Our Work Towards Autism Awareness

Autism Awareness Month 2019

As April is Autism Awareness Month in the UK, we wanted to talk to you about our work making society a fairer place for those with Autism Spectrum Disorder. While society has progressed somewhat in recognising and catering to the diverse needs of people with autism, there are still barriers to equal opportunities – especially in the workplace where there is a significant ‘autism gap’:

1. Around 1% of the population in the UK are diagnosed with ASD

1. 32% of people with autism are in paid work compared to 47% of disabled people

2. Only 16% of adults with autism are in full time employment

3. Most importantly, 77% of unemployed people with autism say they want to work. *Data from the National Autistic Society

Bringing Autism Awareness to the Workplace

We believe the autism gap needs to be closed, and that those who want to work should be able to. That’s why Issured are incredibly proud to invest in and support TRACK, an organisation that supports people on the autistic spectrum to access employment through:

Autism Awareness Training and Consultancy

People are often reluctant to talk about autism, which can lead to an unfriendly or unsuitable workplace for people with ASD. Autism awareness is shown to benefit businesses, with some companies reporting that staff with ASD and the right level of support are 48%-140% more productive than their colleagues. TRACK offer a range of training and consultancy programmes to help businesses make minor adjustments to their recruitment and HR policies and be more inclusive for their ASD colleagues.

Creating Opportunities

TRACK are focused on providing opportunities for people with autism, including work placements at their Northampton town centre Café. After all, recruiters are looking for previous work experience! Alongside the placements they provide, they are also creating a network of employers with a good level of autism awareness so that young people with autism know which companies will be understanding of their unique challenges.

How do YOU Promote Autism Awareness?

We would love to see more organisations helping people with autism achieve their career aspirations by removing barriers to their employment. So, during this Autism Awareness Month, why not commit to making your business more accessible to a group of willing, talented people? Head over to TRACK’s website to find out how they can help you.