About NEP
Our Mission & Vision
The Neurodiversity Employment Partnership (NEP) is a group of Massachusetts organizations with a Mission to create employment opportunities in the community through partnerships designed to meet the employment needs of neurodivergent individuals.
Our Vision is to foster employment for all neurodivergent individuals who want to work.
Our Goals
Create Workplace Opportunities
Create workplace opportunities through business partnerships within the community designed to employ an inclusive, neurodivergent workforce.
Increase Neurodivergent Employment
Increase the percentage of neurodivergent individuals in Massachusetts who have accessibility to meaningful employment.
Provide Consultation
Through our NEP Members, provide consultative services and ongoing assistance to Massachusetts employers seeking to accommodate and employ a neurodivergent workforce.
Our Benefits
Job Providers
Job Providers can learn about the many benefits of creating employment opportunities for neurodivergent employees, as well as workforce education and awareness. From reduced sick time and highly motivated workers to coaching assistance and workforce diversity, your company can solve employee recruitment dilemmas through your collaboration with the Neurodiversity Employment Partnership.
Employers can benefit from:
- Positive impacts on organizational culture
- More effective and productive workforce
- Increased employee loyalty and retention
- Diverse thinking, learning, and perceiving
- Commitment to an inclusive community
Job Seekers
Job Seekers can find assistance with skill-building and training, job coaching, and job placement with employers that embrace workforce neurodiversity. NEP Members and resources offer a variety of services based on an employee’s location, type of work they’re interested in, and the level of support needed.
Employees can benefit from:
- Meaningful work that contributes to the community
- Increased self-confidence and independence
- Ongoing skill development and learning
- Valuable community inclusion and social interactions
Our Partner Network
Our business and organizational is continuously expanding. Meanwhile, our NEP Partners strategizes the best way to achieve NEP goals and navigate the growing of landscape of neurodiversity employment challenges, opportunities, and resources. Our current NEP Member Network includes:
Our Backstory
The Neurodiversity Employment Partnership (NEP) was the invention of Larry Sauer, League School for Autism CEO, whose more than 30 years of experience working with neurodivergent individuals led him to identify that finding and keeping a job is difficult for many Autistic adults. Navigating the social dynamics of the workplace, coping with sensory overload, organizing tasks, and communicating with neurotypical coworkers are some of the barriers to maintaining employment.
National statistics reported that only 14% of Autistic adults held paid employment in the community and this was the least common outcome for adults with Autism. Additionally, 42% participated in unpaid activities in a setting where most other workers had disabilities. Articles and headlines about the employment crisis have flooded media outlets around the nation in recent years. Despite having some of the best programs and services available to the neurodivergent community, New England was not spared from the unemployment issue. Challenge accepted!
After soliciting common interest from industry contacts and organizations, the Neurodiversity Employment Partnership was formed with a focused purpose of planning a workshop and resource fair that would bring awareness to neurodiversity employment struggles, offer stories and examples of successful outcomes, and connect employers and employees with one another. The first NEP Workshop, Neurodiversity & Successful Businesses, was met with great success in April of 2024 at the Old Colony YMCA in Stoughton and included an array of speakers, resources, and attendees.
The conference provided some excellent feedback from participants, including that there’s no shortage of great resources for job-seekers and job providers in Massachusetts, yet there’s no central resource or one-stop shop to connect them. NEP decided to tackle the issue by developing a central database that could filter and serve up resources for inquiring job seekers and job providers. Additionally, NEP was determined to continue its advocacy to expand neurodivergent employment opportunities with an annual conference. This two-pronged strategy is the current driving force of the NEP, and will remain so until a dramatic impact is made to increase the percentage of neurodivergent employees in Massachusetts.
