# Specialisterne: leveraging the unique skills of Autistics at competitive market terms **URL:** \ **Category:** Lounge\ **Created:** [May 10, 2011, 7:15am UTC](https://pheromonetalk.com/t/specialisterne-leveraging-the-unique-skills-of-autistics-at-competitive-market-terms/50245 "2011-05-10T07:15:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 1\ **Showing post:** 33
**Author:** ![Visionary7903](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/45deac/32.png) [@Visionary7903](https://pheromonetalk.com/u/Visionary7903)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2011, 1:03pm UTC](https://pheromonetalk.com/t/specialisterne-leveraging-the-unique-skills-of-autistics-at-competitive-market-terms/50245/33 "2011-07-08T13:03:37Z")
**Specialisterne (‘the Specialists’ in Danish) seeks to harness strengths that many people with Autism Spectrum Disorders possess - good attention to fine details, precision, and high tolerance for repetitive tasks. Specialisterne’s founder, Thorkil Sonne, views the ideal outcome of the perceptual shift that his social enterprise is trying to promote to be: that there will be no need for ‘specialist’ companies in the future, and inclusive hiring practices will simply be a hallmark of successful businesses.🙂** (source: [The Autistic Revolution | Jobpostings.ca](http://www.jobpostings.ca/article/autistic-revolution)) In the above example, Thorkil Sonne is acting as an advocate of people with Autism Spectrum Disorders. He is standing up for the rights of people who he sees are being treated unfairly. Self-advocacy occurs when people with Autism Spectrum Disorders stand up for their _own_ interests (they might be assisted by others without Autism though). Self-advocacy refers to the civil rights movement for people with developmental disabilities, also called cognitive or intellectual disabilities, including Autism. Here is a link to a set of slides with more points on self-advocacy from a Webinar by Scott Michael Robertson, Chairman of the Board and co-founder of the Autistic Self Advocacy Network: [ASAN Webinar with Autism NOW Center February 15, 2011](http://www.scribd.com/doc/48987717/ASAN-Webinar-with-Autism-NOW-Center-February-15-2011) Sumida River Solutions is an example of a company working to advocate for a greater understanding of Autism in the Workplace: > [@](#): > > …Autism is often misunderstood and [Sumida River Solutions] exists to bring the awareness of autism front and center to facilitate a greater understanding across global enterprises. We are working with our non-profit partner Easter Seals to create opportunities for special needs individuals. We are donating a portion of our fees to help those individuals on the autism spectrum that are not capable of working. Lastly, we are donating technology and process redesign services to make matching individuals with autism to a great job easier and more streamlined than ever before. > [@](#): > > …[Sumida River Solutions] provides onsite seminars to help educate our clients about neurodiversity and autism advocacy. Additionally, we work with our non-profit partners to help educate companies on creation of awareness programs and other training programs. > …We help large organizations overcome obstacles to their success every day. These obstacles, or problems, can range from diagnosing a technical issue to process design and optimization. Our scientists love solving puzzles. > …As a general rule, it is very rare for our scientists to interact with our customers. > …We never use the term disabled to describe anyone at [Sumida River Solutions]. Our scientists possess incredible cognitive functions and exceptional problem solving abilities that make them perfectly suited to be part of the [Advanced Technology & Sciences Group] team. (sources: [FaHCSIA : Research of the Models of Advocacy Funded under the National Disability Advocacy Program](http://www.fahcsia.gov.au/sa/disability/pubs/policy/Documents/models_avocacy_rpt/append_a.htm); [Sumida River Solutions, Inc. - Autism Advocacy](http://www.sumidariver.com/srs_advocacy.aspx); [Press Release - Sumida River Solutions and Easter Seals Announce Partnership to Create Career Opportunities for Adults with Autism](http://www.sumidariver.com/PR_SRS_ES.aspx?&s_src==PR&&s_subsrc==Twitter); [Sumida River Solutions, Inc. - ATS FAQs](http://www.sumidariver.com/srs_ats_faqs.aspx)) --- _[View the full topic](https://pheromonetalk.com/t/specialisterne-leveraging-the-unique-skills-of-autistics-at-competitive-market-terms/50245)._