In April, together with the LIPS project partners, we focused on obtaining qualitative results through a survey questionnaire that we created and shared with employers and recruiters in Slovenia, Spain, Macedonia, and Poland.
The survey focused on the topic of autism and the inclusion of people on the autism spectrum in the labor market. We were aiming to find out to what extent employers and recruiters are aware and informed about autism, their knowledge of the characteristics and features of autism, the laws on employment of people on the autism spectrum, their willingness to employ people on the autism spectrum, the challenges they can expect and the support they are willing to offer. We also wanted to know if they would like to receive training on the inclusion of people with disabilities, and if they know who to contact if they are looking for a suitable candidate for a job, etc.
In analyzing the responses, we gained a better insight into the awareness of autism among employers; the extent to which they are aware of it, how willing they are to employ people on the autism spectrum, and their openness to creating a new and different working environment.
The results are leading us forward to the development of a curriculum that will include a training scheme and a toolkit to support job providers in integrating people on the autism spectrum into the workplace.
Adults on the autism spectrum often experience a lack of job opportunities and a lack of the support they need to facilitate inclusion. Greater awareness, understanding, and a more tailored educational approach can make it easier for everyone to integrate into work and socialize in the workplace.
Employing people on the autism spectrum is also a challenge for job providers, who are faced with doubts about how to ensure that individuals are properly integrated, and how to guide them and avoid discriminatory behaviour in their daily work.
Through the LIPS project, we aim to promote the inclusion of people on the autism spectrum (without learning disabilities) in the workplace. We strive to raise awareness of the benefits of employment and to obtain comprehensive and accurate data, which will enable us to design a program that will serve individuals and companies well.
We are sharing a video from the Spanish partner Lago Becu from Spain, who simply explains how they started the organization, what are the aims and objectives we are working towards, and what the LIPS project is about.
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