April is Autism Month, and at Monash Health, we’re encouraging a shift in the conversation from mere autism awareness to complete autism acceptance across our health service and community.
Autistic people don’t just need you to be aware of the fact they are autistic – they need whole-hearted, acceptance of their strengths and differing needs.
Autistic people have long been stigmatised and marginalised in society, making it harder for them to interact with the world around them – but times are changing. As we become more aware of the strengths and talents of autistic individuals, we’re also learning how to create more accommodating and supportive environments for them.
What are we doing for autistic employees?
At Monash Health, we recognise autistic individuals bring unique perspectives, skills, and creativity to our workplace and beyond, and we are working with them to accommodate their needs. Through our upcoming Disability Strategy and Action Plan 2023-27 and Workplace Adjustment Guideline, we will provide reasonable adjustments to employees and volunteers with disability, including autism. These adjustments aim to remove barriers to the recruitment process and allow employees to perform their roles efficiently and effectively.
We are collaborating closely with external providers, like Amaze, to learn how to maximise our capacity to employ and retain neurodiverse people. We are also developing training to help support managers accept and meet the needs of our neurodiverse people.
By accommodating the individual needs of neurodiverse people, we will increase our ability to better attract and retain a talented workforce with invaluable skillsets and strengths that reflects the community we serve.
What are we doing with and for the autistic community?
Beyond our teams, we are also engaging with our community to better support the needs of our autistic consumers. Based at Monash Children’s Hospital and Monash University, our Complex Autism and Neurodevelopment Group is deeply immersed in research to improve support and care for autistic children and adolescents, and their families. These research learnings continually feed back into our services, improving our care and outcomes.
The research group has a number of pilot studies and research programs embedded in all services, such as “Connect”, which works to connect autistic people and their families to a variety of community services. Understanding there is no ‘one size fits all’, the group tailors support, and recognises and celebrates the strengths of each individual and their family.
We know that accommodating neurodiversity is not just a matter of goodwill, but a necessity for building a more inclusive and just society. By embracing autism acceptance, we can help create a world where everyone can thrive, regardless of their neurological differences.
This Autism Month, let’s celebrate the autistic individuals in our lives, and work to create more inclusive and accommodating spaces for them. Let’s listen to their voices and learn from their experiences, and benefit from the broadened views and experiences of more diverse people.
