Specialisterne: leveraging the unique skills of Autistics at competitive market terms

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Specialisterne: leveraging the unique skills of Autistics at competitive market t

Specialisterne (Danish for ‘Specialists’) seeks to harness strengths that many people with Autism Spectrum Disorders possess - good attention to fine details, precision, and high tolerance for repetitive tasks. Their consultants bring the joy of work into areas where it is often missing today.

…In the meantime, Mr Sonne [founder of Specialisterne] said that if proof were needed of the benefits of his company’s work then look no further than his staff. He said: “I have seen people transformed. One of our consultants had not worked for 24 years. Now he is testing for Cisco Systems. He finally feels he is part of society and respected…”

(source: The company that turned ‘disability’ into an asset - Health News, Health & Families - The Independent)

Indeed one of the hurdles that people with Autism Spectrum Disorders face is getting that initial work experience, a foot in the door of a job. Because they have problems with communication and their social skills may be relatively weak, they often struggle at job interviews for example.

CulinaryWorks is a program for clients with Autism, operating out of the Southwest Autism Research & Resource Center (SARRC) in Phoenix, Arizona. The venture is designed to help young Autistic adults gain independence and entrepreneurial skills. The main focus is to help clients develop the skills to get and maintain any job, not just culinary…

…What do you get when you pair soup recipes from the Valley’s finest chefs with a worthy cause like SARRC’s Vocational & Life Skills Academy CulinaryWorks gourmet signature soups.
SARRC’s clients are involved in every aspect of the business from washing and chopping fresh ingredients to simmering and cooling the delicious recipes to packaging, distribution and sale…

…[Mario] Martusciello created Bright Beans–a private label coffee used as a fundraising tool to help nonprofits…

Martusciello pitched the idea that would become “Beneficial Beans” to the higher-ups at SAARC and they loved it… Beneficial Beans partners with nonprofits to raise money by selling micro-roasted coffee. The extra shot of beneficial comes from the involvement of SAARC clients in the packaging of the end product. Schools get some additional funding, other people get jobs…

(sources: Signature Soups | CulinaryWorks; Mario Martusciello | Phoenix New Times)