With Adora Wong’s valued consultation, research and perspective from someone who is autistic, we hope this guideline creates a mutually beneficial relationship between employers and autistic employees by building an understanding of each other’s strengths and workplace requirements.

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As an autistic teenager in the 2000s, I wrote myself a life manual – “How to Be Human”. While this guide helped me through social and professional situations well into my adult years, I vowed that it could never see the light of day. No one could know that I had written instructions on how to function in this world.

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Fast forward more than a decade later, the conversations surrounding autism and other neurodivergences have blossomed. We are starting to move away from stereotypical images of autism and listening to real, lived experiences from diverse perspectives. We are recognizing that autism is not limited to childhood experiences, and more resources are becoming available for older adolescents and young adults. We are understanding that differences in our perceptions of the world are not automatically deficits. Thanks to social media and new channels for written and expressive communication, many autistic individuals are now able to connect with each other and advocate together for our collective needs.

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Despite these positive changes, recognition of autism in post-secondary and employment settings is still in its early stages. There are various options for skills-training programs for autistic employees, as well as inclusivity training programs for employers. This toolkit builds upon some of these resources while drawing on memories of the reassurances and guidance's that would have been helpful to have in my own developing years.

 

So, while I will not be sharing the entire contents of “How to Be Human”, I hope that this toolkit will be helpful in understanding how to navigate the neurotypical world in your adolescent years. We will talk about self-determination, goal setting, as well as all the various aspects of applying for and retaining a job. We will talk about how to advocate for yourself, while understanding that it is okay to ask for and to accept help from others.

 

I am grateful that more and more people are being drawn to lived experiences of autism leading the conversation. May we all continue to strive to create truly inclusive environments in which everyone has the means to thrive.

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