Abilities First: Celebrating Autism Acceptance Month with Greater Awareness and Understanding
“Old National has been the first company that I have worked for that I have felt comfortable openly sharing that I have a disability."
The month of April encompasses both World Autism Day and National Autism Acceptance Month, a time to foster greater awareness, understanding and inclusion of the diverse experiences and perspectives within the autistic community.
One in four, or 25% of people in the United States, identify as having a disability of some kind. This includes a percentage of team members at Old National Bank who are neurodivergent, or whose brains have different strengths and challenges, and are on the autism spectrum.
The autistic spectrum is broad, and people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) may have different ways of learning, moving or paying attention. ASD has replaced the term “high-functioning autism,” which was once the unofficial term used for people whose autism traits appear mild.
According to the Virginia Autism Foundation, the prevalence of autism has increased 17% each year for the last 25 years, underlying the need for support and understanding. And according to Massachusetts General Hospital, companies that focus on recruiting, retaining and nurturing neurodivergent team members gain a competitive advantage in productivity, innovation, culture and talent retention.
“Old National has been the first company that I have worked for that I have felt comfortable openly sharing that I have a disability,” says Kate Frank, co-chair with Amy Jones of the Abilities First Impact Network at Old National.
The group, comprised of Old National team members, promotes an inclusive work environment by increasing awareness of the needs of those with disabilities while providing a disabilities educational forum.
“This is in part because of how accepting everyone at Old National is, and because of the commitment to DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion),” Frank added.
Jones, who does not have a disability herself but supports the group as the co-chair and an ally, has a 19-year-old nephew who is autistic, as well as family members and close friends with a variety of disabilities. She says supporting not only those with autism, but all disabilities, is key for workplace and societal inclusion, as not all disabilities are apparent.
“Being a part of Abilities First has increased my awareness of the importance of promoting acceptance and inclusivity of all disabilities, apparent and non-apparent,” Jones says. “It could be a team member who has a disability, or someone in their family or a friend. We want to provide resources and educational information to help and support them.”
Frank says listening to the stories of autistic individuals is a great way to celebrate National Autism Acceptance Month. One source is the Instagram social media network, where accounts run by autistic individuals show that “everyone’s story is different -- hearing what individuals who are neurodivergent go through will help everyone be more accepting.”
Frank and Jones stress the need to be open-minded, not give in to stereotypes, and realize that many neurodivergent individuals may have difficulty with seemingly simple things such as making eye contact – and that it is not a result of being disrespectful or not listening.
“There are many stereotypes about individuals with autism and those who are neurodivergent or have a disability, and many people feel they have to hide who they are, especially at work, because of those stereotypes,” Frank says. “I would encourage you to get to know the individual and not just believe that because of their disability they are ‘less than.’ As a mother of a child who is neurodivergent, I hope that by the time he enters the workforce, he will not feel like he has to hide his disability because it is something that will hold him back, but rather be able to openly share his disability because people will see it as a strength, not a weakness.”
“We are all human beings,” Jones adds, “who deserve the same kindness, respect and opportunities to reach our full potential.”
For more information on National Autism Acceptance Month and supporting awareness, click here.
For more information on Old National’s Abilities First Impact Network, email Kate Frank or Amy Jones.
