Adult Support and Employment

Adult Support and Employment Survey

Thank you for considering taking part in our survey.

This survey will help AsIAm develop an Adult Support and Employment Strategy. It will enable our Adult Support and Employment team to create access to resources and share best practices in the area of employment support and adult wellbeing.

If you would like more information about the project or have any questions, please contact debbie@asiam.ie.

Please note that this survey is designed for autistic individuals or people that speak for and advocate for autistic people in their lives. We welcome your feedback and thank you for taking the time to fill in the short survey.

Privacy Policy Statement

AsIAm respects your privacy rights and complies with our obligations under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

Personally, identifiable information is stored on our server and is not publicly accessible. Further, personally identifiable information is only accessed by AsIAm personnel on a “need to know” basis.

To prevent unauthorised access, maintain data accuracy, and ensure the correct use of information, we have put in place appropriate physical, electronic, and managerial procedures to safeguard and secure the information we collect online.

To read Survey Monkey's privacy policy statement click here.

For further information on our privacy policy statement please click here.

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* 1. Do you agree with the above privacy policy statement?

Yes

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* 2. What is your age or the age of the individual you're answering on behalf of?

Under 18

18-24

25-34

35-44

45-54

55-64

65+

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* 3. As the respondent of this survey, please tick which of the below apply. ‘I am…’

An autistic adult

Parent of an autistic adult

Carer of an autistic adult

An autistic adult who is also a parent or carer of an autistic adult

Self-identify as an autistic adult or have self-diagnosed

Other (please specify)

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* 4. How would you best describe your gender identity or the gender identity of the person you're answering on behalf of? This question is not mandatory.

Male

Female

Non-Binary

Prefer Not To Say

Other (You do not have to specify or provide any details if you would prefer not to)

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* 5. What is your or the person you're answering on behalf of current living situation?

Living with family

Independently

Semi-independently

With housemates

In a Day Service Setting

In a full-time service setting

Other (please specify)

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* 6. How open are you or the person you're answering on behalf of about your/their autistic identity?

Very open - I speak about it all the time with family, friends, and new people I meet

Somewhat open - I just speak about it with people I am close with

Not very open - I rarely speak about it, only when I have to

Other (please specify)

None of the above

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* 7. Are you or the person you're answering on behalf of currently attending any of the following?

Secondary School

College/University

Further Education

Employment Support Groups

Apprenticeship

National Learning Network

Other (please specify)

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* 8. What province do you or the person you're answering on behalf of live in?

Leinster

Munster

Connacht

Ulster

Outside Ireland (Please Specify)

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* 9. Would you describe where you or the person you're answering on behalf of live as urban or rural?

Urban (Within a city or town setting)

Rural - Outside of a town or city, within commuting distance

Rural - Outside of a town or city, NOT within commuting distance

Not Sure

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* 10. Do you or you or the person you're answering on behalf of identify as being autistic (either through a formal diagnosis or by self-diagnosis?)

Yes I have an official autism diagnosis and identify as being autistic

Yes I have an official autism diagnosis but prefer not to be defined by the condition/difference

No, I do not have an official diagnosis, but I identify as being autistic

No, I do not have an official diagnosis but believe that I may have traits that are consistent with being autistic

No, I have neither an autism diagnosis nor do I want an autism diagnosis to define my experiences

Other (please specify)

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* 11. Do you or the person you're answering on behalf have any experience of one or more of the following challenges due to your diagnosis?

Access to education

Access to employment

Discrimination in your community

Barriers to socialisation and inclusion within your community

Access to healthcare

Life skills (e.g. learning to drive)

None of the above

Other (please specify)

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* 12. Do you or the person you're answering on behalf of identify as being a member of one or more minority groups in Ireland? This question is not mandatory.

Traveller/Roma

LGBTQIA+

Religious minority

Ethnicity

None of the above

Other Minority Group (please specify)

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* 13. Do you or the person you are answering on behalf of have any conditions or differences other than autism? Examples may be; ADHD, OCD, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome etc.

If yes, please state which conditions/differences should you feel comfortable to do so. This question is not mandatory.

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* 14. What is the highest level of education you or the person you're answering on behalf of has?

Primary

Secondary

Certificate or Diploma (level 4 or 5)

Degree (level 7 or 8)

Masters or Post Graduate Diploma (level 9)

PhD (level 10)

Attended Education Outside of Ireland

Other (please specify)

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* 15. What is your current employment status or the status of the person you're answering on behalf of?

Never been employed

Seeking employment

In full-time employment and content with my position

In full-time employment and unhappy with my position

In part-time employment and content with my position

In part-time employment and unhappy with my position

Self-employed (owns their own business)

Freelance

Was previously in employment, but is now unable to work for various reasons

None of the above

Other (please specify)

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* 16. What type of employment are you or the person you're answering on behalf of currently looking for?

Full-Time

Part-Time

Contract

Freelance

Self-employed

Any type of work

Other (please specify)

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* 17. What area or industry are you or the person you're answering on behalf of currently looking for work in? (please tick more than one if applicable)

Retail (working in supermarkets, food stores, clothes shops, hairdressing/barbers, the beauty industry etc)

Hospitality (bars, restaurants, hotels, entertainment venues etc)

Technology or online media (working in a tech business such as Apple, Google, Tick-tock or a start-up)

The Arts (music, entertainment, acting etc)

Law, HR or Recruitment

Accounting, Economics or Actuary

Health (doctor, nurse, physio, etc.)

Communications (advertising, marketing, PR, journalism social media, animation etc)

Create your own business

Education (teaching, lecturing, special needs assistant)

Currently unsure my chosen career path

Other (please specify)

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* 18. If you are employed, does the industry you are currently employed within align with your educational background? (This question is not mandatory)

Yes

Yes, but it is not ideal

Other (please specify)

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* 19. Would you or the person you're answering on behalf of, like to take part in advice clinics for recruitment?

These clinics are a part of AsIAm's new Adult Support and Employment department and will include a variety of topics, such as interview prep, CV drafting, workplace conflict resolution.

We want to make this a community-led initiative, so we are eager for suggestions and will take all answers given on board for consideration.

Yes

Unsure (Please provide what would make this a comfortable and empowering experience for you, e.g. hosting clinics via Zoom, or in-person only etc.)

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* 20. What would you or the person you're answering on behalf of like these clinics to be about? (please tick one or more option)

Job searching

Cover Letter Development

CV Development

Interview Skills

The World of work (what happens in the workplace)

Conflict resolution at work

Hear from employers about how they changed their recruitment practises to be more inclusive of autistic people

Hear from autistic people who have been successful in job searching

Hear about companies that help autistic people get hired into the workplace

Other (please specify)

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* 21. In your opinion, what could employers do to make the process of hiring autistic employees easier? (Please tick as many answers as you feel would be beneficial).

Clearly state the policies/accommodations they offer to autistic candidates on their website

Train staff with the specific intention of making the hiring process autism-friendly

Make the interview process accessible in all aspects (e.g., providing clear outlines of pre-interview information and guidelines for attendance on the day of the interview)

Review their sources of recruitment (what companies they work with to hire potential candidates)

Review their job descriptions, expand on detail and increase clarity on precisely what the role involves

Offer virtual interviews or have video or at a minimum, provide images of where the interview will take place

Be mindful of what language the interviewer uses in the interview (and as a result, educate their staff on autism awareness and autism-friendly practices)

Offer constructive feedback after the interview, whether successful or not within a clearly defined timeframe

Other (please specify - we welcome all suggestions!)

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* 22. If you or the person you're answering on behalf of is unemployed, how long have you/they been unemployed? This question is not mandatory.

Less than 1 year

1-2 Years

3-4 Years

5-10

10+

Never accessed employment

Other (please specify)

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* 23. Are you or the person you're answering on behalf of involved with job coaching or employment services from any of the following organisations or another source?

Specialisterne Ireland

Employability

Ahead

Aspire Ireland/Aspire Productions

Third Level education employment programmes

Not involved in Job coaching or employment services

Other (please specify)

None of the above

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* 24. In your opinion, how could AsIAm support the adult autism community to gain employment? Please leave suggestions.

This question is not mandatory.

(We are keen to hear from the community directly regarding all perspectives in the employment process)

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* 25. Has the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic impacted you or the person you're answering on behalf of in the search for employment? Tick all that apply.

Unable to find work

Laid off or on furlough due to the pandemic

Nervous to apply to positions if it meant working in doors

Work had to go online, which impacted my abilities to work

My work continued as it did before

Other (please specify)

None of the above

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* 26. What other activities would be of interest regarding employment support? Tick all or any that apply.

Job shadowing - Following a person who works in a job you may like for a day

Internships - 3-4 month placements in organisations within a guided framework

Developing strategies for job searching, applying to jobs or interview skills

Developing strategies for motivation or self confidence in applying for positions

Group discussions - discussing common workplace anxieties or dealing with difficult issues in a group setting

Learning about local community employment/support groups in your area

Other (please specify)

None of the above

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* 27. If interested, how often would you or the person you're answering on behalf of like to attend these groups? This question is not mandatory.

Weekly

Every two weeks

Monthly

3-4 times a year

Other (please specify)

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* 28. Do you the person you're answering on behalf of currently attend an employment support group, either online or in-person?

Yes (Online)

Yes (In-person)

A hybrid of both

No, I do not attend these groups

Other (please specify)

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* 29. If you answered ‘yes’ to question 28, can you please specify if these groups relate specifically to autistic adults? This question is not mandatory.

Yes

Other (please specify)

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* 30. Do you or the person you're answering on behalf of have any specific supports that you might need to engage in an employment support group?

(E.g., bringing a personal assistant or carer, sensory companion dog, etc.).

Yes

Other (please specify)

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* 31. Are there any steps local businesses (such as the sports organisations and other local clubs) could take to assist an autistic individual find employment? This question is not mandatory.

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* 32. If you or the person you're answering on behalf is employed; are there any steps your current employer could take to support you in employment? This question is not mandatory.

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* 33. Do you or the person you're answering on behalf of currently engage with employment supports such as organisations that assist people with disabilities via any social media platforms?

Very often (daily basis during the week)

Often (once a week)

Sometimes (when needed)

Occasionally

Never

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* 34. Which platforms do you or the person you're answering for currently use?

Twitter

Instagram

Facebook

TikTok

Snapchat

None of the above

Other (please specify)

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* 35. Do you have any further comments related to helping autistic adults gain employment? This question is not mandatory.

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* 36. Thank you very much for helping to inform our survey and programme!

The below is not mandatory.

Respondents who complete the survey and who leave their email addresses to be added to our newsletter database will be in with a chance to win a 50€ One4All voucher.

Name

Email Address

Adult Support and Employment