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9440 Navigating the Workplace: Social Skill Development, Increased Autonomy Produces Career Advancement, Independent Living [BCBA Session]

Saturday, July 15, 2017: 10:15 AM-11:30 AM

Room: 101B (Wisconsin Center )

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Opportunities to obtain gainful employment and subsequently advance one's career are often restricted for individuals diagnosed with Autism. This presentation will provide attendees with means for developing and maintaining skill sets (self-care, time-management, independence, office-based social skills) needed for maintaining and advancing gainful employment. A case study will be presented.

This presentation, "Navigating the Workplace: Social Skill Development and Increased Autonomy Produces Career Advancement and Independent Living," is designed to provide attendees with both knowledge and methodology that may be used to help individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder obtain employment, maintain that employment once it has been found, and subsequently advance their placement within the company that employs them.

Individuals with ASD who are seeking employment often face limited opportunities and have difficulty maintaining positions once employment begins. Our presentation will address the development and maintenance of skills in the following critical employment areas:

(1) Self-care: Maintaining appropriate appearance is essential for obtaining employment. When searching for a job, most individuals only are afforded a brief interview in which to make a positive impression upon their prospective employer. Self-care skills are needed in order to help maximize the potential to obtain a job offer.

(2) Social Skills: Necessary for both the pre-employment process and for daily navigation of the complex social environment of an office or other place of employment, developing and maintaining social skills are a necessary for facilitating successful interaction with employers/supervisors/managers, as well as co-workers and customers. Attendees will be exposed to methodologies for increasing Workplace related Social Skills, including challenging situations such as responding to inappropriate behavior and/or bullying behavior exhibited by coworkers, successfully approach supervisors regarding more favorable work schedules, discussing raises, as well as applying for advancement in position within one's place of employment.

(3) Time-Management: Employers traditionally have little tolerance for staff arriving to work late, employees taking more time than is necessary to complete tasks, or employees taking excessive breaks, even if this is done accidentally. It is important to develop skills that minimize these incidents occurring.

Along with facilitating expanded employment, this presentation will discuss the related matter of facilitating greater independence and autonomy, by way of facilitating increased independent living skills.

A case study (in additional to current employment skill development research) will be presented, illustrating for attendees how these different skill development areas can be applied successful as a skill development package to an individual.

Thank you for your time and consideration of this submission.

Learning Objectives:

Examine methodologies for increasing Workplace Related Social Skills, including responding to inappropriate behavior and/or bullying behavior exhibited by coworkers.
Explore methodologies for increasing skills needed to successfully approach supervisors regarding more favorable work schedules, increases in pay (discussing raises), as well as advancement in position within one's place of employment.
Discuss methodologies for increasing personal time management skills and personal care skills needed for effective integration in the workplace and for increased personal independence at home.

Track: Life Stage 4 - Adulthood

Content Area: Meaningful Employment with Fair Wages

Presenters:

Alfred Tuminello, M.A., BCBA, LBA
NHS Autism Center Baton Rouge

Alfred Tuminello is a Licensed Behavior Analyst and Director of Operations for the NHS Autism Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He has served as McNeese State University Autism Program Director and is currently Louisiana Behavior Analyst Board Vice Chair. He has been published in the journal Philosophy, Psychiatry & Psychology.

Lester Tisdale, B.A.
Publications
The Attakapas Historical Association

Lester Tisdale is a Lafayette, Louisiana native who has spent time working as both an Applied Behavior Analysis line technician and also as a life coach, for teens and adults on the Autism Spectrum.

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