The 'Autism Works' campaign is aimed at educating South Australians on how adapting employment conditions - from recruitment to induction through to the working environment - can help both Autistic people and the organisation thrive.
Launched in late October, the campaign is being delivered by the Office for Autism, established by the State Government in a historic first to improve outcomes for Autistic and autism communities.
It is being supported by the Department for Education and the Department of Human Services.
The campaign features real stories from five Autistic South Australians including Rebecca, a teacher at Avenues College in Windor Gardens.
Rebecca said being an Autistic educator meant she added to the diversity of her workplace, which was a "really important thing".
"Autism to me means having strengths, belonging to a community, and knowing that I might need to have different support, but I can also offer different ways of thinking,” Rebecca said.
"Being both Autistic and a successful teacher means I can also change perspective of what being an Autistic person means and what it might mean for our students.”
Community perceptions and a lack of understanding has meant Autistic individuals often face barriers in gaining work and establishing a career. To combat this, the Autistic and autism communities have been strongly advocating for greater community understanding, support and inclusion in employment.
“If you’re looking at making your workplace more inclusive for new employees, that process begins during the hiring process - how you interview can be difficult because autistic people can freeze up and interpret questions in different ways because of our communications styles,” Rebecca said.
As part of the Autism Works campaign, a range of free resources and downloadable guides are available, to support employers making their workplace more inclusive and to help set Autistic people up for success finding employment.
For more information and to access the free resources, visit the Autism Works website.
