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.
To ensure their consultants achieve their full potential, the social enterprise creates a highly-planned and predictable working environment to minimise stress.
(source: BBC News - Jobs cash for people with autism in Scotland)
The above is an example of ‘niche construction’ - this is the term Dr. Thomas Armstrong uses for modifying an environment (creating a ‘niche’) to suit an individual’s unique needs. Armstrong makes the point that niche construction is what animals have done for eons - for example the bird building a nest, the beaver building a dam.
And the environmental modifications do not have to relate to work necessarily. For example, the sleep environment could be modified for an Autistic person - which might well produce better and/or more consistent performance in the workplace. One modification could be the addition of music particularly suited to the Autistic brain.
BrainHeart Music, created by Scottish composer Punit Yaatri, is a pioneering new wave of music therapy designed to synchronise the activity of the brain and heart: http://www.jandevrieshealth.co.uk/downloads/product_files/794/brainheart_music_info.pdf. The music has had a powerful impact on various Autistic kids and young adults who have listened to it.
Yaatri’s In The Company Of Angels and STAR CDs are used to treat Autism and various other learning disabilities and brain injuries. Both CDs can be used to help aid sleep, meditation, yoga, relaxation & inspiration. Both CDs induce Alpha & Theta brainwave states and therefore are ideal for calming children before bedtime.
In The Company Of Angels is being used in mainstream classrooms to reduce disruption and can be sampled here: In The Company Of Angels | Punit Yaatri
STAR is being used in mainstream classrooms to increase concentration and creativity. It can be sampled here: S T A R | Punit Yaatri
A longer version of the track STAR1, which is particularly useful for accessing greater creative flow, inspiration and clarity, can be accessed via this link: BrainHeartMusic’s Channel - YouTube
(sources: A Key Concept for Neurodiversity: Niche Construction | Dr. Armstrong’s Blog; The Music - BrainHeart Music | Punit Yaatri - Music therapy for your brain and heart; Success Stories & Testimonials - BrainHeart Music | Punit Yaatri - Music therapy for your brain and heart)