The challenges that people face
Employment is one of the biggest hurdles that autistic people face.
Although 77% of autistic people say they want to work, only 30% have a job – the lowest rate of all disability groups.
In comparison, 53% of all disabled people – and 82% of non-disabled people – are in work.
This can lead to high levels of poverty, mental health problems and poor physical health, as well as costing the UK economy billions of pounds a year.
The barriers for autistic people include:
The recruitment process, which often focuses on someone’s social competence or CV rather than their ability to perform the job role
Sensory, physical or processing needs that require reasonable adjustments at work
Lack of understanding and support from employers and colleagues
We already support hundreds of autistic people into employment, training or further education each year through our Employment Futures department.
Our specialist advisers support people to bridge the gap between their aspirations for employment and finding work. They help with confidence-building and skills training, as well as identifying and applying for jobs. They also train employers in autism awareness and inclusive practices in the workplace.
We want to use that expertise to create jobs, coaching and personal development opportunities at New Warlands Farm and set up training partnerships with high-profile businesses leading to more jobs elsewhere.
The project will remove the barriers that hold autistic people back and give them the opportunity to work and thrive like everybody else.
“At New Warlands Farm, we are seeing wonderful opportunities being created for people with autism and learning disabilities to be trained, improve their confidence, and move into jobs of all kinds”
– Sir Stephen Timms, Minister of State for Social Security and Disability