Disability As Ability
Six years ago, Thorkil Sonne's youngest son was diagnosed with the mysterious developmental disorder. It turned out to be autism. In Sonne's native Denmark, autistics are typically considered unemployable. (Unfortunately, not a view limited to Denmark.)
Sonne worked in IT and his sense was that people with autism and related conditions like Asperger's syndrome generally have excellent memory, a strong attention to detail, persistence and are good at following structures and routines. From his viewpoint, they are born software engineers.
In 2004, he quit his job to found Specialisterne ("Specialists" in Danish). It is an IT consultancy firm that hires mostly people with autism-spectrum disorders and works with companies like Microsoft and Cisco Systems.
Interviewed by the Harvard Business Review, Sonne was asked:
Q: You started your company to improve the lives of people with autism. Why not just create a nonprofit focused on research or job training?
A: I wanted to do more than just provide a sheltered workplace for people with a disability. My goal is to create opportunities for people with autism on an international scale. You might find money to support sheltered working environments in Scandinavia but not in Poland or Spain or Brazil. To extend its reach, our organization needs the kind of funding that only a profit-making venture can generate. It must succeed on market terms.
His employees usually go through a five-month training course, with communication skills being a particularly important part of the preparation for them and clients to have a working relationship.
Instead of verbal communications and interviews, Sonne uses sophisticated LEGO Mindstorms
"toys" as a screening tool to identify their thought processes and to try to find out what motivates them. He also needs to determine their limitations. His employees may need to work fewer hours and would typically have few ways of coping with stress.
On the other hand, these employees are also likely to stay focused beyond the point of most of us and will make fewer mistakes.
Specialisterne is an example of a model of commercialism called Social Enterprise. This is when a business and the social sector combine forces to provide a product or service that can compete in a commercial market. It is people buying products or services - another example might be environmentally-friendly products - because of corporate social responsibility.
Sources
http://www.wired.com/techbiz
http://hbr.harvardbusiness.org
http://www.computerweekly.com
Sonne worked in IT and his sense was that people with autism and related conditions like Asperger's syndrome generally have excellent memory, a strong attention to detail, persistence and are good at following structures and routines. From his viewpoint, they are born software engineers.
In 2004, he quit his job to found Specialisterne ("Specialists" in Danish). It is an IT consultancy firm that hires mostly people with autism-spectrum disorders and works with companies like Microsoft and Cisco Systems.
Interviewed by the Harvard Business Review, Sonne was asked:
Q: You started your company to improve the lives of people with autism. Why not just create a nonprofit focused on research or job training?
A: I wanted to do more than just provide a sheltered workplace for people with a disability. My goal is to create opportunities for people with autism on an international scale. You might find money to support sheltered working environments in Scandinavia but not in Poland or Spain or Brazil. To extend its reach, our organization needs the kind of funding that only a profit-making venture can generate. It must succeed on market terms.
His employees usually go through a five-month training course, with communication skills being a particularly important part of the preparation for them and clients to have a working relationship.
Instead of verbal communications and interviews, Sonne uses sophisticated LEGO Mindstorms
"toys" as a screening tool to identify their thought processes and to try to find out what motivates them. He also needs to determine their limitations. His employees may need to work fewer hours and would typically have few ways of coping with stress. Most of our consultants with autism have a mild form called Asperger’s and are high functioning. Still, because they’re often hypersensitive to noise, they can be uncomfortable in open-concept office spaces without doors or walls. They also have trouble working in teams and understanding social cues, such as gestures, facial expressions, and tone of voice. You have to be precise and direct with them, be very specific about your expectations, and avoid sarcasm and nonverbal communication.
On the other hand, these employees are also likely to stay focused beyond the point of most of us and will make fewer mistakes.
Specialisterne is an example of a model of commercialism called Social Enterprise. This is when a business and the social sector combine forces to provide a product or service that can compete in a commercial market. It is people buying products or services - another example might be environmentally-friendly products - because of corporate social responsibility.
Sources
http://www.wired.com/techbiz
http://hbr.harvardbusiness.org
http://www.computerweekly.com
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