By Siobhan Smith
In
Posted Wednesday June 15, 2022

Autistic Pride 2022 : Supporting Neurodiverse Employees in General Practice

Autistic Pride Day, celebrated on June 18^th every year, is an opportunity to raise awareness about Autism Spectrum Disorder. The aim is to allow individuals to see Autistic people as unique rather than disadvantaged thanks to their neurodiversity.

What is Autistic Pride and why do we celebrate it?

Autistic Pride Day was first celebrated in 2005 before it became a global event that is celebrated widely through events on and offline. When Aspies for Freedom (AFF) created Autistic Pride Day, it was modelled on that of the gay pride movement. The day is about acceptance and celebration of the autistic community, much like Pride is a celebration of sexual and gender identity. The day itself was originated by autistic individuals and is still led by them now. The day allows individuals on the autistic spectrum to be their true, authentic selves, something which is vital for them in order to feel proud about their individuality. Autistic people were once afraid to ‘come out as autistic’, mainly due to the discourse of people seeing autism as something that is bad, therefore making Autistic Pride Day more important to those individuals who are on the spectrum.

Unfortunately, autism is stigmatised within society. Autistic individuals can be seen as less than their peers simply due to something they cannot control, they also face continuous obstacles which can include ableism, judgment, and pity. Not only that, autism can sometimes be treated as something that should be ‘cured’ rather than accepted, and this can lead to detrimental connotations for people who are on the spectrum. This is why celebrating, learning about autism, and accepting people who live with autism is vital.

What can we do to support people who are on the autism spectrum?

According to the British Medical Association, around 700,000 people in the UK have autism, a number that grows each year. Many people may want to know how to support someone with autism, especially if you know or work with someone who lives with autism.

Many individuals who have autism are able to live independent lives, but they can see, hear, and feel things differently from other people. They can sometimes find some aspects of life difficult to cope with, this can include:

Bright lights
Loud sounds
Some tastes
Colours
Smells

Autism affects people in different ways, it’s important to know that they will have different needs too. Some autistic people may need more time to understand information or will prefer to have it shared in a different way that allows them to understand quicker, for example.

How to support autistic people in the workplace

Just like any other person, people who live with autism can still work and live normal day-to-day lives like everyone else, this can include being able to work. As mentioned, autistic people can process information differently from others, and if someone in your workplace is autistic, you may want to know how to best support them. Below are a few ways you can support autistic people in your workplace.

Determine the most effective method of communication

In the workplace, it’s not uncommon for us to relay information to others quickly, whether that’s face to face or virtually, but people with autism may struggle when receiving information quickly. It’s important to find out their preferred way of communication, but according to the National Autistic Society, writing can be one of the best ways to communicate with people who have autism.

Don’t assume that they understand the unwritten rules

In the workplace, it’s not unusual to have unwritten rules, whether this is around what we should wear to contributions for birthdays or other special occasions, and sometimes autistic people may not understand or know that these exist. Writing down these unwritten rules can help your employees greatly.

Take the workplace environment into account

People with autism can react to bright lights, sounds, and smells differently to others and it’s important to take this into account. To combat this, you could change the workspace for your employees, offer some noise-cancelling headphones, or even offer some work from home time.

Despite the differences people with autism face, that doesn’t mean they should be made to feel less than others or treated differently, they can live a normal life like everyone else.

For more information on Autistic Pride Day and how best to support people with autism, take a look at the links below.

You can also download an infographic on supporting autistic employees in general practice here.

Information and Resources

Visit Autistic Empire for more information on Autistic Pride 2022.

Follow this guidance from the NHS England on how best to support autistic people within your GP practice.

Guidance on how best to support autistic employees by the National Autistic Society can help you and your employees support people with autism.