October was National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM)
Published: November 4, 2024
By: Julianna Steen
October was National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), so the Autism Society of America decided to celebrate! They just launched brand-new online training courses that employers can use to teach their employees a basic foundation of what Autism is and how to create a comfortable working environment for those with Autism. The courses also aim to motivate companies and organizations to hire those with Autism, breaking through common systemic barriers and inaccurate assumptions that both individuals and corporations tend to make.
Make Waves has invested in the Autism Society of America and enabled it to develop employee resources that seek to transform the labor market. “With unemployment in the Autism community exceeding 70%, this is an unacceptable situation,” declared Donna Roth, Founder & Director of the Make Waves Family Foundation. “By working together, we can create more inclusive workplaces that enhance company culture, operations, and performance.” Misunderstandings occur frequently in the workplace because many do not understand Autism, which then leads to missed opportunities for all. As a result, the Autism Society has constructed a set of six courses to specifically educate and equip leaders in the workplace about Autism.
Two of the six planned courses have already been released, titled “Understanding Autism and the Workplace” and “Navigating Information Processing and Executive Functioning.” These courses explain why accommodations are important, as well as the challenges Autistic individuals face. These courses have been designed based on extensive community research, employee and employer focus groups, listening sessions, and more, all in hopes of inspiring more inclusivity in the workplace.
Els for Autism has also partnered with the Autism Society, allowing it to be the exclusive host of the U Can Employ™ 5-part eCourse Employer Training Series, a program initially developed by the Els for Autism team. This collaboration will enable the Autism Society to be a centralized hub for resources, training, and support.