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About Aeolienne
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Kilimanjaro
- Birthday February 21
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Leamington Spa, Warks
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Baroque music, green issues (esp. renewable energy), hillwalking, Quakerism, reading (astronomy, fiction, popular science), practical conservation, art exhibitions, royal-watching
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This description of one of the events at the recent British Science Festival got me thinking (emphasis added): Autistic people & the languages nobody knows they speak Did you know that half the world’s population is bilingual? However, reports have shown that many autistic people are prevented from learning another language because of misconceptions that it will be “too much” for them. This is denying them access to multiple skills and opportunities, and the chance to enjoy the thinking skills and social benefits of bilingualism. In this year’s Social Sciences Award Lecture, Bérengère Digard from the University of Edinburgh explains why these misconceptions are incorrect. Bérengère will share how being bilingual has helped many of the autistic people she works with, shaping their thinking skills and challenging the current theories of autism. Original link Is this really true?
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(Not written by me) Inside an autistic mind Science journalist Sue Nelson discovered she had autism aged 60. She shares her personal journey to better understand a condition that affects millions worldwide. Science journalist Sue Nelson shares her personal journey to better understand a condition that affects millions worldwide. Inside her autistic inner world is a cacophony of brain chatter, anxiety and sensory issues - recreated within a 360 degree soundscape - that impact her life and interactions with others. Sue, who discovered she had autism last year aged 60, meets other autistic people, researchers and clinicians to try to make sense of her late diagnosis. Those who offer their own stories and experiences include Canadian actor Mickey Rowe, the first autistic actor to play the autistic lead character in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime; award-winning science writer Dr Camilla Pang; and former teacher Pete Wharmby, who left the profession to write about his condition to help others. Experts who shed light on Sue’s findings include psychiatrist and founder of the Centre for Autism Research in Africa, Professor Petrus de Vries, and Professor Sonya Girdler, director of the Curtin Autism Research Group in Australia. Sue travels to Denmark and Scotland to meet business leaders who are building bridges between those with and without autism. Research shows autistic people make great employees and, in Copenhagen, Specialisterne CEO Carsten Lassen and his team have found ways to match autistic people to jobs, which benefits both the individuals and the companies. In Scotland, Sue is shown around the Barclays buildings that have been built specifically with neurodiverse people in mind, but which the rest of the workforce enjoy too. Podcast
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- sue nelson
- mickey rowe
- (and 8 more)
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(Not written by me) Could innovative LARP education improve the experience and achievement for all neurodiverse pupils globally? Neurodivergent students learn, think, and process information differently than their neurotypical peers. Because of this, they often face unique challenges in the school setting. Students may struggle with executive functioning skills, typical social and communication skills and have sensory processing difficulties. As a result, they may be more likely to experience anxiety, depression, and many other mental health crises - resulting in a difficult education in which they won't receive the grades or social experience that they could achieve. This programme uses the Østerskov Efterskole school in Denmark as a case study to determine whether their revolutionary LARP (Live Action Role Play) teaching techniques could aid the education of every neurodiverse pupil. And if it can, why not implement it globally. Podcast
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(Not written by me) Police record ‘hate incident’ after autistic boy drops Quran in school corridor Police have recorded a “hate incident” after an autistic boy dropped a copy of the Quran in a busy school corridor and four pupils were suspended over false rumours that it had been set alight. A Year 10 pupil at Kettlethorpe High School, Wakefield - who was said to be autistic - was told to bring in a copy of the Quran by friends after losing a video game. It was later damaged after he dropped it in a busy corridor. Four pupils were suspended for a week and West Yorkshire police intervened after false rumours spread that the holy book had been set alight. Akef Akbar, a councillor who works with the school, said the boy had taken the Quran to school last week and given it to another pupil who read out passages on the tennis court. The book was later taken inside, where it fell on the floor before being put in a pupil’s bag, he said. Inspector Andy Thornton spoke to parents at the local mosque and told them the damage was being treated as a “hate incident”. Meanwhile, Tudor Griffiths, the school's headteacher, said there had been “no malicious intent” but the pupils’ actions were “unacceptable”. In a recording of a meeting seen by The Times, Mr Griffiths said: “If more consequences have to be followed, that will be the case.” Humanists UK said the decision to suspend the boys alleged to have started the rumours was “horrendous” and the school had allowed itself to be “pressured into excessive disciplinary action by a religious group”. Home Secretary Suella Braverman is understood to have expressed concern after police took such steps over the “slight damage”. “These are very concerning reports," a source close to Ms Braverman said. "The Home Secretary is clear that the police response should always be proportionate and consider the welfare of young children as a priority over any perceived insults.” The mother of the boy who brought in the Quran said he was autistic and had received death threats. Apologising on his behalf, she added: “He hasn’t eaten since Wednesday afternoon when this occurred because with his autism. "It’s put his anxiety to a level where he is beside himself. He is very, very sorry.” The case is believed to be considered a “non-crime hate incident”, giving police a way to record an incident which does not necessarily meet the criminal threshold. Source: LBC
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(Not written by me)‘It’s manipulative’: Parents defend girl who ‘politely’ turned down classmate’s Valentine’s Day requestThe school came to the boy’s defence, but observers pointed out that the girl did nothing wrong by spurning his advancesA debate has been sparked after a schoolgirl turned down a classmate’s Valentine’s Day request, prompting a wave of sympathy for her would-be suitor.The controversy began when the boy’s mother, Heather Starr, wrote on Facebook that her son Roman, who is neurodivergent, had made a poster to ask a girl to be his Valentine. It didn’t go well.“You guys. My oldest baby is 14, he has autism, is very shy and socially awkward,” Ms Starr wrote in a post on Feburary 14. “Yesterday he made a poster for a girl at school and asked her to be his valentine at lunch in front of everyone. She said no.”Ms Starr’s story got national attention — and plenty of sympathy for her son at the school.The next day at school, a number of Roman’s classmates approached him with kind words and offers to be his Valentine. According to Today, one of his fellow students presented him with a poster like the one he had made to ask the girl the day before.“They asked him to be their Valentine and he said yes,” Ms Starr wrote on Facebook. “Then the entire cafeteria cheered so loud that they disrupted nearby classes and everyone got in trouble and had to have a silent lunch period after that.”The experience, Ms Starr said, was a highlight for her son.“He told me it was one of the best days of his entire life,” she told Today.com.After the story was given national exposure on the NBC platform, however, a number of observers pointed out that while they were happy for Roman, they were troubled by how the response might affect the girl he asked out.Mandy, a TikTok user, made a video claiming that the boy is being “coddled,” while the girl who rejected his advance was being “demonised.” “He’s a boy who asked a girl to be his Valentine, and she, from all sources I can find, politely declined,” Mandy said in the video. “He chose to do it in a very public way. We’ve got to stop teaching kids to do that. It’s manipulative, because it puts the recipient on the f****** defensive. It puts them in a position where everybody is watching, and now you have to decide something in front of other people.”Mandy said that the response to the story was “planting the seeds that if a girl says no to you, she’s beneath you” and that women are often bullied or even assaulted or killed for rejecting male romantic advances in a world in which men are often taught to feel entitled to women’s bodies.Kris Renee, another TikTok user who made a video about the situation, said that she was teaching her children that they are entitled to respectfully decline anyone’s advances.“Is anyone thinking about the fact of how the next day, that girl was made to feel guilty for having said no? Has that thought crossed anyone’s mind?”Source: Independent
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(Not written by me) Dad's warning after girl, 14, dies from inhaling deodorant The parents of a girl who died after inhaling aerosol deodorant want clearer product labelling to warn people of the potential dangers.Giorgia Green, who was 14 and from Derby, had a cardiac arrest after spraying the deodorant in her bedroom.Her parents have since become aware of other young people who accidentally died after inhaling deodorant.In response, the British Aerosol Manufacturers' Association (BAMA) said deodorants have "very clear warnings".By law, aerosol deodorants must be printed with the warning "keep out of reach of children". However, Giorgia's parents said the writing was small.They believe many parents buy deodorant for their children without noticing the warning."People don't know how dangerous the contents of those tins can be," said her father Paul."I would like it so that no-one else in the country - or the world - would end up having to go through what we've personally gone through."We don't want our daughter's death to be in vain."Giorgia was autistic and her father said she liked to spray deodorant on blankets as she found the smell comforting."The smell of it gave her a certain sense of relaxation," said Mr Green. "If she was feeling in any way a little bit anxious, she would spray this spray and it would give her a sense of comfort because it's a deodorant my wife used."Giorgia's older brother found her unresponsive in her bedroom on 11 May 2022."Her door was open, so it wasn't as if it was an enclosed environment," said her father."The exact amount [of deodorant] isn't clear but it would be more than you would normally spray."At some point her heart stopped as a result of breathing it in."An inquest was held into Giorgia's death and the coroner recorded the conclusion as misadventure.Her medical cause of death was "unascertained but consistent with inhalation of aerosol". According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), "deodorant" was mentioned on 11 death certificates between 2001 and 2020.However, the actual number of deaths is likely to be higher than this, due to the fact that specific substances are not always mentioned on death certificates.Giorgia's death certificate referred to "inhalation of aerosol" rather than "deodorant".Butane - the main ingredient of Giorgia's deodorant - was recorded as having been involved in 324 deaths between 2001 and 2020. Propane and isobutane - also in Giorgia's deodorant - were mentioned in 123 and 38 deaths respectively.The ONS said the substances had been linked to a number of deaths, noting: "The inhalation of butane or propane gas can lead to heart failure." The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) said a number of people had died after over-spraying deodorants. 'Common misconception' Ashley Martin, public health adviser at RoSPA, said: "It's easy to assume they are completely safe and totally free from risk. The truth is they're not."Inhaling large quantities of aerosols, not just deodorants, can lead to a whole host of life-endangering scenarios - from blackouts and breathing difficulties, to heart rhythm changes and sadly, death."There's a common misconception that fatalities from aerosols only happen in a substance abuse scenario, but this is absolutely not true."We have seen a number of fatalities over recent years where children and young adults have over-sprayed aerosols - from teenagers conscious of body odour, to children seeking reassurance from familiar smells." Giorgia's parents said they had come across some of these cases through their own research.They include 12-year-old Daniel Hurley, also from Derbyshire, who collapsed and died after spraying himself with deodorant in a bathroom."That was in 2008 but my daughter died in 2022," said Mr Green. "The awareness still isn't where it should be."More recently, 13-year-old Jack Waple died in similar circumstances to Giorgia in 2019. His inquest heard he sprayed deodorant if he felt anxious when his mother left the house, as it smelled like her. What warnings are printed on aerosol deodorants? By law, aerosol deodorants must be printed with the warning "keep out of reach of children". Most aerosol deodorants also have a warning that says "solvent abuse can kill instantly". This is not a legal requirement, but is recommended by BAMA due to the risk of people inhaling aerosols to intentionally get high.Giorgia's parents believe the warning should be changed to "solvent use can kill instantly", because Giorgia was not abusing deodorant.Aerosol deodorants must also contain instructions on their correct usage, which are written following risk assessments carried out by the manufacturer. For example, the instructions might say "use in short bursts in well-ventilated places".If an aerosol deodorant is flammable there must also be a warning about this.BAMA said in a statement: "The British Aerosol Manufacturers' Association (BAMA) takes very seriously any incident involving aerosol products, and we were deeply saddened to learn of the death of someone so young. "As an industry association we work with manufacturers to ensure that aerosols are made to the highest safety standards and are labelled with very clear warnings and usage instructions and recommend that anyone using an aerosol does so in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions."We also recommend applying a number of additional warnings and usage instructions, beyond those required by regulation, and continue to review these to encourage the safe use of aerosols."Source: BBC News
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- jack waple
- royal society for the prevention of accidents
- (and 7 more)
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(Not written by me) By the time Richard Turner was in his mid-30s, he’d given away nearly all of his money to a church. Everything he held dear had been stripped bare by a religious community in the UK which claimed to have his best interests at heart. It took him years to piece together how this could have happened. It was only in recovery that he was diagnosed with autism, which he believes made him more susceptible to coercive control by a group he now regards as a cult. For Heart and Soul, Richard takes us on his journey of self-discovery, sharing his faith experiences with other ‘cult survivors’, including one US man with Asperger’s Syndrome who has spent most of his adult life ‘cult-hopping’. How common are these extraordinary stories across the world? With very little academic research available, Richard is part of a growing movement working to understand the link between neurodivergence and cults. Listen here
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21st of december 2012 (the end of the world) is comming
Aeolienne replied to A-S warrior's topic in Off Topic
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I see it's EU funded. Does that mean Brits need not apply?
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(Not written by me) Rhianan Rudd: MI5 had evidence teen terror suspect was exploited Evidence showing the grooming and sexual exploitation of a schoolgirl was handed to MI5 months before she was charged with terrorism offences, a BBC investigation has found. The prosecution of Rhianan Rudd was later dropped after the Home Office concluded she was a victim of exploitation. Rhianan, who was 15 when she became the youngest girl charged with terror offences in the UK, took her own life in a children's home in May 2022. Her mother says investigators should have treated her daughter "as a victim rather than a terrorist". The case raises questions about how the UK deals with the problem of children involved in extremism, according to the senior lawyer responsible for reviewing terror laws. At the age of 14, Rhianan Rudd became absorbed by right-wing extremism. Her mother Emily Carter remembers her as a "lovely girl" who adored horses. But then she began to express racist and antisemitic beliefs, Ms Carter says. "If you didn't have blonde hair and blue eyes - Aryan as they say - she didn't want to know you, you were an inferior race, you shouldn't have been alive," her mother recalls. She says her daughter was taking in extreme views "like a sponge". "She was changing herself, that's not Rhianan," she says. "She was a child who fixated on things." Rhianan, who was born in Essex and later moved to Derbyshire, had difficulty building relationships and "struggled in life", Ms Carter says. She was also diagnosed as autistic. Rhianan had run away from home in the past and there was social service involvement with the family. Her mother acknowledges she made mistakes but "always tried to do her best". By September 2020, Ms Carter had become so concerned by Rhianan's mindset that she referred her to Prevent, the government de-radicalisation scheme, after she admitted downloading a bomb-making manual. Within a month, Rhianan was arrested by counter-terror detectives and her brief engagement with Prevent had to end. She was questioned, bailed as a terrorism suspect, and was no longer able to attend school. For some time, she had been talking to older people online, including American Christopher Cook, who promoted a terrorist form of neo-Nazism, and formed a combat cell to carry out attacks. Evidence shows the then-partner of Rhianan's mother also had an influence. Ms Carter says this was kept from her. The partner, American Dax Mallaburn, had been part of a white supremacist prison gang in the US. He met Rhianan's mother via a pen pal system for prisoners. Before Rhianan was arrested, Mallaburn's relationship with her mother had broken down and he returned to the US. But the BBC has discovered that Cook and Mallaburn had been in contact, with Cook telling him to teach Rhianan the "right way". During police interviews, Rhianan described being coerced and groomed, including sexually, and having sent explicit images of herself to Cook. The abuse she described would eventually result in a formal government finding of exploitation. Under modern slavery laws, certain public bodies like the police are required to notify the Home Office about any potential victims of exploitation they encounter. However, in the months before Rhianan was charged, none of the organisations involved referred her to the specialist Home Office unit that considers such cases. This was not due to a lack of information. The BBC has found that, around the time of Rhianan's arrest, MI5 received evidence showing she had been exploited - including sexually - by Cook. An FBI investigation had uncovered messages and images from Cook's devices showing Rhianan being groomed, coerced and exploited. The FBI handed the material to MI5. Rhianan spent over six months on bail waiting for a charging decision. Her mother says this period led to a decline in Rhianan's mental health, with instances of self-harm, running away, and attempted suicide. Derbyshire social services were involved and she was moved into care. In April 2021, more than six months after the arrest, she was charged with six terrorism offences for having earlier possessed instructions for making explosives and weapons. Prosecutors alleged one set of instructions were connected to a potential planned attack. Days after she was charged, when newly-appointed defence lawyers intervened, Derbyshire Council referred Rhianan to the Home Office as a possible victim of exploitation. It took a further seven months for a decision to be made. When it came, the Home Office concluded she had been trafficked and exploited. In late December 2021 the prosecution was halted. Rhianan is part of a trend of growing numbers of children, often involved in online right-wing extremism, being investigated by MI5 and police. Convictions in the past two years include a Cornish boy who led his own online terror cell aged 14 and a boy from Darlington arrested aged 13. In the case of another boy, a pre-sentence report from experts said it was "likely that he did not see the wider ramifications of his activities, now seamlessly replaced apparently by interests such as Dad's Army". Cases involving children are complex. A child might have been groomed and exploited, but nevertheless pose a genuine risk of harm to other people. Debates about trafficking and exploitation are also taking place in immigration cases concerning young women appealing the removal of their British citizenship after they went to Syria to join the Islamic State group. In the case of Shamima Begum, who travelled aged 15, the government has argued against claims of trafficking and said she is a security threat. Her lawyers say she was trafficked and sexually exploited. Few children who are charged with terror offences end up being imprisoned. The process of investigation, arrest and prosecution can take many months, and well over a year in some cases. Jonathan Hall KC, the independent reviewer of terrorism legislation, says that in 2020/2021 only one child who committed a terrorism offence was jailed, with all the others "eventually given non-custodial sentences". He says the question needs to be asked about whether the current approach is effective. He suggests changes in the law that would allow police to say to a child terror suspect that they would either be prosecuted or they could accept an injunction. He says these could, for example, limit mobile phone use, require the use of monitoring software and engagement with a mentor. "That can be done really quickly, and keep them out of the criminal justice system altogether," he says. Rhianan's mother thinks her daughter should never have been charged. She says police "obviously" have to investigate and search for evidence, but she believes they should have subsequently dealt with it "completely differently". "They should have seen her as a victim rather than a terrorist. She's a child, an autistic child. She should have been treated as a child that had been groomed and sexually exploited." A government spokesperson told the BBC: "MI5 takes its responsibilities in relation to those who may be at risk of harm very seriously. "In accordance with long-standing government policy, MI5 can neither confirm nor deny involvement in individual cases. "More generally, if in the course of work to protect national security someone in MI5 obtains information that an individual is or may become at risk of death or serious harm, this will be passed to the relevant authorities." Cook, the American who exploited Rhianan, has pleaded guilty in the US to a neo-Nazi terrorist plot along with others to destroy a power grid. He had been on bail awaiting sentencing. But the BBC has established that the court in Ohio only recently became aware of Cook's predatory conduct towards Rhianan, which had not been part of the original case against him despite the FBI's long-standing knowledge of his abuse. After the court learned of his behaviour, Cook was placed in custody in December ahead of sentencing. After the prosecution of Rhianan was abandoned, she chose to continue living in her Nottinghamshire children's home and began engaging with the Prevent scheme. But there were signs that all was not well. In the weeks before her death, Rhianan asked her mother to help her contact a neo-Nazi extremist in the US. Her mother reported it to the children's home, which is run by private firm Blue Mountain Homes. She says she was then told social services and police had decided to let contact take place. It is unclear if it did. Her mother had warned Derbyshire Council about the risk of Rhianan taking her own life. In emails to a social worker in 2021, she wrote: "I hope she doesn't try kill herself when in her room on her own." She stated in the emails that Rhianan had access to ligatures. Ms Carter says she saw Rhianan days before her death and was so concerned by her appearance that she contacted the home. She says she warned staff that her daughter was "going to do something" and asked them to watch her. The manager said they would "find out what's going on" and told her not to worry, she says. But later that week, she says, three police officers were "standing in my living room telling me that my daughter died by hanging". In Rhianan's room at the children's home, access to items that could be used as ligatures were banned due to the risk of self-harm and suicide, but she gained access to one. Aged 16, she was found dead in May over 12 hours after she retired to her room the night before. An inquest is due to take place into her death. No date has been set. The organisations contacted by the BBC said they could not comment on the details of our investigation until the inquest is complete. Source: BBC News
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- mi5
- emily carter
- (and 14 more)
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(Not written by me)A host of speakers discussing visibility of neurodiversity within the tech space and the launch of our latest initiative supporting this.Wed, 25 January 2023, 18:00 – 20:00 GMT85 Gresham Street London EC2V 7NQNeurodiversity is increasingly becoming the topic of conversation across all sectors - CodeVerse have proudly partnered with Subject Matter Experts, 'Core Coaches' and 'Potential in Me' in hosting this event which will serve as a great opportunity to learn more about neurodiversity, what this means for the future of organisations and to engage with fellow executives who are also working to be front runners within this space.The agenda for the evening will include:Exploring the term 'neurodivergence' and the benefits of embracing and maximising the talents of people who think differently.Understand the challenges that neurodivergent candidates face in the workplace.Identify approaches to creating an inclusive work environment that supports neurodivergence.Opportunity to reflect on where organisations are now and what they needCodeVerse's enhanced support model for neurodiverse candidatesWe look forward to seeing you there!Book on Eventbrite
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(Not written by me) Kelly Everly-Hall was ready for her interview. She wore a nice outfit, had reviewed her resume and knew she had many of the skills needed for the IT job she was seeking. But things went quickly downhill when she faced a panel of three interviewers, something she had never done before. She got nervous, rambled and struggled to make eye contact. She had a hard time describing her skills, so she asked if she could demonstrate them on a computer. The answer was no. She didn’t feel comfortable asking clarifying questions. “I knew 10 minutes into it that I wasn’t going to get the job,” says Everly-Hall, whose autism makes some social settings difficult. “It was like I lost before I even started.” A new job marketplace seeks to remedy that problem by connecting neurodivergent people like Everly-Hall with companies that have committed neurodiversity hiring programs. Launched this month, the Neurodiversity Career Connector features job listings by U.S. employers seeking applicants with autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), dyslexia and other conditions associated with neurodivergent, or atypical, brain functioning. The site was launched by the Neurodiversity @ Work Employer Roundtable, a group of nearly 50 companies with neurodiversity hiring programs and support systems for new employees. Microsoft leads the group, which wants to decrease job barriers and improve neurodiversity in the workplace. “We’re trying to solve the problem where employers say they want to hire neurodivergent talent and can’t find people. And we have job seekers who say they can’t find who all these employers are,” says Neil Barnett, director of Accessibility and Inclusive Hiring at Microsoft. The concept of neurodiversity emerged in the ‘90s as an inclusive movement that views neurological and developmental conditions as normal variations in cognitive traits that should be embraced as a part of human diversity. An estimated 15% to 20% of people around the world have a neurodivergent condition. Autism, the initial focus of many neurodiversity hiring programs, affects about 2% of American adults. Some neurodivergent people struggle with social dynamics and new environments like traditional job interviews, which highlight social skills and the ability to answer vague questions like “Describe a challenge you faced,” says Susanne Bruyere, academic director of the Yang-Tan Institute on Employment and Disability at Cornell University. That barrier leads to an enormous job gap in which only 14% of working-age adults with autism have a paid job in the community, according to a Drexel University study. “It’s important that we rethink how we screen people so we’re not discouraging or eliminating people who are neurodivergent,” says Bruyere. “This career platform is a huge signal of welcoming. It is saying, ‘We recognize this is an untapped population of talent, and we are going to minimize the barriers people may have historically experienced.’” Before employers can list jobs on the site, they must have a neurodiversity hiring program in place for at least a year and be public about it. That usually means having trained recruiters, coaching and supported interviews with detailed guidance and extra breaks. One such company, the global professional services firm EY, has hired more than 300 people in seven countries through a “center of excellence” model since 2016. The program emphasizes camaraderie, job coaches and structured, explicit communication with no “unspoken, unofficial rules.” Interviews focus on skills, not social behaviors. “It strips out, ‘Did the person make eye contact? How witty were they?’” says Hiren Shukla, leader of the Neuro-Diverse Center of Excellence at EY Global. Many of the program’s employees work on new data technologies, where the collaborative mix of thinking styles — spontaneous, logical, visual, detail-oriented, hyperfocused — can lead to transformative work and innovation. “Large organizations are really good at assimilation to build large workforces that inadvertently shave away the beautiful, unique edges and what the neurodivergent community often refers to as their ‘spiky profiles,’” Shukla says. “But it’s the spiky profile you want to retain and support to allow that innovation to rise to the surface.” Companies seeking neurodivergent talent often recruit through informal networks and relationships with local universities, nonprofits and advocacy groups — a time-intensive process for both recruiters and job seekers. The neurodiversity job site fills a need for a large-scale, national marketplace with a broad range of jobs, employers and people. Recently, the site brimmed with listings from small and large companies for software engineers, graphic designers, financial analysts and more. Job seekers can create a profile, upload a resume and connect with employers directly. Everly-Hall, who was diagnosed with autism in her 40s, says the platform would be helpful if she had to look for work again. “I could be myself and say this is who I am,” she says. “It would cause me less stress knowing I can just say, ‘I’m on the spectrum. You understand this. I understand this.’” But Everly-Hall is not looking for work because she’s happy with her job at Ultranauts, a rapidly growing software and data quality engineering firm built with neurodiversity in mind. More than 75% of its employees are neurodivergent. The majority are autistic, many have ADHD or dyslexia, and some are non-speaking or hard of hearing. When Everly-Hall interviewed with the company in 2015, she disclosed her autism and found her interviewer to be patient and understanding. Seven years later, she still appreciates the supportive workplace, which includes a mentor who helps her interpret social subtext, and the chance to become a leader, an opportunity she lacked at previous jobs. “I was really made to feel at ease right away, like, ‘We don’t care you have this disability. What we care about is your experience,’” says Everly-Hall, a senior quality analyst and accessibility consultant who works from home in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Founded in 2013, Ultranauts has designed a “Universal Workplace” that allows employees to fully participate and collaborate with colleagues who are different than them. It reduces hiring barriers by not requiring specific degrees or a certain number of years of experience. It favors skills assessments over chatty interviews to determine job fit. Employees, who work remotely across 30 states in the U.S., are encouraged to communicate in their preferred mode — writing, speaking, being on camera or off. Leadership communication is explicit and transparent to reduce ambiguity and anxiety. “The advantage we have is not from individual team members being exceptional, but in bringing together different brain types, information processing models and perspectives, and forging collaborative teams,” says Rajesh Anandan, Ultranauts cofounder and CEO. Neurodiversity also strengthens the workforce at Microsoft, which has hired about 200 people across engineering and business disciplines through its neurodiversity hiring program. “By adjusting the front door of our interview process, we are finding incredible talent that we previously may have been missing out on,” says Barnett. He hopes more employers will join the job site to enrich the talent at their companies and the lives of neurodivergent people. For Jason Ross, the platform is a major step in supporting people who have struggled like him. Before landing a cybersecurity job recently, Ross, who has autism, spent many demoralizing months searching for work and many years getting fired from job after job while trying to navigate workplace dynamics. “It’s very hard when you want to do well at this thing and you can’t do well at this thing to the point where can’t support yourself,” says Ross, who lives in Virginia and has a master’s degree in cybersecurity studies. He never discussed his autism at previous jobs but made a bold move this time and disclosed to his new manager. He’s following a mentor’s advice to be upfront and simply tell people he doesn’t “excel in social nuance.” He’s nervous and hopeful about the opportunity to work. “I’m not less than. I’m different and that’s OK,” Ross says. He’s also excited about the job site, which he and other neurodivergent people helped shape with their feedback and lived experiences. “It’s a phenomenal resource,” he says. “It’s made for us, by us. That level of understanding, baked in from the jump, is a meaningful distinction for this platform versus going on any general job platform and throwing your resume into the world.” Source: Microsoft
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What does this have to do with artificial intelligence?