Not many people with a child on the autistic spectrum embark on a mission to change the world in the way that Thorkil Sonne did. In 2004, Mr Sonne set up a company in his native Denmark staffed almost entirely by folk on the autistic spectrum.
That company – Specialisterne – has employed 155 people on the spectrum over the past six years. It has an annual turnover of £2m – and has clients such as Microsoft and Cisco Systems. Specialisterne specializes in IT areas such as programming and software testing.
At Specialisterne, it is “normal” to be on the autistic spectrum.
Mr Sonne has said: “This is not about offering cheap labour or some kind of occupational therapy. We charge market rates, our consultants receive a market salary and that is because they simply do a better job. If you have a piece of software that needs repeated testing, a student being paid to do in Britain or India is going to get bored and lose concentration at the fifth or sixth attempt.”
This is fantastic – and I’m sure it has changed the lives of the 155 ASD folk who have been employed by Specialisterne. But what is really encouraging is that this model has now been replicated outside Denmark.
The second incarnation of Specialisterne opened this month in Glasgow, Scotland. Over the next five years the
company will take on 50 recruits on the autism spectrum. The Specialisterne Scotland office was carefully chosen to be close to public transport and fitted out to separate it from the din of traffic and visual noise.
According to the UK National Autistic Society, 80 per cent of those with autism who receive the incapacity benefit in Britain would like to work – but just 15 per cent are in full-time employment.
With qualities like insight, precision and consistency, why wouldn’t people on the spectrum be in hot demand for employment? All that’s needed to open the way is a change of attitude. And the creation of working environments with predictability and systemisation – and minimal environmental stress. This is exactly what Mr Sonne has done – and it works for him as well as giving the good people he employs independence and a sense of participation in society that likely seemed out fo reach.
Thorkil Sonne’s ultimate goal is to find work for a million people with autism worldwide. Worthy goal indeed!
"I'm always on the lookout for the latest and greatest in health games especially one with great characters and thought out interface.
Our nonprofit organization advocates for the employment of persons with disabilities. I find Specialisterne to be a fascinating workplace. God bless the founder for such a wonderful idea.