What is neurodiversity?
“Neurodiversity may be every bit as crucial for the human race as biodiversity is for life in general. Who can say what form of wiring will prove best at any given moment?”
Neurodiversity is a way of thinking about neurological variations (such as Autism, Attention Deficit Disorder and Dyslexia) as variations from the typical population, rather than a disability. Advocates for neurodiversity reject the idea that it is a problem to be 'fixed', but rather that we are all neurologically diverse in some way.
Implementing various workplace accommodations, flexibility in the way we interact with others, and acceptance of neurodiversity as a way of life, would allow a meaningful percentage of the neurodiverse population to become valuable members of our working community.
THE FACTS
JPMorganChase completed a side-by-side comparison of a neurodiverse team with a neurotypical team, which indicated the neurodiverse team achieved 48% higher productivity.
The 30 participants in the DXC Dandelion Programme in software-testing roles at Australia’s Federal Government Department of Human Services have demonstrated 30% higher productivity over other teams.
A study by Curtin University in 2016, found that employing autistic adults benefited employees, employers and their organisations without incurring additional costs.
In March 2014, the Wall Street Journal reported that 85% of autistic people in the US are unemployed or underemployed and 60% of them have cognitive abilities at or above those of neurotypical people.
Who we are.
Our mission is to build high-performing teams from groups of highly-skilled individuals. We are passionate about identifying commercially-compelling opportunities in organisations for neurodiverse teams and uncovering extraordinary individuals to form those teams.
The identification of this untapped talent will be achieved via a growing neurodiversity hub community of practice and other partnerships and, in conjunction with world-leading partners, by applying cutting-edge testing and assessment techniques. The sustainability of these programmes will be supported by world-leading training and support, underpinned by an on-line / mobile suite of training and support tools.
We are a network of autism professionals, recruiters, software developers, training providers, researchers and workplace consultants, all passionate about neurodiversity inclusion.
Our partners.
We are working to create strong partnerships and connections with organisations focused on neurodiversity.
Untapped Talent is working in partnership with DXC Technology and their Dandelion Program to expand the breadth and reach of autism at work initiatives and develop a sustainable neurodiverse employment ecosystem.
Uptimize, the global leader in neurodiversity training, helps deliver more inclusive cultures where neurodivergent people can thrive. All training materials are developed via collaboration with global neurodiversity thought leaders, focus groups, and leading employers in the area of neurodiversity at work. Uptimize neurodiversity training solutions customers include Salesforce, Deloitte, IBM, and Google.
Link OT is the first ever neurodiversity consultancy service that utilizes evidence-based medical frameworks to get inside the psychology of what it means to think, process, interact, and self-regulate differently, resulting in neuro-inclusive recruitment, hiring, onboarding, integration and retention practices.
Life Sherpa is an assistive technology platform that functions as a virtual coach that provides the scaffolding to help neurodiverse individuals become more self-reliant at home, in the workplace and in life.
Life Sherpa-built programs deliver continuous, reinforced behavioral training and support through mobile devices to help colleges with post secondary programs, job coaching organizations and employers cost effectively manage and retain neurodiverse talent.
S23M is an inclusive non-hierarchical organisation operated by neurodivergent people that provides a safe and nurturing environment for divergent thinking, creativity, exploration, and collaborative niche construction. Our Creative Collaboration subscription assists organisations in establishing and improving psychological safety for all staff and organisational learning on an ongoing basis. S23M invites you to discover deeper forms of collaboration by transitioning from the information age to the knowledge age.
Autistic Collaboration is a community that welcomes all individuals and groups who fully appreciate the value of neurodiversity. The Autistic Collaboration website acts as a hub for mutual support, and encourages neurodivergent individuals and ventures to connect and establish long-term collaborations. The services offered via Autistic Collaboration include an index of learning resources developed by neurodivergent people with extensive life experience and a bullying alert system that allows neurodivergent employees to report unsafe work environments.
Dear Dyslexia Foundation is the leading organisation in Australia for changing the world of dyslexics through storytelling by giving young people and adults a platform to share their lived experience of dyslexia and other learning differences. We want to revolutionise the way our communities see and talk about dyslexia and create a world of acceptance and empathy that empowers young people and adults with learning differences to reach their full potential.
We are excited to assist in realising the Neurodiversity Hub initiative at Universities across Australia - working with Universities, TAFEs, corporates, service partners and research organisations.
If you would like to discuss the possibilities of partnering with Untapped Talent, please use the form below to reach out.
Our advisors
Professor Cheryl Dissanayake
BSc Hons, PhD Monash
Director, Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre, La Trobe University
Professor Dissanayake is the Founding Director of Australia’s first research centre dedicated to autism established in 2008. She has been an autism researcher since 1984, when she began her PhD at Monash University. On completion she undertook a postdoctoral fellowship in the Sigman lab at UCLA, and has established and led an active research program since joining La Trobe University in 1996.
In addition to her scholarly activities, with numerous grants and publications, Prof. Dissanayake was instrumental in bringing together Victorian and Australian autism researchers, having co-founded the Autism Victoria ASD Research Group (in 2003), the Australasian Autism Research Alliance (in 2005), the Australasian Autism Research Collaboration (in 2009) and the Australasian Society for Autism Research (2011), a member based society of which she is vice-president.
She is a Project Leader in the Cooperative Research Centre for Living with Autism, and is amongst the first cohort of Fellows inaugurated into the International Society for Autism Research (in 2018).
Laurie Ackles
LMSW
Laurie is a licenced social worker in upstate New York, USA and a higher education consultant with College Autism Spectrum (CAS), an independent organization of professionals whose purpose is to assist autistic students and their families. Laurie has served as the Director of the Spectrum Support Program at Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) since 2010. Under Laurie's leadership, the Spectrum Support Program has become a national leader in addressing the complex needs of an expanding population of degree seeking college students on the autism spectrum. Laurie is a trailblazer in her work related to helping autistic college students prepare for successful employment after graduation. Laurie is a frequent national speaker and the author of several publications.
Janine Rowe
MSEd., CCC, NCC, CASAC-T
Counselor, University of Rochester Medical Center
A counselor in an outpatient mental health and addictions clinic with the University of Rochester Medical Center. She was most recently a career counselor, Assistant Director of Disability - Career Services, and co-facilitator of the Neurodiverse Hiring Initiative at Rochester Institute of Technology in Rochester, New York. In addition to providing developmental career counseling, she provides education and advocacy for students with disabilities and consults with employers hiring individuals with disabilities.
Paulette Penzvalto
Paulette is passionate about diversity and Inclusion and is the Global Senior Manager in the Salesforce Office of Accessibility. Paulette has been a member of the San Francisco Mayor's Council for People with Disabilities and presents nationally on issues pertaining to autism and employment in tech. She studied Computer Science whilst a student at Columbia University, is currently a research assistant in the Department of Neuroscience at Stanford, has two graduate degrees in Opera and has performed internationally.
Jan Coplan
M.Ed
Jan has more than 25 years’ experience in the field of education and has been a career counselor for the past eight years. She is currently the Director of Career Connections at Landmark College in Putney, Vermont, an institution exclusively for students who learn differently, including students with a learning differences (such as dyslexia, ADHD and autism).
Jan is passionately committed to creating greater awareness of the advantages individuals with learning differences bring to the workplace. During her three years at Landmark College, she has worked fervently to increase the number of professional work experiences for neurodiverse individuals both locally and nationwide at Hasbro, JP Morgan Chase, Microsoft and SAP.
She has presented at various conferences including: National Career Development Association (NCDA), Cooperative Education and Internships (CEIA) and the College Inclusion Summit. She also attended the '2018 Autism @ Work Summit' at Microsoft in Redmond, Washington. Jan also presented, via video-link, at the Neurodiversity Hub Community of Practice event held in Australia in August 2018.
Jan is also a member of the Executive Steering Committee for the College’s Center for Neurodiversity and serves as Chair of its Partnership Building Committee.
Beth Radulski
PhD Candidate, BA, First-Class Honours Dual Degree: Sociology and Gender, Sexuality & Diversity Studies
Beth Radulski is the first openly Autistic Autism researcher at La Trobe University, and the founder of Advocate Neurodiversity. She regularly engages with media and community groups to advocate for Neurodiversity acceptance through public speaking, online articles and interviews. Drawing upon her academic background in Sociology and Gender, Sexuality and Diversity Studies, Beth works within the Office of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor Students at La Trobe University, where her role as Project Officer: Neurodiversity centres around improving accessibility and acceptance for Neurodiverse staff and students. Beth is a PhD Candidate at the Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre and Department of Social Inquiry (LTU) where she researches Autistic Masking and the Neurodiversity Movement. She sits on the Executive Committee of the Australasian Society for Autism Research and the Autism Inclusion Advisory Board at ACU.
James Manders
James Manders is a former Investment Banker with over 21 years of experience in the global financial markets. He has worked for some of the world’s most reputable Investment Banks and has broad experience across both Equity and Fixed Income business areas. He has lived and worked in most of the world’s major financial centers and has an expertise in the Asia Pacific region.
From an early age, James championed diversity and inclusion. Having experienced a gradual impairment in his vision over the course of his working life, he has a unique perspective on how we as a society embrace the challenge of tolerance and acceptance. He has looked through the prism of this critical issue from both the outside and within. His own experience has encompassed both the emerging and transformational aspects of diversity and inclusion.
Along with ongoing involvement in a number of alternative investment management funds in the Asian region, James is also a member of the Independent Advisory Council of the NDIS (National Disability Insurance Scheme) and is the only member from the corporate sector.
Matt Ormiston
Matt has lead technology cultural transformations in some of the world’s leading investment and retail banks across Australia, America and Europe with extensive travel through Asia and the Pacific. With more than 23 years’ experience in transformation, operations, governance and employee experience, Matt has been focused on improving and providing employment opportunities for interns, graduates, women and most recently those on the autism spectrum.
Encouraged by his Christian faith, Matt has worked with many community programs; combating alcoholism among indigenous Australians, helping the homeless in New York and supporting victims of bullying and trauma.
His own story took an unexpected turn when his son was diagnosed as autistic, taking him on a journey of denial, acceptance and now advocacy, inspiring a passion to see autistic people build thriving careers.
Matt has appeared on television and radio and speaks widely of the autistic talent overlooked by employers. In 2018, he was awarded parent / carer of the year by Autism Spectrum Australia (ASPECT) for his work in establishing the first long term autism employment program in the Australian Financial industry, ANZ’s Spectrum Program.
In his role as an Autistic Employment Advocate, Matt advises a range of organisations on approaches to establishing their own programs.
Contact us.
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