Since starting employment coaching with Autism Plus Izzy has learned so much about how autism affects her and how to take care of herself at work. This is especially important as Izzy also suffers from congenital heart disease which impacts her physical and mental health daily. One example of what Izzy has learnt through Autism Plus, is how to maintain a work-life balance.

Aabida’s sensory challenges made commuting to work incredibly stressful, and this impacted her anxiety levels and sleep, which in turn made her sensory issues worse.

Together, Aabida and her coach came up with coping strategies, including back-up plans and alternative solutions to problems which enabled Aabida to independently self-manage her anxiety. This reassured Aabida and made her feel more empowered and confident

Autism Plus were recommended to Antony by both Occupational Health Assessment and with seeking workplace adjustments to manage his stress levels, and to support him to come to terms with receiving an autism diagnosis at the age of 40.

Now, he is secondment to a role that suits his needs much better and enables him to be in a more sensory friendly office environment, where he is much happier and no longer actively looking for work in a different field.

After leaving Leeds City College in 2022 with qualifications in both travel and hospitality, Charlie’s dream job was to be either a receptionist/concierge in a hotel, or to work in travel and tourism

Through accessing our Rise2Thrive programme, Ellie now perceives herself as a valuable team member, marking a substantial milestone in her development and enabling her to see the wroth she can bring to an employer.

Ryan was referred to our Rise2Thrive programme from Jobcentre Plus shortly after receiving an autism diagnosis. During the initial appointment Ryan showed limited verbal communication, relying on non-verbal cues such as pointing, nodding and using his phone to express his needs.

Christopher has wanted to work in a café that is local to him for many years. He has a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorders and has volunteered in cafes for years but always struggled to take the step into paid employment.

Jack came to Autism Plus Specialist Employment support whilst completing a placement at the Chocolate Skills Academy, located at Autism Plus Chocolate Factory in Knaresborough.

David Struggled to engage with external services such as the Jobcentre. Because of this they referred him to the RISE project for support. David had little confidence and direction. He has little experience in work but would like to find employment.  

Before receiving support from Autism Plus Specialist Employment Support, Daniel was struggling with managing his attendance at work, managing his daily duties and day to day life outside of work. Daniel would often feel overwhelmed and there were many times when he didn’t feel like leaving the house.

When we first met Oliver, we saw a determined young person who needed people to believe in them. Oliver knew that they were ready to work and was willing to put in the effort to making this happen.

Ethan came to the service with the hope of accessing help to apply for a Teacher Training course. They had missed previous deadlines due to anxiety and struggled speaking to their friends and family about this. Ethan had been unemployed for a year prior to this.

Emma came to us having never been employed before. She had just completed University and was unsure about the direction she wanted to take her life in.

We supported Corey with communicating with the necessary people to ensure that he got moved to a safer environment. During this time, we also helped to build up Corey’s CV and cover letters ready for job searching.

Thomas attended his first appointment with Autism Plus in January this year. He was unemployed, struggling with anxiety and unsure how to manage his neuro-diverse condition.

Matthew is an extremely passionate young man, with a vivid interest in the rail industry. We are delighted to have been able to support him into this voluntary position and look forward to supporting him to continue his journey towards employment 

Joshua’s journey with the Youth Hub has been one of determination and growth despite facing multiple challenges due to his neurodiversity and health conditions.

Emilie’s journey with Autism Plus Employment Services has been one of transformation and growth. Living at home with her parents, she longed to create her own private space by redecorating her bedroom. However, she lacked the knowledge of budgeting and planning required to turn her vision into reality. Additionally, Emilie faced challenges in leaving her home regularly and struggled with forward planning.

Dylan faced significant mental health challenges amid custody battles and sole parenting responsibilities. Despite prior experience as a lab technician at Specsavers, Dylan sought a career path aligning with his interests in technology and science. However, childcare commitments and low confidence hindered his pursuit of employment opportunities.

Daniel, a young man on the autism spectrum, sought support from Autism Plus to navigate the challenges of understanding and embracing his autism diagnosis. Despite his enthusiasm for cars, Formula 1, music, and travel, Daniel struggled with confidence and envisioning a future in the workforce.