Autism Awareness
The WAM programme at AHEAD are running a free training webinar aimed at current WAM employers and potential WAM employers.
When: Wednesday 3rd March from 11.30am - 1.00pm
The WAM Programme is the transition to employment initiative of AHEAD. It offers graduates with disabilities the benefit of a 6 month minimum fully paid and mentored work internships with high profile employers. WAM was established in 2005 and, to date, have placed over 500 graduates with both private and public sector employers.
Event information
Autism is described as a ‘spectrum’ which means it impacts different people, in different ways, to differing degrees, at different times and in different situations. The Autism Spectrum is a very wide one, with people affected in a variety of ways, to a great number of varying degrees and no two people on the spectrum are affected in entirely the same way.
Over the last 10 years, there has been a significant increase in the number of autistic people going to further and higher education. In the latest AHEAD research on the number of students with disabilities engaged with disability support services in higher education, autistic people count for 6.9% of student with disabilities population.
It is more important than ever that employers are aware and ready to support autistic people in the transition to employment. With this, WAM have secured guest speaker Adam Harris, Founder and CEO of AsIAm to present information on the following;
- Language and Terminology around Autism
- Accommodating autistic people in the recruitment process
- Top tips for employers in providing workplace supports
Speaker Information
Adam Harris – Founder and CEO of AsIAm
Adam Harris is the Founder and CEO of AsIAm, Ireland’s National Autism Charity. Adam Founded the organisation based on his own experiences growing up on the autism spectrum. A Social Entrepreneurs Ireland Awardee, Adam is a frequent contributor to media and conferences in Ireland and overseas. From Greystones in Co Wicklow, Adam was appointed to the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission in July 2020.
Caroline McGrotty - Employment Manager, AHEAD
Caroline McGrotty holds a Bachelor in Deaf Studies and a Diploma in Irish Sign Language Teaching from Trinity College Dublin. She also has a higher certificate in Equality Studies from UCD. Caroline has over 14 years’ experience of working and volunteering with in the disability sector and various organisations within the Deaf community. She is currently Chairperson of the Sign Language Interpreting Service (SLIS) and the Employment Manager at AHEAD.
