Specialist Interventions

Employment Support

Specialist Interventions

Autism is...Seeing the world differently

Our Aspire service

Aspire is an employment service specifically for people on the Autism Spectrum. We aim to break down barriers for individuals in accessing and sustaining paid work.

Support packages are tailored to individual need and are based on good practice approaches to Asperger Syndrome and Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD). We have worked closely with various organisations and companies throughout the region: from large blue chip companies to small independent traders.

Why choose us?

We have more than 10 years experience of delivering specialist employment support to people with autism.

We are part of Autism West Midlands, the leading provider of specialist autism care and support in the West Midlands

Our Employment Advisors are highly qualified and all have NVQ Level 4 in Advice and Guidance. Our staff receive ongoing training and coaching in autism, constantly increasing our expertise and knowledge

Our approach to supporting people with autism into employment is person centered, based on an in-depth understanding of the individual and is positive and progressive

We are highly regarded by individuals with autism, their parents/carers, Disability Employment Advisors and employers and have long standing positive relationships with many of these

We have given advice nationally and internationally on effective models for delivering support to people with autism seeking employment

Specialist profiling, assessment and action plan

It is paramount that needs of people with autism are understood in order to provide effective support. No two people with autism are the same; their autistic profiles vary, as do their skills and abilities. It is not advisable to approach all autistic people with in a similar way and expect to achieve the same progress.

Aspire has developed an autism specific assessment and profiling process to help with identifying an individual’s autistic profile to assist with developing a person centred action plan and to offer tailored support strategies.

Our staff are experienced and trained in working with individuals with autism and use autism specific questioning techniques in order to gain the in-depth information required for the profile. The profile provides detailed information about the individual’s employment skills and barriers as well as the autism traits that are specific to them and support strategies. A key outcome of this process is that individual personally gains a great understanding of how autism affects them which supports them becoming empowered in their own support process. An action plan is created and agreed by the customer in order to identify realistic goals for the individual. We can provide this option to your customers at your site. It will take four hours of time direct with the customer plus follow up work that will produce a written profile and action plan.

Personal development/work preparation 1:1 support

Aspire can provide your customers with one to one support to assist in their personal development and preparation for moving into employment. All sessions will be underpinned with autism expertise offering tailored strategies to each individual and their learning style. Examples of a focus for this work could include:

• Identifying suitable types of work • Developing clear expectations of employment • Understanding appropriate and inappropriate workplace behaviour • Understanding disability and how to manage in the workplace

However we can cover any required topics to support a customer’s journey. We can provide this option to your customers at your site.

Personal development/work preparation Group work day

It can be beneficial for people with autism to meet one another to promote a shared sense of experience. Often individuals on the spectrum have never met anyone else with autism before and therefore they feel isolated. Group work can promote peer support, build confidence in communicating with others and develop team work skills.

Aspire can provide your customers with a day of group work experience in their journey into employment. We can provide this option to your customers at your site. Groups are for up to six people.

Job Coaching

We can provide autism specialist job training and support in the workplace. We can support with induction and training, including creating autism friendly resources to support the employee learn new roles or tasks; to help overcome any difficulties or barriers presented in the workplace and to assist and develop clear lines of communication between the line manager and employee.

Employer Autism Awareness training

We can provide general autism awareness training in the workplace to managers and colleagues of an individual with autism. We are happy to provide training for up to 30 employees. The focus of the training will help employees gain a better understanding of the what autism is, how it affects communication, social interaction, flexibility of though, anxiety levels and the senses. It will help with understanding some basic strategies to help work with all individuals with autism. Feedback from employers has been very positive and it has been described as an excellent way to begin to understand the nature of autism.

Training can be tailored to cover a specific individual or employee’s needs. This is often useful for when a new member of staff with autism joins the team or when someone changes departments. This is available when purchased with a specialist assessment, profile and action plan.

Stephen’s story

Stephen accessed support from Aspire and now runs his own business doing something he loves: creating games.

It had been at least 5 years since I’d last worked full-time and I was starting to think I was unemployable. Like many people with Asperger syndrome I have communication difficulties that are made worse by the stress of work. I’d held various jobs in IT from programmer to college lecturer, but had reached the point where I thought any job I held would eventually lead to miscommunication, depression and unemployment.

Aspire at Autism West Midlands helped me understand that communication problems can always be sorted out if they are dealt with early on. I did a course with other people with Asperger syndrome and the biggest thing I took away was that we are still all individuals: We may share certain characteristics that stem from our personal version of autism, but the ways they affect us are as individual as we are. Just because we have the same hair colour doesn’t mean we want the same thing for lunch, and just because we are on the autistic spectrum doesn’t mean our aspirations are all the same. Society likes to put people in boxes but as “auties” we get to choose our own box and paint it any colour we want.

Eventually I felt ready to look for work again and Aspire helped me prepare to apply to several games companies. Part of this process was writing a game to use as an audition piece, which helped me remember that I enjoy programming games and having creative control over the projects I work on. I applied and got in to “Gamer Camp” where we designed and developed an iPhone game in a month. At the end of the course I felt that I was ready to work again and that’s when I decided to set up my game design business: Distorted Poetry.

The best thing about having your own business is the control it gives you. You will rarely have to work on something you don’t like, and even if you fall out of love with a project, you know that at the end of the working day you are doing something that millions of other people across the world wish they had the guts to try. I have regained my confidence in many areas of my life.

Overall I am much happier, and Aspire deserves much of the credit for helping me get to this point!

Costs

Special rates apply for other Work Choice and Work Programme providers. Please contact Aspire to discuss.

Intervention Standard rate Third sector rate

Specialist assessment, profiling and action plan

£420 £350

Personal development and work preparation

£60 per hour(minimum 2 hours / maximum 2 people after specialist assessment has taken place)

£60 per hour(minimum 2 hours / maximum 2 people after specialist assessment has taken place)

Personal development and work preparation group work day (Max 6 people)

£450 £450

Job coaching £150for first two hours

£60/hourthereafter

£150for first two hours

£60/hourthereafter

General autism awareness training for the employer

£500(two hour session maximum 30 people)

£350(two hour session maximum 30 people)

Customer specific awareness training session for the employer

£500(2 hour sessions maximum 30 people after a specialist assessment has taken place)

£350(2 hour sessions maximum 30 people after a specialist assessment has taken place)

About Autism West MidlandsThere are more than half a million people in the UK living with autism, an invisible, misunderstood and lonely disability. 60,000 live in the West Midlands.

We are the leading charity in the West Midlands for people affected by autism. We exist to enable all people with autism and those who love and care for them to lead fulfilling and rewarding lives. Our passionate, expert staff and volunteers work across all age groups and abilities, providing direct support to people affected by autism.

Contact usAspire - Autism West MidlandsRegent CourtGeorge RoadEdgbastonBirminghamB15 1NU

Email:General enquiries: [email protected]

Telephone:Main reception: 0121 450 7582Helpline: 0303 03 00 111 (Local rate number, including from mobile phones)

Website: www.autismwestmidlands.org.uk

Find us on Facebook: Search “Autism West Midlands”

Follow us on Twitter: @autismwestmids

Our vision is a world where all people on the autism spectrum have the specialist care and support they need to lead fulfilling and rewarding lives.

Registered Charity Number: 517077Registered Company Number: 1953344 (England and Wales)