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This World Autism Acceptance Month, we are proud to launch an important new initiative designed to amplify autistic voices, influence future support, and help shape more inclusive workplaces across our region.

Our ‘Building Better Futures: Autism at Work’ survey is now live and we want to hear from autistic adults who are currently in paid employment, looking for work, or navigating the challenges of finding and sustaining a job.

Across East Anglia, we hear from autistic people every day who are eager to contribute their skills, talents, and insights in the workplace, yet often find themselves facing barriers that make employment difficult to secure or maintain. By gathering honest, lived‑experience feedback, this survey will help us understand those challenges more deeply and work towards building a fairer, more neuroinclusive future.

Your voice matters. And your experience can help drive meaningful change.

Why We Need Your Voice

Autistic adults have one of the lowest employment rates in the UK, despite many bringing exceptional strengths to their work. Whether it’s attention to detail, creative problem‑solving, deep focus, specialist knowledge, or innovative thinking, autistic talent can bring huge value to organisations of all sizes. Yet the employment landscape often fails to reflect this.

Common challenges include:

• Difficulty navigating recruitment processes
• Neurotypical communication expectations during interviews
• Limited adjustments in the workplace
• Sensory barriers in office environments
• Misunderstanding or stigma
• Lack of long‑term support once in a role

But these barriers are not inevitable they are solvable. And to change things, we need clearer, stronger data rooted directly in autistic experiences.

That’s exactly what this survey aims to capture. It has been designed to give autistic adults a platform to share their experiences confidentially and honestly. It takes around 10 minutes to complete and you can complete the survey anonymously, and you are free to skip any questions you do not wish to answer.

Every response helps. Every experience matters.

How the Findings Will Be Used

This survey is the first step in a wider project aimed at strengthening neuroinclusive employment across East Anglia. Your feedback will directly help Autism Anglia:

• Shape future services and support – Understanding lived experience helps us tailor our employment‑related programmes, advice, and advocacy work.
• Inform more in‑depth research – We plan to use the findings as the foundation for more detailed, ongoing research into autistic employment and neuroinclusion in the workplace.
• Engage local employers – By sharing insights with businesses, we can advocate for better recruitment practices, adjustments, and workplace cultures.
• Influence regional discussions – Your feedback will help us engage policymakers, local authorities, and employers in meaningful conversations about what needs to change.
• Champion autistic strengths – Highlighting the value autistic people bring to the workforce helps break down stigma and shift public understanding.

By taking part, you’re helping build better futures, not just for yourself, but for autistic adults across the region.

Why This Matters Now

With awareness growing around neurodiversity, many organisations are beginning to rethink how they recruit, support, and retain autistic talent. But awareness alone isn’t enough. To create real change, we must reflect on the voices and experiences of autistic people themselves.

World Autism Acceptance Month provides the perfect moment to spotlight this issue. Employment isn’t just about earning a wage, it’s about independence, purpose, wellbeing, and opportunity. Everyone deserves access to meaningful work, but the system must evolve to make that possible.

Autistic adults should not have to mask, struggle, or compromise their wellbeing to fit environments not built for their needs. Instead, workplaces must adapt, innovate, and embrace neurodiversity as a strength.

With your help, we can make that happen.

Take the Survey Today and Help Shape Change

If you are an autistic adult living in East Anglia, whether you are working, between jobs, newly employed, long‑term unemployed, or exploring opportunities, we want to hear from you.

Your perspective can shape the future of employment support, drive better understanding, and help create more neuroinclusive workplaces across the region.

👉 Take the survey today – https://autismanglia.com/bbfaaws26

The survey is quick, anonymous, and open to all autistic adults regardless of work history.

A Thank You From Us

To say thank you, every completed survey will be entered into a prize draw at the end of the month where one participant will win a £25 Amazon gift voucher.

This giveaway is optional, you may still respond anonymously and choose not to enter the draw if you prefer.

Help Us Build Better Futures

Thank you for being part of this important project. By sharing your experiences, you’re helping us advocate for better systems, better support, and better workplaces where autistic people can thrive, not just survive.

Let’s work together to build a future where autistic adults are recognised, valued, and supported in every workplace across East Anglia.