Specialisterne

Last updated

Specialisterne (The Specialists) is a Danish social innovator company using the characteristics of neurodivergent people (including autism/Asperger's, ADHD, OCD, and dyslexia) as competitive advantages in the business market. [1] [2]

Contents

Specialisterne provides services such as software testing, quality control, metadata management, data conversion, and logistics, as well as in other areas such as agriculture, for businesses in 26 countries. [3] [4] [5] In addition, Specialisterne assesses and trains people to meet the requirements of the business sector. [6]

The company's branches, as well as the concept and name, are owned and operated by Specialisterne Foundation, with offices in 13 countries and local partnerships in others. [3]

The company provides a working environment in which skills common to neurodivergent employees – such as pattern recognition, detection of deviations, attention to detail, and extended focus – are integral, and where the role of the management and staff is to create the best possible working environment for the employees with ASD. [7]

Background

The youngest son of Specialisterne founder Thorkil Sonne, Lars, was diagnosed as having "infantile autism, normal intelligence", at age three, denoting an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Sonne became active in the Danish Autism Association, then president of a local chapter of Autism Denmark, for three years, where he learned that people with ASD seldom have a chance to use their special skills in the labour market. [8]

After 15 years working with IT within telecommunication companies, Sonne knew the value of the skills he saw in people with ASD. With the support of his family, Sonne founded Specialisterne in 2004, based on a home mortgage and his family's belief in his vision. [9] [10] [11]

Today

As of 2024, Specialisterne has over 600 employees and has operated in 26 countries, with offices in 13 of them: Australia, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, India, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, Spain, the UK, and the United States. [4] A 2017 report by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) stated approximately 75% of the company's 50 IT employees in Denmark had a diagnosis within the autism spectrum. [3] The head offices are in Copenhagen. The company includes training programs to access and build up personal, social and professional skills for people with ASD – no formal education or job experiences are expected. A number of appropriate strategies are used for individuals on the spectrum, including LEGO Mindstorms robot technology, helping to detect the strengths, the motivation and the development opportunities of the individual. [12]

Services offered by Specialisterne include software testing, quality control, documentation, data entry, and logistics with a high attention to detail and accuracy for customers including TDC A/S, Grundfos, KMD, CSC, SAP, Microsoft, Parexel, Hewlett-Packard, and Oracle. [13] [14] [15] [6]

Specialisterne maintains a focus on transferring knowledge on how to turn disabilities into abilities. Speeches, workshops and courses are based on the method of positive thinking called The Dandelion Model. (The dandelion was symbolically chosen as a beneficial weed found in unexpected places, akin to the ethos of ASD including valuable skills.) [14]

In December 2008, Thorkil Sonne donated all shares of Specialisterne to the Specialist People Foundation (later Specialisterne Foundation), a nonprofit organization founded by Sonne.

In September 2009, Specialisterne started a school where youth with ASD could get an education with focus on social development and interaction with its offices. The school is funded with help from the Lego Foundation and the Danish Ministry of Education.

In August 2010, Specialisterne opened in Scotland with David Farrell-Shaw as general manager. The Scottish company was a subsidiary of the social enterprise company Community Enterprise in Scotland (CEiS), funded by £700,000 from the Scottish government; the project also received £407,036 from the Big Lottery Fund and £30,000 from Glasgow City Council. [16]

In October 2010, assisted by funding support from a European Commission's Lifelong Learning Programme called the Leonardo da Vinci programme (project number 2010-1-IS1-LEO05-00579), [12] a project began to link Scotland, Denmark, Germany and Iceland. The Icelandic offering went live in January 2011.

In September 2012, Specialisterne Scotland closed, and a branch opened in the US called Specialisterne Minnesota. [17] The following year, the Minnesota organization became Specialisterne USA, based in Delaware, and the company also opened an office in Canada. [18] [19] An Australian branch was founded in 2015, [20] which then formed a partnership with the Dandelion Program [9] and, in 2017, announced plans to form a partnership in New Zealand. [21] The same year, a branch was founded in Milan, Italy. [22] [23] It has also opened branches in a number of other countries. [4] A similar organisation in the United States, Aspiritech, is based on the same concept. [24]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Asperger syndrome</span> Formerly recognized neurodevelopmental condition

Asperger syndrome (AS), also known as Asperger's syndrome or Asperger's, is a term formerly used to describe a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by significant difficulties in social interaction and nonverbal communication, along with restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior and interests. Asperger syndrome has been merged with other conditions into autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and is no longer considered a stand-alone diagnosis. It was considered milder than other diagnoses which were merged into ASD due to relatively unimpaired spoken language and intelligence.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Controversies in autism</span> Controversies about both the cause of autism and the nature of the diagnoses themselves

Diagnoses of autism have become more frequent since the 1980s, which has led to various controversies about both the cause of autism and the nature of the diagnoses themselves. Whether autism has mainly a genetic or developmental cause, and the degree of coincidence between autism and intellectual disability, are all matters of current scientific controversy as well as inquiry. There is also more sociopolitical debate as to whether autism should be considered a disability on its own.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Neurodiversity</span> Non-pathological explanation of variations in mental functions

Neurodiversity is a framework for understanding human brain function that recognizes the diversity of human cognition as a biological fact. The neurodiversity paradigm argues that diversity in human cognition is normal and that some conditions classified as mental disorders are differences and disabilities that are not necessarily pathological.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Autism rights movement</span> Disability rights movement for autistic people

The autism rights movement, also known as the autistic acceptance movement, is a social movement allied with disability rights that emphasizes a neurodiversity paradigm, viewing autism as a disability with variations in the human brain rather than as a disease to be cured. The movement advocates for several goals, including greater acceptance of autistic traits and behaviors; reforms of services – i.e. services that focus on improving quality of life and well-being instead of suppression and masking of autistic traits that are adaptive or not harmful or imitations of social behaviors of allistic (non-autistic) peers ; the creation of social networks and events that allow autistic people to socialize on their own terms; and the recognition of the autistic community as a minority group.

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to autism:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Autism Resource Centre (Singapore)</span>

Autism Resource Centre (Singapore) or ARC(S) is a Singapore-based non-profit organisation established in 2000. It was established by professional and parent volunteers dedicated to serving children and adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) to help them lead meaningful and independent lives.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Autism therapies</span> Therapy aimed at autistic people

Autism therapies include a wide variety of therapies that help people with autism, or their families. Such methods of therapy seek to aid autistic people in dealing with difficulties and increase their functional independence.

Social Stories were devised as a tool to help individuals with ASD better understand the nuances of interpersonal communication so that they could "interact in an effective and appropriate manner". Although the prescribed format was meant for high functioning people with basic communication skills, the format was adapted substantially to suit individuals with poor communication skills and low level functioning. The evidence shows that there has been minimal improvement in social interaction skills. However, it is difficult to assess whether the concept would have been successful if it had been carried out as designed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Societal and cultural aspects of autism</span>

Societal and cultural aspects of autism or sociology of autism come into play with recognition of autism, approaches to its support services and therapies, and how autism affects the definition of personhood. The autistic community is divided primarily into two camps; the autism rights movement and the pathology paradigm. The pathology paradigm advocates for supporting research into therapies, treatments, and/or a cure to help minimize or remove autistic traits, seeing treatment as vital to help individuals with autism, while the neurodiversity movement believes autism should be seen as a different way of being and advocates against a cure and interventions that focus on normalization, seeing it as trying to exterminate autistic people and their individuality. Both are controversial in autism communities and advocacy which has led to significant infighting between these two camps. While the dominant paradigm is the pathology paradigm and is followed largely by autism research and scientific communities, the neurodiversity movement is highly popular among most autistic people, within autism advocacy, autism rights organizations, and related neurodiversity approaches have been rapidly growing and applied in the autism research field in the last few years.

The international Essl Social Prize was founded in 2007 by Martin and Gerda Essl, owners of the Austrian home improvement company bauMax. The prize was awarded annually by the Essl Foundation between 2008 and 2012, and once again in 2013/14. It supported projects developed by social entrepreneurs and prize winners were awarded 1,000,000 Euros prize money.

The Daniel Jordan Fiddle Foundation (DJF) is a national all-volunteer-run 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization that focuses exclusively on adults with autism-spectrum disorder. The DJF mission is to develop, advocate for and support programs through grant awards that enrich the lives of adolescents and adults with autism. The guiding principle of Foundation is to honor the individuality of each person with autism-spectrum disorder so that each may participate throughout their lifetime in vocational, recreational, educational and residential opportunities that are suitable, stimulating and sustainable and allow for maximum integration in the community.

Autism, also called autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or autism spectrum condition (ASC), is a neurodevelopmental disorder marked by deficits in reciprocal social communication and the presence of restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior. Other common signs include difficulty with social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication, along with perseverative interests, stereotypic body movements, rigid routines, and hyper- or hyporeactivity to sensory input. Autism is clinically regarded as a spectrum disorder, meaning that it can manifest very differently in each person. For example, some are nonspeaking, while others have proficient spoken language. Because of this, there is wide variation in the support needs of people across the autism spectrum.

Autism-friendly means being aware of social engagement and environmental factors affecting people on the autism spectrum, with modifications to communication methods and physical space to better suit individual's unique and special needs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Autism Cymru</span> Former Welsh national charity for autism

Autism Cymru was Wales' national charity for autism with offices in Cardiff, Wrexham, and Aberystwyth. The charity was established in May 2001 through an initial 3-year grant provided by The Shirley Foundation. The founder chair of the Trustees was Dame Stephanie Shirley of the Shirley Foundation.

The history of autism spans over a century; autism has been subject to varying treatments, being pathologized or being viewed as a beneficial part of human neurodiversity. The understanding of autism has been shaped by cultural, scientific, and societal factors, and its perception and treatment change over time as scientific understanding of autism develops.

Sex and gender differences in autism exist regarding prevalence, presentation, and diagnosis.

Discrimination against autistic people involves any form of discrimination, persecution, or oppression against people who are autistic. Discrimination against autistic people is a form of ableism.

Autistic masking, also referred to as camouflaging or neurodivergent masking, is the conscious or subconscious suppression of autistic behaviors and compensation of difficulties in social interaction by autistic people with the goal of being perceived as neurotypical. Masking is a learned coping strategy that can be successful from the perspective of autistic people, but can also lead to adverse mental health outcomes.

Autistic burnout is a prolonged state of intense fatigue, decreased executive functioning or life skills, and increased sensory processing sensitivity experienced by autistic people. Autistic burnout is thought to be caused by stress arising from masking or living in a neurotypical environment that is not autism-friendly. While not formally recognized as a medical condition in the DSM-5, autistic burnout has become increasingly recognized within the autistic community and has gained attention among researchers, clinicians, and autistic people themselves as a significant aspect of the autistic experience.

There is currently no evidence of a cure for autism. The degree of symptoms can decrease, occasionally to the extent that people lose their diagnosis of autism; this occurs sometimes after intensive treatment and sometimes not. It is not known how often this outcome happens, with reported rates in unselected samples ranging from 3% to 25%. Although core difficulties tend to persist, symptoms often become less severe with age. Acquiring language before age six, having an IQ above 50, and having a marketable skill all predict better outcomes; independent living is unlikely in autistic people with higher support needs.

References

  1. ↑ "About us". Specialisterne Foundation. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
  2. ↑ Moran, Gwen (7 December 2019). "Companies Like Microsoft and Goldman Sachs Are Hiring More Neurodiverse Talent". Fortune . Retrieved 7 July 2024.
  3. 1 2 3 OECD/European Union (2017). "Specialisterne & SAP: A partnership for access to markets, multiple countries/Denmark". Boosting Social Enterprise Development: Good Practice Compendium (PDF). Paris: OECD Publishing. doi:10.1787/9789264268500-22-en. ISBN   978-92-64-26850-0. Archived from the original on 7 July 2024.
  4. 1 2 3 "Press Release: Specialisterne Celebrates its 20th Anniversary". Specialisterne Global. 15 April 2024. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
  5. ↑ Ioanna Roumeliotis (17 October 2017). "Disability in demand". CBC.
  6. 1 2 Henry, Zoe (21 May 2015). "How a Danish Company Is Helping People With Autism Get Jobs in IT and Tech". Slate. ISSN   1091-2339 . Retrieved 7 July 2024.
  7. ↑ "Neurodiversity inclusion projects". Specialisterne Brasil. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
  8. ↑ "Se solicitan empleados con autismo". BBC News Mundo (in Spanish). 17 July 2009. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
  9. 1 2 Talevski, Julia (18 August 2015). "HP Australia and Dept of Human Services join the Dandelion Program". Arnnet. Archived from the original on 18 August 2015. Retrieved 18 August 2015.
  10. ↑ George, Lianne (8 June 2009). "Channelling Autism". Maclean's . 122 (21). ISSN   0024-9262.
  11. ↑ Boss, Suzie (Winter 2012). "Specialists' Niche". Stanford Social Innovation Review : 55–56.
  12. 1 2 "Specialisterne Foundation". European Social Fund Plus . 11 May 2022. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
  13. ↑ Daarbak, Torben (7 June 2007). "Med handicappet som styrke". Computerworld (in Danish). Retrieved 7 July 2024.
  14. 1 2 Austin, Robert D.; Sonne, Thorkil (19 May 2014). "The Dandelion Principle: Redesigning Work for the Innovation Economy". MIT Sloan Management Review .
  15. ↑ Grimes, Patrick (2024). Recruiting Neurodivergent Candidates using the Specialisterne Approach (PDF) (Report). Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 July 2024 – via Pharma SUG.
  16. ↑ "Jobs cash for people with autism in Scotland". BBC. Glasgow & West Scotland. 4 August 2010. Retrieved 16 February 2016.
  17. ↑ Naysmith, Stephen (28 September 2013). "Autism firm closes after two years". The Herald (Glasgow) . Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  18. ↑ "Autistic man's gift for IKEA assembly turns into business". The Toronto Star. 17 January 2014. Retrieved 23 March 2020.
  19. ↑ "About - Mind Shift Works Providing Autistic Jobs". Mind Shift Works. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
  20. ↑ "Welcome to Specialisterne Australia". Archived from the original on 19 April 2017. Retrieved 18 November 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  21. ↑ Kathryn Ryan (3 May 2017). "Getting people with autism into work". RNZ.
  22. ↑ Giovanna Maria Fagnani (22 December 2017). "Jobs in Milan, the occasion for young autistics". RCS Mediagroup.
  23. ↑ "Welcome to Specialisterne Italy".
  24. ↑ Aspiritech - About

Further reading

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.