Studies have shown that between 76 and 90 per cent of adults
with autism are unemployed. This is one of the many reasons why World Autism
Awareness Day was declared by the UN General Assembly as an annual day to draw
attention to the urgent needs of people with autism around the world.
Autism is a complex disorder that affects the brain. It impairs an
individual’s social and communication abilities and often causes them to
display unusual or repetitive behaviours.
Today 1 in 150 children are diagnosed with autism – totalling
around 3.3 million people in the European Union. In most regions of Europe,
these children grow up to face widespread unemployment and little or no support
as adults.
Autism can certainly affect a person’s ability to interact in the
workplace, yet the biggest barriers to employment that they face are a lack of
support to find and maintain a job, and social stigma about their autism.
Throughout Europe and around the world, innovative companies are
now beginning to employ the unique strengths of people with autism to help them
achieve their goals. Providing people with autism the right support enables
them, and the businesses they work for, to succeed.
Employment is more than just a job for people with autism – it
enables them to live more fulfilling and independent lives. Companies around
the world are also realising that employing people with autism goes beyond
philanthropy and corporate social responsibility; utilising their skills and
creating a more diverse workforce can help companies succeed, benefiting
everyone involved.
This year, Europeans will join others around the world in calling
for increased employment opportunities for people with autism throughout the
month of April. In addition, in cities across Europe many prominent buildings
will be lit up in blue on the night of April 2, as part of the ‘Light It Up
Blue’ initiative for World Autism Awareness Day.
