© specialist people foundation 2011. all rights reserved. 1 turning disability into specialist...

© Specialist People Foundation 2011. All rights reserved. 1

Turning Disability into Specialist Abilities

- the Specialisterne Case

DublinMarch 22 2012

Thorkil SonneFounder, Specialisterne & Specialist People FoundationChairman, Specialist People FoundationAshoka Globalizer Fellow


Strong Idea

Global Impact

Proven Case

Local Impact


Weed or herb?

Unwanted or wanted?

You decide!


SPECIALIST PEOPLE


Shift in the way value is created…

Industrial value creation…fitting in is all important

Innovation based value creation…not fitting in is all important

Source: “Specialisterne - Its Broader Importance in 21st Century Management”,Speech at Specialist People Conference 2011by Robert D. Austin, Harvard Business School / Copenhagen Business School


Specialisterne For-profit social enterprise Owned by the non-profit Specialist People Foundation Focus on high functioning people with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Services Consulting software management, testing, registration and logistics 5 month assessment and training 3 year youth education

People 20 people as staff and management 35 people with ASD as consultants 20 people (18+ years) with ASD as trainees 33 people (16 – 25 years) with ASD as students


Danish Company Model

Management &Administration

HumanResources

SpecialistPeople

Foundation

Education Assessment

BusinessSpecialistPeople


Selection

Application

Structured dialogue - Ongoing 12- 20 weeks

Profiling 1 week

The assessment process is considered relevant

Introduction 1 week

Competence assessment

1 week

IT Training 5 week

Work readiness training 1 -2 week

Internship 4 -12 week Transition

Specialisterne Assessment Model


Specialisterne Brings Unique Competencies to Businesses

Passion for details - all services offered are characterized by the unique competencies of our consultants:

High level of concentration Perseverance for repetitive actions Pattern recognition Spot deviances in data, information and systems Attention to detail Process optimisation

Specialisterne consultants brings unique competencies to tasks where most companies employees are often less skilled and motivated.


Data Logistics

TestingRegistration

Software management

Data collection J ournalizing & cataloging

Hardware Functionality testing

Data registration

Quality control

Data migration

Database optimization

Test specification

Software testing

Platform specific testing

Data & service management

Complexity & Price

Embedded testing

Specialisterne Business Services


Customer Cases


Customer Reference: IBM Denmark

“IBM has a long history of commitment to Diversity - focusing on equal opportunities, eliminating barriers and understanding cultural differences.

As a result, when approached by Specialisterne in 2010, IBM quickly expressed its intentions to establish a long-term working relationship with Specialisterne in order to create job opportunities for people with Autism Spectrum Disorders.

As we speak, IBM has just hired its first two employees with ASD, with the assistance of Specialisterne. Both jobs will be in the Security Administrations department.

In addition, IBM wants now to discuss further how to expand the cooperation, for example by enrolling interns from Specialisterne in various departments.”


Impact on employees

We are creating HOPE

Having a job gives

valuable life content

After years of exclusion, a job or an education reestablishes self confidence

A job gives more purchasing power than being on social welfare (if any)!

A job brings you back in

society and makes you feel

you contribute (taxes etc.)

A job motivates you to get up in the morning and do the best you can


Impact on corporate partners

• Higher quality in tasks requiring passion for detail

• Great value for money

• Access to untapped pool of skilled resources

• Improvement of management skills

• Combining social responsibility with business needs


Changing the paradigm

Vision A World where people with autism and similar

challenges are seen as equal citizens in society

Mission To make people with autism and similar

challenges feel wanted and help themexcel in the right roles

Values

Respect Accommodation Accessibility Clarity

Goal To enable one million jobs for specialist people

- people with a business potential who need special understanding and support to excel


Desk research

Field research

ASDIndustry

andMarket

SocialWelfare System

Specialisterne

Desk research

Field research

Desk research

Field research

Desk research

Field research

• Diagnosis protocol

• Network• Employ-

ment situation

• Existing institutions

• Survey for the local autism community

• Key stake-holders within the ASD area

• Price benchmark

• Demand and competition

• Sector turnover

• Salaries• Fixed costs

• Leaders from the local IT and other relevant sectors

• Expected incentives and subsidies

• Working schemes for disabled people

• Munici-palities

• Region• State• Country• Other key

stake holders

• Financial and funding conditions

• Legal and ownership structures

• Financial forecasting and budget

• Local legal experts

Model for Feasibility Study


Status in Ireland

• Specialisterne Feasibility Study finalized

• Specialisterne Ireland Advisory Board established

• Specialisterne Ireland lead– Mary Ann McCormack

• Ashoka support

• Founding Corporate Partners sought

• Funding sought


Thorkil Sonne

Founder Specialisterne Specialist People FoundationAshoka Globalizer [email protected] www.specialistpeople.com

Let’s make Ireland benefit from our experience on turning disabilities into specialist abilities.

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.specialisterne.com/

http://www.specialistpeople.com/

© specialist people foundation 2011. all rights reserved. 1 turning disability into specialist...

Documents