‘A lot of companies don’t realize how hardworking and loyal people with autism are’: The chocolate factory where most employees are autistic

“In 2001, people weren’t really aware of autism and Ash didn’t speak out until he was almost six years old,” says Mona.

Shunned by most schools, everything was made “very, very difficult”, and things got out of hand when she saw the parents of the other children taking their children away from Ash, telling them he was “crazy”.

“He just wanted to make friends and he didn’t know what ‘crazy’ meant, we knew we had to do something.”

Thanks to the UK Highly Skilled Migrant Scheme, Shaz, who is an engineer, was able to move to England with his wife, son Ash and daughter Mina in 2006.

The couple got good jobs, “but we started thinking about Ash’s next steps,” Mona says.

By chance, she meets a chocolatier and, fascinated, she takes part in a chocolate-making course.

“I realized the routine and structure to make chocolate and it was also quite an experience sensory“, he says, thinking it would be “perfect for people with autism.

She started making chocolates at home and Ash and his friends from the School for Children with Special Educational Needs loved being involved.

The couple secured funding and their social enterprise – Harry Specters – began to take shape as orders from the companies poured in.

Social enterprises are businesses whose main objective is social change rather than profit.

They moved into what is now their factory in Ely, where everyone but them and the packaging supervisor has autism.

Looking at the stats, Shaz says they discovered that the 85% of people with autism were unemployed, but 61% were more than anxiousa to work.

“There’s a misconception that people with autism can need a lot of support, but the truth is that everyone needs support when starting a new job,” he says.

“A lot of companies don’t realize how hardworking and loyal people with autism are. They never hesitate to take responsibility and always ask, ‘What do you want me to do now?'”

“Many people with autism are eager to find jobs that reflect their talents and interests, and have a lot to offer employers,” says Richmal Maybank, head of employer recruitment at the National Autistic Society in the UK.

“Small changes in the hiring process and in the workplace can make a big difference, like having a basic understanding of autism and working with autistic employees to determine what’s best for them.”

The Shahs quickly understood the importance of “routine and structure” to make chocolate for your team.

“It can be very reassuring for someone with autism: if you’re doing something you know and it’s repetitive, you can almost meditate (when you’re doing it),” Shaz says.

Some of their staff started with internships and progressed to full-time jobs, which gave them the confidence to move on to another job.

A former employee with autism suffered from depression and barely spoke when she arrived. But when she left, she was running across the room to answer the phone because she wanted to talk to people, Mona said.

This woman is now a successful data analyst.

“We see this place as an ‘incubator,’ building the confidence and morale of people who have a lot to contribute,” says Mona.

Chocolatier Greg Smith, 25, has worked at Harry Specters for about five years.

It started with a work experience test and then evolved into a full-time job.

“It was my first paid job,” he says.

He started in the packaging department, and is now a real chocolate maker.

“The trip they took me on is incredible, really It changed my life“.

Harry Specters recently won a contract to supply supermarket chain Aldi with bars of its chocolate, after appearing on a national TV show.

“When we got the contract, everyone was thrilled,” Smith said.

“I’m very proud of every member of the team; without them, I wouldn’t be where I am today. »

“It really brought out the best in me, I feel like you’re use your disability as a superpower“, he says of the company.

Smith works closely with fellow chocolatier Bruce Hall, 20, who first came to the company for an internship six years ago.

He is known as “the file boy” because one of his duties is to check that the company’s documentation is in order.

“Working in the factory is good,” he says, and one of the benefits is “being able to eat leftovers.”

Zoey Clenshaw, 32, is the operations manager. She is “autistic and proud…so proud (of that).”

He has worked at the factory for about 18 months and has just been diagnosed with autism.

“I was a freelance artist, but I felt I needed a more stable job,” he explains.

“However, I was very anxious to get a job, as I found that people wouldn’t even make small accommodations to accommodate me in the workplace.”

“But here the story is completely different.”

“I used to worry about coping, being stressed and angry, but now I’m thriving.”

“It used to make me terribly anxious, but now I go to trade shows and talk to people. That’s not to say the anxiety is gone, but here they say ‘okay, let’s find a way around it. this, “is really a good team.”

Zoey has earned the nickname “the office octopus” because the Shahs say she does “just about everything” besides making chocolate.

Fountain: NHS (UK National Health Service)

Joseph Carass, 24, first joined the company in May 2019 for an internship and says he does a “wide variety of jobs”.

This includes taking the chocolates out of their molds “and making sure they’re all perfect”.

His know-how has earned him the title of “release manager” and he says he finds the factory environment “very favorable”.

“I really appreciate the rest of the team: they make the chocolates and I unmold them,” he explains.

“I work full time now, because there is a lot of work at this time of year, and I would like to stay here, I don’t think I would be happy in any other job.”

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