Another Autism First for Wales

Welsh Labour’s Deputy Minister for Social Services, Gwenda Thomas today announced the appointment of an Autism Employment Ambassador for Wales.

Robert Lloyd Griffiths, a Director of the Institute of Directors, Wales has taken up this part-time post for an 18 month period. His role will be to raise the profile of employing people with autism and to demonstrate how businesses in Wales can benefit from the talents, skills and knowledge that people with autism can bring to the workplace.

The role will be complemented by an awareness raising campaign and a series of training packages currently being developed by Careers Wales and Job Centre Plus for employers and related agencies. This new appointment is considered to be the first of its kind in the UK and possibly the world. It is also only one element in a number of innovative projects being taken forward by the Labour-led Welsh Assembly Government to enable adults with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) to fulfil their potential in today’s society.

In April 2008, the Labour-led welsh Assembly Government scored another world first with the launch of the Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Strategic Action Plan for Wales. The Action Plan was the first of its kind in the UK if not in the world. The Strategic Action Plan sets out how Wales plans to meet the needs of adults, young people and children with ASD, their families and carers. Funding of £170,000 over three years was subsequently agreed for an All Wales Employment publicity campaign; the appointment of a Wales Employment Ambassador; and awareness raising and training support for staff within Careers Wales, Job Centre Plus and for Disability Employment Advisory.

There are over 18,000 adults with autism of working age in Wales today. Some, especially those with associated severe learning disabilities, will find it difficult to enter open employment, however there are a great many who want to work and have a lot to offer employers.

Currently the National Autistic Society believe that only 11% of adults with autism are in full-time employment. 7% of adults with autism are in part time work and 5% in some form of voluntary work. This is much lower that other disabilities which on average is 50%.