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Employers are being urged to create autism-friendly workplaces by undertaking a new pledge.
It comes as research shows one in 65 people in Ireland is autistic with 85% of that number either unemployed or underemployed.
AsIAm, Ireland’s national autism charity, has launched the Same Chance Commitment alongside IrishJobs.ie.
The commitment aims to improve on the 85% figure by encouraging businesses to help remove barriers for autistic people entering the workplace and to create more inclusive workspaces for Autistic people who are already in employment.
Employers who sign up for the ‘Same Chance Commitment’ pledge to:
- Develop more inclusive recruitment processes, which in turn creates more opportunities for autistic people to access work experience, internships, and longer-term job opportunities.
- Embed autism-friendly practices in how an organisation operates.
- Provide training for autistic people to help them pursue jobs and develop their careers within an organisation.
- Fully utilise the wide range of supports available, including the Same Chance toolkit, which was designed by AsIAm and IrishJobs to help organisations become autism-friendly employers by equipping themselves with the information they need to help attract, hire, and retain autistic talent.
- Participate in the AsIAm and IrishJobs Community of Practice to promote and develop autism-friendly employment in Ireland.
The CSO of AsIAm said the launch of the commitment is "another important milestone".
"The consequences of exclusion for autistic people can be devastating — leading to social isolation, poor mental health, poverty and a higher mortality rate," said Adam Harris.
"Small accommodations by employers can remove barriers for autistic people at work, but they can also unlock skills and abilities which help businesses gain the competitive edge and think outside the box."
Mr Harris said that the pandemic has shown how it is possible to work differently which presents "unprecedented opportunities to create inclusive workplaces".
He added that the Same Chance Commitment is a "critical step on the road to creating a more truly inclusive Irish economy and society".
Orla Moran, General Manager at IrishJobs.ie said the pledge is a "really important" initiative.
"With today’s announcement, we hope to make the journey for employers that bit easier by creating a dedicated pathway by which they can embrace diversity in its truest sense and create more inclusive working environments for autistic people in Ireland."