A Newcastle charity is giving businesses a chance to discover the benefits of hiring people with autism in a bid to increase employment rates of people with the condition.
Thursday 15 September, 12pm-2.30pm
Harry’s Bar, 77 Grey St, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 6EF
Smile For Life Children’s Charity is hosting ‘Autism Awareness At Work’, an event designed to highlight the skills associated with autism, and also to give businesses the chance to find out how best they can support staff, colleagues, customers and clients with autism.
As well as a talk from Phillippa Chaplin – an acclaimed trainer and educator in autism – businesses will hear from James Middleton, a young person with the condition who now has a paid apprenticeship as a chef in Smile For Life’s Café Beam in Gosforth.
Young Ambassadors from the charity – all of whom have autism – will also be on hand to answer attendees’ questions and give an insight into how autism affects them.
Recent statistics show that 700,000 people in the UK are autistic, and yet just 21.7% of autistic adults are in full or part-time paid employment (https://www.autism.org.uk/what-we-do/news/new-data-on-the-autism-employment-gap).
Meanwhile, individuals with autism are generally much less likely to be employed than people with almost any other recorded disability: www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/disability/articles/outcomesfordisabledpeopleintheuk/2021#employment.
Please come along and see for yourself how this incredible charity is looking to change the perception of autism, and showing first hand how businesses can benefit from having autistic employees.
Thursday 15 September, 12pm-2.30pm
Harry’s Bar, 77 Grey St, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 6EF
