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Autism at WorkTransforming Lives: mine and my clients
Marjorie MadfisOctober, [email protected]
1Yes She Can Inc. © 2016
AgendaMeet Marjorie
Autism Employment Overview
Yes She Can Mission and Creation of Girl AGain
Autism at Work
Digital Tool Concept
Discussion
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Meet Marjorie Grew up in suburban Boston
Undergraduate: Community Development
MBA
Began marketing career - leadership and management roles
Joined IBM in 1995 to start up interactive direct marketing
Daughter diagnosed in 1998 with PDDNOS (now called Autism Spectrum Disorder)
Worked full time at IBM while also full time as Autism Mom Chose not to go on management track
Career in digital marketing and social media marketing
Created network of IBMers with autism interest
Pursued ways IBM could address needs of people with autism
June 2013 IBM “package” and retirement
November 2013 incorporated Yes She Can
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Meet Marjorie’s inspirationIsabelle started Early Intervention at age 2.4
Special education “career”
TEACCH and then Inclusion
Working towards High School diploma But did not pass Regents exit exams
Now in “transition” to adulthood
New high school credential for work readiness> internships
Izzie’s career goal is to work at American Girl Place
How was she going to achieve that goal?
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What is Autism Life-long neurological disorder, effecting communications,
social interactions, cognition and emotions
Spectrum disorder – degree of severity, varies on each dimension
25% of autistics are non-verbal
40% of autistics also have intellectual disability
25% of those diagnosed are women (underdiagnosed)
Disability vs Neurological Difference
Rate of diagnosis has been increasing dramatically beginning in the 1990s
About 1% of US population (2-3 million), majority are adults
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80% of adults with ASD are unemployed
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Employed
Out of the workforce8 years following high school ◦ only 53% of adults have worked for pay (Shattuck, 2012)
◦ Unemployment rates for autism higher than other disabilities
◦ difficult time navigating work due to cognitive, communication and behavioral challenges (Zager, 2014)
Implications: ◦ Cost of caring for adult with autism who is not
working > $2 Million over their adult life (Autism Society,
2011)
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Why? High schools are not preparing students with autism to develop vocational skillsAssumption: college or day hab
Government funding policies have not supported employment opportunities – starting to change
Social service agencies are not incented to help “consumers” enter employment
Businesses are not prepared to employ people with autism
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Transition to AdulthoodLast year of high school vocational prep (school district responsible)
◦ Project SEARCH◦ Customized high school internships
College campus programs (private pay)◦ Accredited college with various supports (Adelphi)◦ College programs designed for special ed students (NYIT VIP)◦ Parallel programs on college campuses (Lesley College Threshold, College Steps)
Vocational residential programs (mostly private pay)◦ Most end at 21 under IDEA ◦ some continue with adult programs in community (Chapel Haven, Vista)
“Day Hab” programs (Medicaid waiver funded)◦ with or without walls◦ “full day” = 9-2:30
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Autism Employment ModelsSheltered workshops
Agency run businesses Revenue funds the organization Arc of Westchester: eDocs NY Roses for Autism
Family run businesses For profit or non-profit Long-term employment Extraordinary Ventures Rising Tide Car Wash Spectrum Designs Aspiritech Autonomy Works
Training for competitive placement Specialisterne
Competitive differentiation Ultra Testing
Conventional businesses with VR supported employment Food service, supermarkets, mail
room
Conventional business with intention Walgreens SAP
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Characteristics of workplace success
Motivation and perseverance
Good social communication skills
Good emotional regulation
Adaptability and flexibility (cognitive and emotional)
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challenge
challenge
challenge
challenge
• Autistic brain – unique learning style• Needed: Customized Job skills training program for people• Staffed with experienced professionals skilled with these issues• If trainees are able to achieve in these areas, they have a good shot at
job success
Needed: immersive learningLearning on the job
One-on-one teaching
How to and why
Explore and try, with no consequence for errors
Stretching
Accomplishments
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My approach: Create an ecosystem for immersive learning
Structure
inputs outputsWork
Job
expertise
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Skill
From Passion to Career
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American Girl brand
Founded 1986 – mail order catalogGirls in American historical periodsAttention to authentic detailGirls who can read – ages 8-11Collect in depthGirl empowerment message
1998 opened first retail store Café, Hair Salon, events
Mattel (Barbie) purchased in 1998Aspirational, attainable luxuryShifting to younger aged girlsDoll that looks like self
Market Demand
New carries a high price tag Dolls: $115 Outfits: $22-$40 each Furniture: $30 - $300
Huge secondary market Girls who want to add to collection
Girls who want a first doll Collectors who want discontinued
merchandise
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Product SupplyAmerican Girl (Pleasant Company) was founded 30 years agoOldest cohort now late 30s
Sources of merchandiseDonations National via website SEO
Local through collection drives
Purchases - new AG Publishing
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Merchandise • Marketing • Donations• Purchases
Customers• Marketing• PR• Events• Customer service
Operations:• Store management• Retail processes• Accounting• Marketing
Training program:• Workplace processes• Social skills• Emotional regulation
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Exit strategy and placement
Non-profit management
SupplyDemand
Job
Trainees
Edge of downtown White Plainswalk to Metro North train station and bus hub.
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The work: on the job trainingMerchandise◦ Research, sort, assess, analysis, decision making, collaboration
Sales◦ Communicate, sell, transactions, social
◦ Events – demonstrate, lead
Marketing◦ Website content updating
◦ contact database
◦ Social media
Operations◦ Accounting: Quick Books
◦ Store maintenance
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Job coaching
Job coaching
Typical peer modeling Peer-to-peer collaboration
Girl AGain – a laboratoryWe provide a work environment in which:
Social communication skills are practiced in a safe place with a range of people
The Hidden Curriculum is directly taught.
Where genuine honest feedback is provided
We realistically address their strengths and weaknesses
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Societal impactIntroducing our customers to women with autism in responsible positions
“grease the skids” for conventional employers to hire women with autism.
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ScalabilityGirl AGain cannot employ all women who want to work
By creating an incubator with constant thru put (“graduation”) more women can participate
Conventional employers need to absorb Yes She Can trainees
Future vision: Yes She Can will have a portfolio of businesses that meet the criteria of viability Not all women have a passion for American Girl.
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Getting and Keeping a jobIt takes both a qualified employee and a willing employer
Where can our clients get jobs based on their profiles?
How do employers hire and support employees with autism?
How can employees be successful in a job and retain it?
How can we help businesses be more successful employers?
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What works for Autism at work Individuals with ASD perform best in
structured environments, clear and detailed processes
clear expectations of performance requirements
processes for addressing situations that deviate from routine
Businesses
have established processes to perform work
may not be presented in a structured or easily accessible way for ASD
Expectation to use intuition for variations and anomalies, apply discretion.
Employers may want to hire people with autism but are concerned about how to best manage them so they are effective, and so they are not a burden to the manager.
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Problem Statement
Our trainees have potential to work in the competitive workforce if they had the supports we provide in our program.
Vocational Rehabilitation agencies do not provide full time continuous supported employment (job coaches) for employees with autism.
To scale ASD employment opportunities, employers need to have efficient ways to provide appropriate guidance, training and support so that ASD employees have means to be successful and confident in their roles.
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OpportunityCreate a more automated approach to providing support for employees with autism on the job.
Develop a digital tool that will enable business managers and autistic employees to be effective at work.
Structured supports for the business manager and for the employee can lead to a better more productive employee and sustained employment.
Workplace accommodation will enable greater scale of employment of individuals with ASD and contribution to diverse organizations.
Ultimately, tools to enable people with ASD to be effective in the workplace will benefit all employees in similar positions.
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Digital Tool Concept Create a digital tool accessable by both manager and employee that provides
structure to work tasks
real-time feedback to both employee and manager
employee access to a library of content relevant to job performance
personal social and behavioral management support
control to manager to assign work, to modify work schedules, and to provide feedback to employee.
Easy to use administrator interface.
Ability to be updated, with enhancements.
Tool to be licensed for use at business sites.
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ApproachIdentify key needs of prospective employers and employees will clarify and make visible the support strategies needed for adults
employed with ASD to be successful at work
Identify opportunities to partner in definition, design and delivery of such a program
Create an initial definition and prototype to be tested in early 2017 with greater insight and confidence based on observation, interviews and iterative protoyping in Fall 2016
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Digital Tools: Initial High Level Stories
Employee Needs:1) To know exactly what is
expected of them to perform work responsibilities
2) To have access to processes to perform work
3) To have neutral reminders & cues so confusion is minimized
4) To know social rules5) To access personal emotional
support strategies6) To know how and when to
request manager help
Employer/Manager Needs:1) To assign work tasks and provide
detailed guidance* on how to do2) To know if tasks are completed to
quality and time standards3) To know that my employee has
ways to manage emotions4) To know and be reached when
really needed5) To provide work assessments6) To provide appropriate feedback
on social/behavioral expectations7) To ensure the employee is part of
the team31
Sample Only - For Initial Discussion
* Task Analysis
Where are we Defining initial requirements◦ Employees – our trainees
◦ Employers – to do
Create mock up / something to show employers for reaction– to do
Explore PartnersJolt https://joltup.com/
seems to have processes, format
Seeking volunteer support and assistance to move forward
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Discussion
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About Yes She CanYes She Can is a 501c3 non-profit organization http://YesSheCanInc.org
35 Hubbard Drive, White Plains, NY 10605
914-428-1258
Operates Girl AGain boutique: http://GirlAGain.com
Board and Management team: Marjorie Madfis, President
Allan Friedman, Treasurer
Patricia Salner, Secretary
Sheri Baron, Director, Program Development and Job Coach
Randi Rios-Castro, Director
Pat Rowan, Program Management and Job Coach
Maria D’Albert, Digital Consultant
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Trainees
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Women with autism. We work. With you.Yes She Can
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