Dropping the Mask: Flipping the Script - Practical Inclusion for Autistic & Neurodivergent People

Описание: Most organisations approach neurodiversity inclusion by asking autistic people to adapt to existing workplace norms. This creates a revolving door where capable people cycle through jobs not because they lack skills, but because standard practices assume everyone thinks, communicates and processes information the same way. The question this session tackles is: what if the environment needs to change rather than the person?

Ainslie Robinson and Kristy Kelly explore how organisations can build autism-friendly workplaces through practical strategies that often cost little or nothing. They examine why traditional hiring processes primarily test confident articulation rather than job capability, introduce tools like the My Work Profile that help teams work together more effectively, and demonstrate how universal design principles benefit all employees. The session draws on Aspect's organisational practices, research on autistic employment, and lived experience to challenge the linear "spectrum" model and outdated assumptions about autistic capability.

This session offers concrete starting points for creating psychologically safe environments where people can ask questions, access information in ways that work for their thinking, and contribute their strengths without constant self-advocacy. It provides perspective on why awareness alone doesn't create inclusion and what changes actually matter to autistic employees navigating workplaces designed for neurotypical communication patterns.