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Neurodiversity and Employment
Self-Paced Course
1 Contact Hour
In partnership with the Frist Center for Autism & Innovation, this session discusses un/underemployment in the autistic community, how the neurodiversity movement alters our approach to autism at work, and what we can do to empower neurodivergent adults searching for meaningful employment. Historically, autism has been understood from a purely deficit-based perspective. Understandably, clinicians have focused almost entirely on how to address the very real challenges of being on the spectrum. However, many autistic people have begun to push back against the idea that having autism is solely a bad thing - instead, they are describing it as a unique set of both challenges and talents (this is called neurodiversity!). For example, lots of folks on the spectrum are gifted in pattern recognition, detail perception, visual thinking, task repetition and more. The Frist Center for Autism and Innovation is the world's first university research center focused specifically using a strengths-based approach to promoting autism and neurodiversity in the workplace. This is desperately needed, because 80% of autistic adults are un- or under-employed! We'll talk about why this number is so high, how the neurodiversity movement alters our approach to autism at work, and what we can do to empower neurodivergent adults who are searching for meaningful employment
Presenter: Claire Barnett
Benefits of this course
The participant will be able to define neurodiversity
The participant will be able to identify employment-related strengths that autistic individuals may have
The participant will be able to identify two employment challenges that may be faced by a neurodiverse individual
Course Contents
Course Author
This course is being offered as part of Aspire OT's State Association Partnership Program. This course is free for TNOTA Members.