For the benefit of all
Greater accessibility of the labor market for autistic people could not only bring benefits in the form of greater participation of these people in society, but would mean a measurable gain in the form of an additional PLN 12 billion a year for the Treasury, according to the authors of the report "The Road to Opening the Labor Market in Poland for Autistic People."
The pluses of activating people on the spectrum are many, and the costs are relatively small. Every 100 zlotys spent on an activation program means - according to a moderate scenario - 500 zlotys of revenue to the budget. We're talking about an annual increase in GDP of up to 1.2%.
(Un)many takers
The green light for gainful employment opportunities for people on the spectrum is also being given by society. According to research conducted for the report, more than 60% of Poles believe that autistic people can take up active gainful employment. As many declare that, being an employer, they would hire people on the spectrum. Despite this, only 2% of the 400,000 autistic people in Poland are working, according to the report prepared by the JiM Foundation in cooperation with the Polish Economic Institute. This is five times less than the average in the European Union. There are many reasons for this situation. The most common is the lack of adequate support and assistance after education to prepare them for work and independent living.
REPORT: The road to opening the labor market in Poland for autistic people