Cape Town - Autism is not a disability – it’s merely a “different operating system”.
For years, autism has been treated with intensive one on one therapy. Now, Autistic adults are speaking out and advocating a change in perception and acceptance.
One out of every 45 individuals has an autism diagnosis. This statistic has increased from 1970, when a mere one out of every 10 000 people were diagnosed. We need to adapt and learn from people on the autism spectrum.
Karla Pretorius and Nanette Botha have taken heed and changed the way autism is viewed in society. Their view is that autistic people can be fully integrated into society and lead independent lives, when provided with the right support. This includes some environmental adaptations, a holistic educational approach as well as increasing appropriate coping skills.
The autism revolutionstarted by thinking about autism as a different ability, rather than a disability. This mind-shift came when Pretorius and Botha collaborated with autistic adults to learn from them.
“We were blown away by the response - we learnt more from autistic adults than decades of studying psychology and the education. They all possess treasures and pearls of wisdom that they will share with those who accept, believe and support them”.
According to Botha, they see the world differently than typical individuals. Pretorius adds that “typical is not always correct - it’s merely more often”.
Pretorius says, “every autistic person I have had the privilege to get to know wants to lead an independent life, by being accepted into society and contributing towards the bigger cause”. Pretorius and Botha started a company - Start Up - that works with autistic individuals in finding and maintaining high-end employment. According to Botha “these individuals are highly intelligent and dedicated; they are excellent employees”.
Asperger’s Syndrome (AS) is a form of autism characterised by normal to superior IQ, accompanied by social and communication difficulties. These difficulties stem from neurologically based sensory and information-processing differences. Even though individuals diagnosed with AS might look just like everybody else, their mind works in a significantly different way, and sometimes their behaviour and reactions will not be typical.
Recent research from Harvard Business School and others showed that the strengths of people with Asperger’s and high-functioning autism actually make them superior at career paths; such as IT related fields and/or creative arts. Their ability to focus, good memory, their high intelligence, their strong technical skills, their ability to detect details and also to stay focused over lengthy periods are all beneficial qualities to them as well as employers.
Start Up offers social skills, transitioning and workforce etiquette and adaptation training to individuals diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome. We offer a four months short course that equips these individuals to successfully find and maintain high-end employment that suits their needs. The Professional Preparation Course (PPC) is offered twice a year, with the next one starting in August. Successful candidates get placed in prestigious corporate environments with a great future!
They offer training to companies and institutions, employees and employers - free of charge. These sessions include (but are not limited to): “what is autism?”, “benefits of being a “disability-friendly” organisation/institution”, “adaptations to the work environment” and “successful interaction in the workforce.”
”We have been overwhelmed with the response from open-minded companies, such as SAP, Landrover SA, Jaguar, Cape Town School of Animation and Netcare - to name a few institutions.” Start Up is also very proud to have placed many individuals with Asperger’s syndrome and seeing how successful these individuals are.
A holistic approach that supports an individual by first and foremost accepting their autism is Start Up’s philosophy. We all have something or another that we struggle with. We usually count on our support system and structure to help us cope with these stressors in our life. For someone that might find it difficult to rely on a support structure, a simple misplaced stressor can lead to a possible meltdown. This is where a Job Coach can help the individuals to cope with every day life stressors and find coping skills that they can utilise for the rest of their life. Making an independent and successful life an obtainable goal.
For more information on Start Up – please contact [email protected].
IOL, adapted from a press release