ABSTRACT

The workplace support circle includes a team manager, a team buddy, a job and life skills coach, a work mentor, and an 'human resource business partner', who oversees a group of programme participants. Buddies are staff members on the same team who provide assistance with daily tasks, workload management, and prioritisation. Job and life skills coaches are usually from social partner organisations. Other social partner roles include vocational rehab counsellor and personal counsellor. Employers should realise that autism involves a different cognitive style, one which may confer advantages in certain contexts. However, they should also be aware of the specific hurdles that face individuals applying for a job. The point is to shape the job to the employee, rather than the employee to the job: in other words, to match a particular task to the strengths of the member of staff, instead of forcing the employee into a pre-established job description.