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Didrichs
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21 Jun 2013, 12:51 pm

Can I ask what do you think of Autism training for employers, when is it done correctly and how can stereotyping be avoided?



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21 Jun 2013, 1:10 pm

Didrichs wrote:
Can I ask what do you think of Autism training for employers, when is it done correctly and how can stereotyping be avoided?


As both an aspie and an employer, I can see both sides of this equation. Employers do need to consider aspies by looking past the weirdness, and toward what that aspie can do for the employer. At the same time, aspies need to train themselves to be as acceptable to the organization that would employ them as possible.

A good employer is one who only considers which candidate for a job would best be able to perform the job in question. A good prospective employee is one who does as much as possible to improve their skills to become the candidate who can best perform a given job.

As far as stereotyping, a stereotype is something that is frequently true, but not always. Stereotypes are either confirmed or dispelled upon getting to know the person in question better.



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21 Jun 2013, 1:16 pm

Didrichs wrote:
what do you think of Autism training for employers, when is it done correctly


I don't know enough about how it's done to comment much about it...I think it's a good idea, just like any other type of sensitivity training and awareness education.

Didrichs wrote:
how can stereotyping be avoided?


Maybe if you give a variety of examples of how the same "core feature" of autism can present itself in people...give many examples of language processing differences, many examples of sensory processing differences, many examples of different kinds of executive functioning problems, many examples of the social interaction differences/difficulties, and many examples of different ways that autistic people can work around such difficulties. Include different levels of severity or different skill-levels in your examples (beyond just "massive difficulty with x" and "hidden difficulty with x"...highlight the in-between or people may not be able to imagine that there is any any-between).


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Didrichs
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21 Jun 2013, 2:07 pm

animalcrackers wrote:
Didrichs wrote:
what do you think of Autism training for employers, when is it done correctly


I don't know enough about how it's done to comment much about it...I think it's a good idea, just like any other type of sensitivity training and awareness education.

Yes I agree, some background knowledge can only be good

Didrichs wrote:
how can stereotyping be avoided?


Maybe if you give a variety of examples of how the same "core feature" of autism can present itself in people...give many examples of language processing differences, many examples of sensory processing differences, many examples of different kinds of executive functioning problems, many examples of the social interaction differences/difficulties, and many examples of different ways that autistic people can work around such difficulties. Include different levels of severity or different skill-levels in your examples (beyond just "massive difficulty with x" and "hidden difficulty with x"...highlight the in-between or people may not be able to imagine that there is any any-between).

Thank you, that is good

Can I ask if you were starting in a role and the team you were going to be working with were to be trained in autism prior to you starting- how would you feel about that, would you want to attend or be part of the training?



Didrichs
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21 Jun 2013, 3:24 pm

[quote="Thelibrarian"
As both an aspie and an employer, I can see both sides of this equation. Employers do need to consider aspies by looking past the weirdness, and toward what that aspie can do for the employer. At the same time, aspies need to train themselves to be as acceptable to the organization that would employ them as possible.

A good employer is one who only considers which candidate for a job would best be able to perform the job in question. A good prospective employee is one who does as much as possible to improve their skills to become the candidate who can best perform a given job.

As far as stereotyping, a stereotype is something that is frequently true, but not always. Stereotypes are either confirmed or dispelled upon getting to know the person in question better.[/quote]
Thank you, I agree that both candidate and employer training are necessary for a successful work partnership. It should not be one-sided. I also like your definition of a stereotype, that helps to distinguish it from myths and suppositions about autism and to question what are commonly held opinions about Autism that are not frequently true...



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21 Jun 2013, 4:35 pm

Didrichs wrote:
Can I ask if you were starting in a role and the team you were going to be working with were to be trained in autism prior to you starting- how would you feel about that


I'm not sure how I would feel. I think that I'd feel hopeful, mostly.

Is part of the scenario that the team is going to be told I have autism before the training?

Didrichs wrote:
would you want to attend or be part of the training?


Are "attending" and "being part of" two different things or are they the same thing? If "being part of" is a separate thing from "attending", what would it involve?

I would definitely like to be offered the chance to attend or to be part of the training.

If offered the chance, I'd probably want to attend, although I think it would depend to some extent on what the training was like (it would be extremely difficult for me to sit through an-hours long lecture, for example -- I'm not sure I could do it). I think it would be good to attend, though... to be part of the discussion just by being there like everybody else (as opposed to just being part of the subject of the discussion) .


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21 Jun 2013, 4:55 pm

animalcrackers wrote:
Didrichs wrote:
Can I ask if you were starting in a role and the team you were going to be working with were to be trained in autism prior to you starting- how would you feel about that


I'm not sure how I would feel. I think that I'd feel hopeful, mostly.

Is part of the scenario that the team is going to be told I have autism before the training?

Didrichs wrote:
would you want to attend or be part of the training?


Are "attending" and "being part of" two different things or are they the same thing? If "being part of" is a separate thing from "attending", what would it involve?

I would definitely like to be offered the chance to attend or to be part of the training.

If offered the chance, I'd probably want to attend, although I think it would depend to some extent on what the training was like (it would be extremely difficult for me to sit through an-hours long lecture, for example -- I'm not sure I could do it). I think it would be good to attend, though... to be part of the discussion just by being there like everybody else (as opposed to just being part of the subject of the discussion) .

By attending I meant just to be there and by being part of the training I meant co-delivering the training. I think 'being part of the discussion' as opposed to 'the subject of discussion' is the core difference, I would feel good to be part of the former and uncomfortable with the latter myself, thanks



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21 Jun 2013, 5:09 pm

Unfortunately autism sensitivity training will encourage bigotry if autistics are still stereotyped as disabled.
A better approach would be to consider autistics as an oppressed minority.



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21 Jun 2013, 5:11 pm

Didrichs wrote:
By attending I meant just to be there and by being part of the training I meant co-delivering the training. I think 'being part of the discussion' as opposed to 'the subject of discussion' is the core difference, I would feel good to be part of the former and uncomfortable with the latter myself, thanks


You're welcome. Thanks for explaining.

I would feel very respected if I was offered the chance to help deliver the training, like I was on equal footing, and I would very likely want to do it.


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21 Jun 2013, 5:28 pm

androbot2084 wrote:
Unfortunately autism sensitivity training will encourage bigotry if autistics are still stereotyped as disabled.

I am realising this...
A better approach would be to consider autistics as an oppressed minority.

Or that the disability is when difference (on both sides) is not understood or appreciated



Didrichs
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21 Jun 2013, 5:30 pm

animalcrackers wrote:
Didrichs wrote:
By attending I meant just to be there and by being part of the training I meant co-delivering the training. I think 'being part of the discussion' as opposed to 'the subject of discussion' is the core difference, I would feel good to be part of the former and uncomfortable with the latter myself, thanks


You're welcome. Thanks for explaining.

I would feel very respected if I was offered the chance to help deliver the training, like I was on equal footing, and I would very likely want to do it.

'like I was on equal footing' exactly, this is what is needed



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21 Jun 2013, 5:59 pm

Only one side can be right.



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21 Jun 2013, 7:27 pm

Didrichs wrote:
Can I ask what do you think of Autism training for employers, when is it done correctly and how can stereotyping be avoided?

    You have got to be kidding me!
    Most "employers" aren't even properly trained to do their own JOBS successfully.
    And THAT would make the company a PROFIT.


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21 Jun 2013, 9:26 pm

I vote NO.

Instead, issues of individual should be discussed between employer and employee.

I don't want neurotypical people stereotyping me according to their idears of autism, and I don't want autistic people stereotyping me according to their idears of autism.

I want to discuss my idear of autism, my individual issues, with my employer myself.


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22 Jun 2013, 3:04 am

I think most employers would view "training" as something fit for only subordinates and resent the imposition of another "special interest" upon themselves as onerous.


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22 Jun 2013, 12:01 pm

But its the managers that oppress the autistics the most because managers have the power to fire autistics.