April 2 - World Autism Awareness Day

April 2^nd is World Autism Awareness Day and April is World Autism Month, a month to recognize and bring awareness about the experiences, strengths, and differences of people who are on the autism spectrum, their families, caregivers, and communities.

About Autism Spectrum Disorder:

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) refers to a group of conditions related to brain development that impact how people perceive, learn about, socialize, and communicate with the world around them. Approximately 135,000 Ontarian's are on the autism spectrum (Prevalence Rates | Autism Ontario). Autism crosses all cultural, ethnic, gender, and socioeconomic groups, however, experiences with ASD are diverse.

"If you've met one person who has autism, you've met one person with autism" - Stephen Shore

Because autism exists on a spectrum, the degree to which people experience symptoms and the amount of support needed varies widely. Every person with autism has different experiences, strengths, and challenges. These are also influenced by whether people have co-occurring health conditions, the accessibility and relative safety of the environment people are in, and whether people have access to appropriate supports.

Some people prefer to use the term neurodiversity to describe and normalize the wide range of ways our brain’s function and the diverse ways that people think, process information, learn, and function in day-to-day life. Considering neurodivergence or recognizing that many people are not ‘neurotypical’ helps us to think about how our communities and workplaces can include, support, and provide equitable opportunities for people on the autism spectrum to participate, be engaged, and thrive.

Supporting People on the Autism Spectrum at Work

As more organizations work to increase diversity within their workforce, many are also considering neurodivergence and seeing it as a strength. Diversity, in all its forms, is good for business. People who are on the autism spectrum, like everyone else, have many unique skills and perspectives. Unfortunately, due to inaccessible workplaces and implicit hiring biases, people on the autism spectrum can have a hard time finding employment. A recent survey by the Government of Canada found that 33% of people surveyed living with ASD specifically were employed. Creating a more inclusive and welcoming environment for people on the autism spectrum benefits everyone and ensures we’re living up to our requirements under the Human Rights Code.

Some ways to support people on the autism spectrum in our workplace include:

• Learn about Autism Spectrum Disorder and Neurodivergence more broadly.
• Develop inclusive recruitment processes that make it clear that neurodivergent people are welcome in the organization.
• Partner with organizations that pair employers with people who are on the autism spectrum.
• Remove barriers related to electronic application processes and consider alternative interview structures.
• Engage in training to be aware of biases and look beyond social differences.
• Set up Mentorship Opportunities for people with ASD.
• Provide clear expectations, concise, and specific instructions.
• Provide sensitive, but direct feedback.
• Consider the sensory stimuli in the workplace (fragrances, lighting, sounds, etc.)
• Adhere to AODA standards in the workplace.
• Work collaboratively with people who live with ASD to best understand their strengths and needs.

Supporting Customers and Clients with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Every person on the autism spectrum will have unique needs. Remember, the person or the people who support them usually know best what will be most helpful. People on the autism spectrum may experience challenges with communication or interactions, social imagination (putting oneself in another’s shoes), and sensory inputs. Some options you may offer to support people on the autism spectrum include:

• Arrange appointments/visits at a less busy time of day
• Consider how to temper or lower background noise, movement, or lighting
• Keep sentences short – be clear and concise
• Allow time for the person to process the information and respond
• Understand the person may take what you say literally
• Consider 1-1 interactions
• Don’t force eye contact
• Understand that the person may use certain behaviours (i.e. hand flapping, pacing) to ease their anxiety or to cope
• Be specific about what is going to happen or is happening – creating a visual guide or social story can be helpful

Many of these approaches will benefit various people, not just people on the autism spectrum.

During World Autism month, we recognize our colleagues and community members who are, or who care for people, on the autism spectrum. We encourage colleagues and community members to learn more about autism and how to support a welcoming and inclusive Municipality of Chatham-Kent that honours our neurodiversity.

Resources

Autism Ontario

• West Region Chapter
• Celebrate the Spectrum
• Autism Career Connection (education about how to design inclusive work environments)

If you have feedback, comments, questions, or concerns, please leave a comment below or contact Rebecca or Amrit.