Dear Rasha Abu Baker,
We read with great interest your recently featured article “UAE: What’s next after school? Parents call for more employment opportunities for autistic people” published in the Khaleej Times, United Arab Emirates (UAE). We want to congratulate you for bringing forward an inspiring story about employment among individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This article grabbed our attention because it highlights how parents of children on the spectrum, irrespective of geographical boundaries, share a common concern about an uncertain future for their children. Your unique and comprehensive article took a multi-dimensional approach, covering the perspectives of some of the parents of Emirati children, guidance and suggestions from a local expert, as well as information about UAE initiatives regarding the improvement of the health and well-being of people with ASD.
All the parents of the five teens featured in the story expressed their worries about a bleak future for their children, despite having the skill sets and talents to excel in the workplace. Parents acknowledge the major support from the government in the form of allowance for people with determination (the term used for people with developmental disabilities in the UAE) but at the same time expressed their concern about the lack of sufficient, appropriate vocational (employment) training programs currently available to address the varied needs of teens with autism. As you shared, parents are calling for specific training programs that include ample opportunities for teens on the spectrum to practice the skills that will empower them to become active members of society. An overwhelming message from parents associated with the autism community is that the focus should be on their strengths, rather than any challenges or deficits they may have.
The local autism expert, Sharifa Yateem, who is recognised as the first Emirati to become a board-certified behaviour analyst (BCBA), has emphasized the importance of transition programs for teens with autism as they allow for the exploration of skills, talents, and interests. She admits that although there has been growth in vocational training opportunities supported by the UAE government, more needs to be done by the private sector to support the hiring of autistic employees. She feels that the employers, and the community at large, lack understanding of autism and fail to recognize that people with autism can bring a strong skill set and unique perspective to the workplace. There are many examples of successful business that have benefited from recent autism specific hiring efforts including Chevron, SAP, Walgreens, CVS, and Ford.
Your article also shares the news of the recently announced National Policy for Persons with Autism Spectrum Disorder, which is tasked with raising quality of life, upgrading skills, supporting families and caregivers, and increasing public awareness about autism. The UAE leadership deserves an applause for this progressive vision. We hope that with the launch of these newly implemented policies and initiatives, more transition programs will be created in the country to provide increased work opportunities for young adults on the spectrum. We also wish that local businesses and the community at large will come together and join hands in fighting for this cause.
At this time, when data indicates that most people with autism world-wide are either unemployed or underemployed, your article does a great job in reminding us that as individuals with ASD age, options such as employment become increasingly important to consider for their long-term personal planning and quality of life. While many challenges exist for autistic people in obtaining and maintaining employment, we must remember that collective efforts from society to support these adults is imperative, as people with autism also want to feel like, and are very often fully capable of being, contributing members of the community.
In closing, we wanted to share information about a few of our resources relevant to the topic at hand. We have reviewed a wonderful resource Working in the Community: Guide for employers of people with autism. We also have a dedicated section on our website called ‘Lifespan,’ which serves as a comprehensive resource for families and providers of adolescents and adults with autism, and covers topics such as Preparing adults with autism for employment success and articles on topics such as effectively preparing teens with autism for future employment, promoting success in the community, and expanding leisure skills in young adults.
Readers can also find motivational stories from other parents under our interview section including Pam Browne, Maria Thompson Corley, Barbara McLeod, and Beverley Sharpe. These parents have shared their exceptional journeys of creating successful employment opportunities for their children.
Once again, we appreciate your effort in bringing up this issue, which is often overlooked. If your readers are interested in learning more about autism, we encourage them to visit our website.
Sincerely,
Sunita Chhatwani, MSc, MEd
David Celiberti, PhD, BCBA-D
Association of Science in Autism Treatment
