More than 80% of Autistic Adults are Unemployed or Underemployed…

And 1 in 36 kids is now identified as being on the Autism spectrum.

What does all this mean?

It means that things not only need to change, but things have to change.

It means that more than 80% of a population, even though often highly qualified, are not being hired and properly accommodated.

It means that the majority of people with Autism must depend on others for financial security because society is currently not set up to welcome a neurodivergent way of thinking and acting.

It means the rest of the world is missing out on the gifts that Autistic adults are currently not able to bring to the table.

It’s time to do more than be aware of Autism—it’s time to accept it, and this acceptance movement must extend beyond kids on the playground and to adults in the workplace.

Why? Because getting a job shouldn’t just be about who you know. It should be about what you know, and what you are capable of learning. Employment can no longer be about how you play the social game. It must start shifting instead to how well you do a job. Tying social skills to employment is not necessary in many fields, and yet it is the exact metric that is excluding countless people on the spectrum from finding work.

Why Should I Care About Autistic Employment?

That is where you come in! By advocating for Autistic employment, you are advocating for diversity and inclusion to be more than just buzzwords. You are advocating that change should not rest solely on the person with Autism, but should include society at large. You are advocating for change starting at a corporate level all the way down to a personal level— a change that says that how well you smile does not take away from how well you code, that your small-talk is not needed in order to be an amazing chef, that taking things literally is not detrimental to being a cashier. You are advocating for people on each place of the spectrum to be employed in all types of jobs and careers, because you realize this is not a one-size-fits-all approach to a problem.

With your help, Autism Insights Foundation wants to offer corporate level training that can trickle down society so that individuals on the Autism spectrum can find meaningful employment that matches skill levels. We want to provide another view of Autism— a view of Autism that includes professional and hard working adults who are respected for their expertise, their unique minds, and their individuality.

With your help, we can change the world.

  • We are a first year 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with a plan to make a huge impact on hiring practies and impactful job accomadations to support Autistic employees.

  • Autism Insights Foundation is committed to increasing employment opportunities for neurodiverse individuals. To this end, we provide corporate training and fund impactful scientific research to advance this cause.

  • In our first year, we plan to champion our mission with a three prong approach:

    1. Offer in-person and online training modules for employers wanting to make inclusivity more than a buzzword.

    2. Continue reaching out at the high school and college level to ensure the next generation of employers and employees embrace the talents of those with Autism.

    3. Fund research grants that support learning more about Autism as it relates to employment.

Help us welcome everyone to the table— it’s time for meaningful change.

Your donations helps AIF to develop and deliver impactful neurodiversity training to corporations— both big and small— and to fund the academic research to support this goal.