“My challenge is to find someone at employer partners that is a champion for Upbound and believes in (diversity, equity and inclusion) and believes that having people with disabilities on their team really makes their team better,” Schaefer said. She said that many people may want to hire someone with a disability to meet DEI credentials within a company, but hiring one person with autism to check a box as an act of charity isn’t what Upbound is about. Upbound seeks to add value to the workplace through qualified employees who are on the spectrum. They include training for their employer partners that help them further their understanding of autism. Instead of focusing on the disadvantages of disability, Upbound emphasizes the strengths and intelligence of individuals with autism. In the two years that Upbound has existed, they’ve now partnered with 25 employers in fields such as finance, manufacturing and sterilizing medical equipment, and legal work. Upbound has placed 65 individuals in careers but has worked with over 500 people to assist them with career coaching, training and application aid. Upbound works with people with all levels of education and of all ages. Sam Medley, 24, is one of the 65 individuals to work with Upbound to find a job. Medley said that Upbound helped him get out of a funk he was in when it came to finding a job. About a year ago, Upbound helped place Medley in a law office’s mail room. “They helped me feel comfortable here by helping me to introduce myself to all the employees and my coworkers in my department, which I really liked — having a familiar face that I can rely on to help me calm down and feel OK in the moment.” He said that Upbound also assisted him in getting settled into the job by helping him stay on track, teaching him to take notes and keeping him encouraged through their frequent check-ins to see how he was adjusting to his new position. “People want to help people with disabilities,” Medley stated. “That’s what I’ve really learned. I’m not alone. Because we’re autistic, that doesn’t mean we can’t do the same things that everyone else does. I don’t want to be treated like a child; just treat me like an adult. We can do the same things. We just have to do it at our pace.” For more information on the Autism Alliance of Michigan, visit https://autismallianceofmichigan.org. For more information on MI-Access, visit www.michigan.gov/mde.

Advertisement

Let's build the next big thing. Right now!

Learn More