Neurodiversity at Work

For more information about opportunities for current Stanford students, visit the Student Support page. 

We are also in the process of partnering with companies to create external internships for neurodiverse students. 

Are you interested in becoming a mentor of neurodiverse individuals at Stanford?  Please contact us through this website.

GUIDANCE FOR MENTORS

Employees on the autism spectrum have many strengths and also unique areas of challenge. Your mentee may need support in some of the following areas:

• Understanding the “hidden curriculum” of the workplace
• Interacting with colleagues and managers
• Handling conflict and receiving feedback
• Asking for help or clarification
• Developing strategies for handling emotions on and off the job
• Navigating the various departments and programs at UIT and Stanford
• Arranging necessary accommodations
• Integrating into the social milieu
• Learning executive functioning and organization strategies
• Following good hygiene

Mentoring Best Practices:

• Debrief one another on meetings, projects, events; share observations
• Brainstorm about projects and tasks
• Role-play situations
• Share tools and processes (e.g., templates, assessments, documents)
• Challenge each other on assumptions
• Question each other
• Give each other feedback
• Maintain confidentiality

Tips for working with employees with ASD:

Individuals on the autism spectrum have a unique learning and communication style. Consider the following tips when working with your mentee:

• Initiate meetings with your mentee
• Build rapport with your mentee and discuss their interests and background
  
• Communicate in an explicit, concrete, and concise manner
• Use visual supports and modeling
• Check for understanding
• Explore your mentee’s strengths and positives as well as areas of challenge

Mentors are in a good position to:

• Have reasonable expectations of the mentee
• Be a resource
• Be a catalyst
• Give and receive feedback
• Allocate time and energy
• Help the mentee develop an appropriate learning plan
• Follow-through on commitments or renegotiate appropriately

Roles for mentors

• Job orientation (helping a mentee settle in to a new role or job)
• Career coach (helping a mentee review their career goals and plans)
• Skills coach (helping a mentee develop specific skills)
• Professional or personal development coach (helping a mentee grow)
• Confidant (being there for a mentee)
• Technical advisor (being someone with whom a mentee can discuss technical questions)
• Correspondent (being someone to whom a mentee can explain their ideas)

Mentors are NOT Expected to:

• Do the work for the mentee
• Manage the mentee as a supervisor would
• Be an expert in every imaginable development area
• Develop a friendship with the mentee

GUIDANCE FOR CO-WORKERS AND TEAM BUDDIES

Employees on the autism spectrum have many strengths and also unique areas of challenge. Your mentee may need support in some of the following areas:

• Transitioning into the work environment
• Understanding the “hidden curriculum” of the workplace
• Interacting with colleagues and manager
• Asking for help or clarification
• Developing self-advocacy
• Navigating your specific team/department  
• Recognizing necessary accommodations
• Integrating into the social milieu

Buddying Best Practices:

• Support one another in meetings, projects, events; share observations
• Brainstorm about projects and tasks
• Share tools and processes (e.g., templates, assessments, documents)
• Challenge each other on assumptions
• Question each other
• Give each other feedback

Tips for working with employees with ASD:

Individuals on the autism spectrum have a unique learning and communication style. Consider the following tips when working with your mentee:

• Initiate meetings with with your co-worker
• Build rapport with your  co-worker and discuss  their interests and background
• Communicate in an explicit, concrete, and concise manner
• Use visual supports and modeling
• Check for understanding
• Acknowledge your co-workers strengths and positives as well as areas of challenge

Buddies are in a good position to:

• Help the co-worker day-by-day
• Recognize issues early
• Have a close relationship at work and outside  of work

Roles for Buddies

• Job orientation (helping a co-worker settle in to a new role or job)
• Skills coach (helping a co-worker develop specific skills)
• Correspondent (being someone to whom a co-worker can explain their ideas)
• Technical advisor (being someone with whom a co-worker can discuss technical questions)

Buddies are NOT Expected to:

• Do the work for the co-worker
• Manage the co-worker as a supervisor would