Employment and Other Options

For many of us, our job represents a big piece of who we are. As outlined in IDEA, one of the most important objectives of transition planning is to develop and implement a plan to secure employment. In order to do this, you and your young adult may want to consider activities that utilize their strengths, as well as activities that they like to do. Information gathering, volunteer opportunities, internships, job sampling and job matching all play important roles in preparing a young adult for employment.

Preparation

While your child is still in high school, you may want to begin the process of learning and educating them about possible future careers. Go over the various types of jobs available with your child and start to make a list of those that might match their interests and strengths. Try to expose them to those specific career areas as much as possible and continue to build upon the skills that will allow them to succeed in the workplace.

Work experience while your child is still in school is an important way to help you understand their strengths and challenges within different types of work. Examples of ways to explore careers while still in school include volunteer opportunities, internships and job sampling. There may even be opportunities at school to practice work – such as general office tasks, working in the school store or helping out at after school programs for younger children.

Experiences such as internships can often help with skill building, job training and eventually the job application process. Your child may be able to connect to a peer or mentor at the internship or volunteer site who can lend a hand if needed. For young adults with autism who have more significant challenges, job coaches can help. A job coach will assist your child in obtaining a job and provide on-site support and assistance. Your school district may be able to help you find an agency that can supply a job coach.

It is also important to keep in mind when exploring career opportunities that your child may need to build up the endurance and stamina needed to complete their workday. It may be helpful to start with one hour per week and slowly build up to more hours on multiple days per week. You will know best what your child is able to do at work, but don’t be afraid to gradually build their endurance until an adequate level is reached for them to accomplish career goals. Check out Autism Speaks Workplace Inclusion Now™ employment program. It offers jobseeker information and training courses for autistic people.

Types of Employment

There are many different employment options for individuals with autism. It is important to note that a young adult on the spectrum can go from one type of employment option to another over time.

Below is a list of several possible types of employment:

Competitive Employment: a full-time or part-time job with market wages and responsibilities; generally no long-term support is provided

Supported Employment: a competitive job where the individual receives ongoing support services while on the job; can be funded through state developmental disabilities or vocational rehabilitation agencies

Customized Employment: a job in which the individual’s strengths and abilities are used to develop a specific role uniquely created for the individual

Self-Employment: a job situation in which the individual’s interests and strengths are matched to a product or resource that can allow them to make money, i.e. a bakery for those who love to cook; can increase the opportunity to tailor the work environment to the individual’s needs

Sheltered Employment: a job setting where individuals with disabilities are not integrated with workers without disabilities; generally supported by a combination of federal and/or state funds; some argue that this system more often hinders the independence of people with autism in the community

Job Matching and Searching

Finding the best possible match is the most important component of securing successful employment. Sometimes even your child’s passions or intense interests can be converted to a career. If your child is very interested in trains, maybe there is a job available at the local station. If your child loves to rearrange closets in perfect order, bring them down to the local department store to see if they need help with restocking. Many individuals with autism have found great success pursuing their unique passions. For example, when Dr. Temple Grandin was a young person, she became obsessed with cattle handling equipment at her aunt’s ranch. Though that did seem different at the time, she was encouraged to pursue these interests and today she is the world’s leading expert on the design of cattle handling facilities.

The information below regarding job matching is excerpted from Life Journey through Autism: A Guide for Transition to Adulthood, by the Organization for Autism Research.

Components of the Physical Job Match
• Hours of employment
• Acceptable noise levels at the job site
• Pay, leave and other benefits
• Acceptable activity levels
• Physical requirements of the job (e.g. lifting)
• Acceptable margin of error
• Production requirements

Workplace Skills

It is important for young adults with autism to learn proper skills in the workplace, not just related to the job itself, but also social skills and rules of a work environment as well as how to advocate for themselves in the workplace. Example of these skills include:

Initiating interactions with coworkers, as well as ending them
Understanding and respecting boundaries
Asking questions when help or clarification is needed
Being patient in situations that may be frustrating
Learning the best ways to respond when anxious, i.e., taking breaks in a quiet room or walking outside for fresh air
Maintaining proper hygiene
Knowing what topics are appropriate in the workplace and what should be kept private

Practice these skills at home and out in the community so your child is prepared for the workplace. Make sure they feel comfortable telling you in the best way possible if there are situations at work that might be improved with better understanding of these “soft” skills.

Remember that learning these skills will be an ongoing process and may take time. With practice and dedication, your child can and will succeed when the right fit is found!

Social Skills in the Community and the Workplace

Using Appropriate Greetings: Some students fail to greet or acknowledge others; others greet people over and over again. Understanding the appropriate use of greetings can be helpful.

Terminating Conversations: Understanding when a conversation is concluded and not to walk away while being spoken to.

Accepting Correction: Understanding that correction or criticism is often shared to be helpful. Social skills training may need to focus on teaching the student exactly what to say and do when given correction.

Responding Assertively: People with autism can sometimes be taken advantage of. Social skills training may be required to teach them how to stop this from happening, for example, how to say, “Leave me alone” if someone is bothering them.

Accepting Suggestions: If a teacher or parent provides a suggestion, this can sometimes result in a refusal to take the suggestion and can even serve as a trigger to acting out behavior. Providing the student with general instructions on the need to accept suggestions at times followed by the opportunity to practice this skill can be effective.

Asking for Help and Revealing a Problem: One of the most important social skills is to ask for help when it is needed. In either the work or school setting, social skills training can be used to teach individuals how to ask for help and how to talk to others about a problem.

Other Options

Some individuals with autism, especially at a young age, may not be ready for employment. You may feel that there aren’t any options that seem to be the right fit for your child. That in no way means they have to be home all day. Other options to consider include:

Day Habilitation Programs

Day habilitation programs are person-centered programs that provide structured activities and specialized supports that will allow your child to participate in non-employment related activities in the community. These services can be provided almost anywhere in the community based on the desired skill being taught. Day programs are available for adults with disabilities who have exited the school system and may not be ready or able to participate in the workforce in an effective way. These structured programs focus on independent living skills and integration into the community.

Day Treatment Programs

These programs combine therapeutic treatment with daily life skills. This type of program is administered at a program site rather than in the community. Many day programs for individuals with autism and other disabilities are administered through your state’s
Department of Developmental Disabilities. Contact your local office for more information on the programs available in your area. It is important to note that many programs may have waiting lists, so start the process of getting on a list as soon as possible.

Additional Resources

Vocational Rehabilitation

Each state has a Vocational Rehabilitation (Voc Rehab or VR) agency that provides employment service supports to people with disabilities, including autism. VR agencies can give your child vocational assessments that lead up to the development of an Individual Plan for Employment (IPE). A variety of employment-related services can be provided under an IPE, including training, counseling, job placement and supported employment.

State Developmental Disability Agencies/Home and Community-Based Waivers

State and local Developmental Disabilities services operate under a variety of names across the country. Frequently the funding for these services comes through the Home and Community-Based Services Waivers (HCBS), which are made available through Medicaid. The requirements for gaining access to these services vary from state to state. Several employment services can be accessed through this funding source, including supported employment, case management services and counseling and treatment
services. Reach out to your local agency or the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) to see if your child is eligible for these waivers and if so, when you can get them on the wait list. You can find more information in the Legal Matters section of this kit.

Autism Speaks Roadmap to Meaningful Employment

Autism Speaks is proud to present the Roadmap to Meaningful Employment to help autistic adults navigate their employment journey. Whether you’re looking for your first job or preparing for retirement, this Roadmap will give you the guidance and resources you need at every stage of your career.

This roadmap is just for you if:
• You’re an autistic adult of any age or support level
• You’re a transition-age youth looking for information about employment
• You’re a parent, family member or support person who is helping someone with autism find and keep a job

This personalized, interactive tool provides a series of goals to help you prepare for employment, find and keep a job, and plan for your future. You can work through the Roadmap at your own pace and choose the career stage and support level most meaningful to you.

Each goal in the roadmap includes key action steps,
including:
• Searching for a job
• Understanding your job contract and benefits
• Establishing workplace supports
• Building self-advocacy skills
• Planning for your financial future

Visit autismspeaks.org/roadmap/roadmap-meaningful-employment-autistic-adults

Conclusion

As you know from your own life and those of your family members and friends, employment can play a vital role in the well-being of all people. It is important to let the world know that adults with autism can be positive contributors to the workplace when given the opportunity to display their strengths and abilities. Encourage employers to look past the challenges your child might face and see the strengths and skills that will allow them to succeed in a specific job. Start helping your child identify their greatest strengths and interests from an early age so you can start a list of some employment ideas for their future. Job sampling, internships, volunteer opportunities and more can help you see what type of work your child can do and enjoys. With research, assessment and advocacy, you can help your child find a job, training opportunity or day program that works!