About Us
Specialisterne Canada helps businesses and employers understand, value, and integrate the unique perspective and capabilities of people on the autism spectrum, or those who face similar barriers to employment.
Specialisterne is an internationally recognized leader in harnessing the talents of people on the autism spectrum by providing them with the opportunity to sustain meaningful employment. Originally founded in Denmark by Thorkil Sonne, Specialisterne now operates in fourteen countries around the world. Canada is the newest addition to this growing global organization.
People affected by autism are an underestimated, underutilized resource in Canada; rich in individuals with tremendous skills in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, the arts and more. Yet far too many are underemployed which can lead to disengagement and be costly for families and social services. For close to a decade, Specialisterne has been developing proven and emerging hiring and management practices that enable the employment of people on the spectrum by removing the barriers to previously inaccessible industries and careers.
Our objective is to enable 25 thousand jobs for people with autism in Canada, contributing to a global objective of one million jobs. We believe there is a readiness for progressive change amongst businesses in Canada and a clear movement toward strong corporate social responsibility. By operating with transparency about whom we hire and why we hire them, Specialisterne will be a leader with a strong voice in the emerging social impact space in Canadian business.