Here is a clip from ‘Just Add Water’ on this organisation: Surfers Healing - Clay Marzo - YouTube
This thread has been about how the outdoors can bring the best out of people with Autism Spectrum Disorders and be therapeutic for them.
Below is more on how the organisation, Surfer’s Healing, operates. Note the similarity to how the water seems to affect Clay Marzo. Like many successful interventions for Autism, time in the water consistently calms and soothes the children down…
In the above post on Surfer’s Healing, the quoted article includes the following passage:
Indeed, a place like YouTube is good for raising awareness for successful interventions for Autism Spectrum Disorders. While not as scientific as a formal clinical trial, seeing how various kids with Autism react to interventions in real life can give one an insight into an intervention’s relative merits, and whether it is worth a try. Here are just some of the many YouTube videos on Surfer’s Healing for example:
This thread has been about how the outdoors can bring the best out of people with Autism Spectrum Disorders and be therapeutic for them.
While Surfer’s Healing is an organisation that focuses on bringing the surfing experience to kids with Autism, AmpSurf widens the net to include adults and various other disabilities…
(source: Veterans champion: Co-founder of AmpSurf widening his impact | The Tribune & SanLuisObispo.com)
Indeed here is the inspiring story of the founder of AmpSurf, and how therapeutic surfing helped him to be something other than ‘that poor guy who lost his leg’…
(source: Veterans champion: Co-founder of AmpSurf widening his impact | The Tribune & SanLuisObispo.com)