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

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More on the Customized Employment approach as explained by Cary Griffin of Montana-based Griffin-Hammis Associates:

…The Customized Employment (CE) approach starts with building a deep-knowledge profile of the person with autism (or other disability), goes on to define the “ideal conditions of employment” for that specific person, and then engaging potential employers in interest-based negotiations that reveal the benefits which hiring a specific person will have for both parties.

“We have to mine the conditions and supply chains for businesses for opportunities for employment,” Griffin comments. This means looking at what resources, supplies, and services local businesses need and how the particular individual might provide those. Griffin often proposes various types of self-employment as customized employment solutions. And the CE philosophy is achieving great successes for some clients.

One example Griffin points to is a young man with autism named Jason. Jason runs a towel sterilizing business that services local barber shops, tanning salons, and beauty parlors in a large metro area. Using the customized employment model, Jason’s support team first defined the “ideal conditions of employment” for a clear understanding of what would work for Jason. Jason’s father is a barber, which helped refine the business design. Today Jason not only has a successful business, he also has a part-time employee who drives to do deliveries and pickups with Jason, and to handle sales. Jason has not only found a job; he is helping local businesses be profitable and is creating employment for someone else.

In another example, a young man with autism named James has strong computer skills but lives in a rural area. James’ support team noted there was a moderately large company with many small offices scattered across the rural area. Each office needed a computer technical support person, but the company could not afford to have someone on site across so many offices. James now meets that need by providing remote computer diagnostics. When an employee of the company has trouble, he or she calls James. James takes over their computer via the internet, diagnoses the problem using specialty software, and either fixes the problem or sends another team member to perform the repair…

(source: The Thinking Person’s Guide to Autism: Rethinking Employment Opportunities for Adults with Autism)