‘Ready to show the world what they can do’
‘Neurodiversity’ movement backs those with ADHD, autism, other conditions
Hiring someone with autism to help her with administrative tasks left Erica Wight stressed about the way that decision could ultimately make more work for her.
Three or four months after she brought the new employee on board, Wight said, she stopped back-checking his work — it was flawless. The worker may not have had the typical social interactions of other colleagues in the office, but besides being accurate, he was always focused, and his insatiable curiosity left him the “king of small talk,” Wight told 100 human resource professionals Thursday at Kennedy Krieger Institute. Their workshop discussed altering hiring practices to find “neurodiverse” job candidates, or those with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or dyslexia, or on the autism spectrum.
“We have another minority group here, and they are finished being judged only by their shortcomings,” said Wight, a human resources manager for the Children’s Inn at the National Institutes of Health. “They’re ready to show the world what they can do.
“This is the neurodiversity movement.
This is the next huge wave. This is a civil rights movement and this wave is happening now.”
The movement attempts to address historically low unemployment rates by encouraging employers to see the skills and See NEURODIVERSITY, page 11
Three or four months after she brought the new employee on board, Wight said, she stopped back-checking his work — it was flawless. The worker may not have had the typical social interactions of other colleagues in the office, but besides being accurate, he was always focused, and his insatiable curiosity left him the “king of small talk,” Wight told 100 human resource professionals Thursday at Kennedy Krieger Institute. Their workshop discussed altering hiring practices to find “neurodiverse” job candidates, or those with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or dyslexia, or on the autism spectrum.
“We have another minority group here, and they are finished being judged only by their shortcomings,” said Wight, a human resources manager for the Children’s Inn at the National Institutes of Health. “They’re ready to show the world what they can do.
“This is the neurodiversity movement.
This is the next huge wave. This is a civil rights movement and this wave is happening now.”
The movement attempts to address historically low unemployment rates by encouraging employers to see the skills and See NEURODIVERSITY, page 11
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