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.
…Everyone who will be in contact with our consultants is briefed about the conditions they require. They have to be nice to our people, avoid stressing them. In Denmark, we use a lot of irony and sarcasm, but people with autism can’t decode that. We make sure that the clients know how important it is to be direct, to outline tasks precisely and to stick to routines, particularly if any queries arise.”
(source: Better, faster… and no office politics: the company with the autistic specialists - Features, Health & Families - The Independent )
Indeed Ken’s Krew, Inc (also known as Ken’s Kids) job coaches provide a similar service in the United States to the quote above. Briefing employees in stores where Autistics are employed as part of the program…
…Both Home Depot and CVS Caremark take advantage of sensitivity training provided by Ken’s Kids job coaches. During such training, the coaches provide employees with information about the disability and provide tips on interacting with their new Aspie co-worker. Oftentimes, that simply entails facilitating a good working relationship by helping them understand not to take Aspies’ blunt communication style personally
…Sensitivity Training
Indeed fostering coworker support for each Autistic individual’s needs looks to be a key in successfully keeping jobs for Autistic individuals…
…As I listened to conversation over the course of two days, it occurred to me that one theme continued to resurface: The need for meaningful co-worker supports for autistic adults in the workplace. Co-workers need training in how to help autistic employees be successful. And I don’t mean a couple hours of disability-awareness training in a conference room. What seems to be crucial in making adults with autism successful on the job is providing co-workers—both supervisors and peers—with the right tools. Tools to create a truly inclusive work culture, to help autistic employees learn in a work environment, and to develop productive supports in managing challenges. What we see all too often is that autistic adults don’t keep jobs, even when they find them. While this can occur due to bad job fit, it often is a result of lack of co-worker support. In addition, what must accompany co-worker education is adequate Transition services for students with autism so that they can acquire skills to make them as independent as possible on the job. Increased independence on the part of adults with autism means that co-workers feel less overwhelmed when trying to be helpful.But what if both service providers and employers really committed to providing co-workers with strategies to be successful mentors and to giving managers methods to foster team support of autistic adults? Wouldn’t that be a win-win? And, by the way, those co-workers who learn some strategies for working well alongside autistic adults might just take those same skills back home into community living…
(sources: [humanresourceexecutive-digital.com ](http://<font color=“black”><font size=“1”>humanresourceexecutive-digital.com ); [http://www.autismspeaks.org/docs/family_services_docs/KK_Unique.pdf ](http://<font color=“black”><font size=“1”>http://www.autismspeaks.org/docs/family_services_docs/KK_Unique.pdf</font></font> ); http://www.autismspeaks.org/blog/2012/06/28/i-think-therefore-i-do )
The social enterprise creates ‘virtual Specialisterne environments’ in the offices of its clients: