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Autism Voice launches WORK AID KIT - an innovative program to increase the employability of young adults with autism

• Worldwide, 1 child in 100 is diagnosed with autism, and in Romania, about 40,000 children with autism will soon become active adults in the labor market, according to the World Health Organization.
• WORK AID KIT - Autism Voice program that facilitates companies' access to information and tools related to diversity and inclusion.
• Through this program, Autism Voice opens employment opportunities to its more than 400 beneficiaries as well as young adults with autism from other interested associations.
• 6 companies have already joined the program, IKEA Romania, BRD Asigurări de Viață, ING Bank Romania, EY Romania, KPMG Romania and IPSO Agricultură, and 4 more are about to join WORK AID KIT.

Bucharest, June 2024 - Autism Voice is pleased to announce the launch of an innovative program designed to increase the employability of young adults with autism - WORK AID KIT.

WORK AID KIT is a comprehensive program that supports young people within the Autism Voice Institute, as well as those outside the association, with everything they need for integration into the job market (assessment, counseling, specific training courses, development workshops). WORK AID KIT also involves a series of resources and services dedicated to companies concerned about diversity and inclusion by offering them trainings, as well as the necessary consultancy and tools to facilitate the process of inclusion of neurodivergent people among their employees.

At the moment, the WORK AID KIT program includes 40 young people, and in the next period it will be extended to the 165 adolescents and young people of the Institute, and all 440 beneficiaries of the Association, in the therapy centers, will benefit from the KIT of training and preparation for the job market. The program is also open to all young people over the age of 18 from outside the Association who feel they need help to integrate into the job market.

The WORK AID KIT program, on the other hand, provided the companies involved with the tools and knowledge to support current employees to learn about the principles of diversity and inclusion in the context of neurodiversity, and in the long term to facilitate the internal process of integrating neurodivergent people into their recruitment plans.

So far, 6 companies have benefited from an introductory training focused on raising awareness and information about neurodiversity in the workplace. These include IKEA Romania, BRD Asigurări de Viață, ING Bank Romania, EY Romania, KPMG Romania and IPSO Agricultură. Around 500 employees from these companies participated in the workshops, which were organized both physically and in a hybrid system, with each company having an average of 100 participants.

In Romania, integration of people with autism into the labor market is almost non-existent. We want to change this. We want to give young people with autism the opportunity to reach their potential and, through this program, we will provide the necessary tools to prepare them for employment or further training. Ensuring that young people with autism can reach their potential in education, training or employment is a collaborative effort. These resources aim to help young people gain employment, reduce the anxiety associated with a new role and enable all candidates to demonstrate their experience with confidence - Anca Dumitrescu, President Autism Voice.

Autism Voice is in advanced discussions with 10 other companies to expand this partnership, all the more so as studies show that around 87 million people in the EU live with some form of disability.  Over 70% of them do not have the same opportunities as the rest of the population.

We want to reach as many companies as possible and have as many partners as possible in this programme because neurodiversity, an invisible disability, needs to be recognized at its true value. Currently, 1 in 54 children in Romania has some form of autism spectrum disorder, children who will soon become adults. What will happen to them? Will they be active members of society or on welfare? For more than 16 years, we have been advocating, developing and implementing specialized programs such as this one, so that these children and young people can be as recovered and integrated as possible, both socially and on the job market, to become active members of society in the long term. Anyone willing to join us in this endeavor of positive systemic change is welcome - Nicoleta M. Orlea, Director of Fundraising and Communication Autism Voice.

Other relevant data:

International research shows that only 10% of adults with autism in Europe have a job, while 1% of Europe's population has autism (7,470,000 people). In Romania, the percentage is estimated to be around 1%. In more than 75% of cases, society has to bear the financial cost not only for people with autism, but also for a parent who has to give up work to care for their child. 85% of people with autism fail the first interview. The cost of supporting a person with autism in the social security system is around $2.3 million in the USA and $2.4 million in the UK respectively, most of which is spent over the course of an adult's lifetime. It is 50% less expensive to invest in recovery and early intervention than for inclusion as an adult.

About Autism Voice

Autism Voice is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting individuals with autism and their families. With more than 16 years of experience, we develop and implement therapy, education and social integration programs to ensure the most independent and active life possible for people with autism spectrum disorders.

Contact:

Monica Tanase, PR Representative

Tel: 072182595