About Us

Learn about who we are and what our vision for A-Plus Connect is.

What is A-Plus Connect?

A-Plus Connect is a new initiative from Amaze, created as part of the wider A-Plus Program.
Our mission is to give Autistic jobseekers with clear, detailed information from employers who have made commitments to neuroinclusion. This way, you'll have a better idea of what to expect and what support might be available before you apply for work.
Our vision is for A-Plus Connect to become a one-stop-shop where you can find the resources and guidance you need to look for work that's not just inclusive and safe, but truly meaningful for you.

Why we created A-Plus Connect for Autistic jobseekers and inclusive employers?

It’s clear that the current approach to workplace inclusion isn’t fully meeting the needs of Autistic people.
There are many general and specialised job boards and skills development workshops available for Autistic people. But, even with these resources, Autistic people’s unemployment rate is still about six times higher than that of people without disability.
We believe that's because many of the barriers Autistic people face when finding or staying in work are outside of their control.
In a recent study of Autistic jobseekers and their carers:
29% could not get a job because employers did not understand autism
42% received no workplace adjustments.*
Systemic barriers also make it harder for Autistic people to secure long-term work. These can include things like rigid recruitment processes, workplaces designed without sensory needs in mind, inflexible policies, and performance measures that don’t recognise different ways of working. These factors make it harder for Autistic people to secure long-term employment. This is despite 45% saying their skills are higher than what’s required for their current role.
We don’t believe Autistic jobseekers should be asked to keep trying to change or conform to an employment environment that hasn’t been built to support them.
That’s why, through A-Plus, we’re working to change how inclusion happens, by encouraging employers to lead the way.
We work directly with organisations and teams to help them build a neuroinclusive approach. Then we give them with the opportunity to share, in their own words, how they are supporting Autistic jobseekers and employees on A-Plus Connect.
* Australia’s Attitudes & Behaviours towards Autism and Experiences of Autistic People and their Families, 2019.

Our long-term vision, co-designed with community

We’re determined to make a difference – but we know that change takes time. That’s why we work with the Autistic community to identify how A-Plus Connect can provide them with meaningful support both now and in the future.
A-Plus Connect is currently in the first stage of its development. Right now,it focuses on giving you and other Autistic jobseekers information about employers who have made commitments to neuroinclusion through working with Amaze and the A-Plus Approach.
Below are the future developments we plan to introduce:

Who is Amaze?

We’re Amaze — a leading Australian autism advocacy organisation. Since 1967, we've been working to create changes so Autistic people and their families can live their best lives.

Although we are based in Victoria, our work reaches right across Australia.

We focus on:

  • Building understanding of autism
  • Influencing policy and system change
  • Providing clear information and resources
  • Delivering training and resources to help organisations become more inclusive for Autistic people

As part of our commitment to inclusion, we launched A-Plus in 2024. This work focuses on improving opportunities for Autistic adults in the places you work, study, socialise, and live.

In 2024, we launched A-Plus — a new stream of work that aims to improve inclusion for Autistic adults in the settings where they work, play, study and live.

Right now, we are supporting employers to build workplaces that are safer, fairer, and more inclusive. We help them by offering:

  • Training so staff understand Autistic and neurodivergent experiences
  • Advice on creating inclusive policies and practices
  • Reviews of how inclusive their workplaces and spaces are
  • Help developing tools and resources to support Autistic employees

A-Plus Connect is part of this work.

Through A-Plus Connect, we share information from employers who have taken part in our A-Plus programme. These employers describe the steps they say they are taking to create more neuroinclusive workplaces.

This way, you can see what they have shared, ask questions, and decide what feels right for you before applying for a job.

A-Plus Connect shares information provided by employers about their efforts to create neuroinclusive workplaces. We do not independently check, audit, or verify the details shared. We encourage you to use this information as a starting point to ask questions and decide what feels right for you.