At Moovijob.com, we discovered the rather crazy project of a group of four girls from Luxembourg, who call themselves the IKO'L. On 28 February 2020, they embarked on a 120 km orienteering trek across the Moroccan desert over four days. Beyond the sporting challenge, they wanted to give even greater meaning to this adventure by raising awareness among their friends and family and collecting donations for a worthy cause: the Fondation Autisme Luxembourg (FAL).
Touched by their commitment, we wanted to support them in this wonderful initiative by interviewing Patrick SIMON, Communications and Public Relations Officer at the FAL. Here is a transcript of this conversation.
Hello Patrick and thank you for accepting this interview. The first question is very simple: what is autism, or… who is it?
Hello Florane, autism is a disability that affects cognitive development, with repercussions on communication and interpersonal interactions. As it is a disability, there is no "miracle" medicine. However, a person with autism can see their life improve thanks to early and specific support.
It should be noted that in Luxembourg, autism today affects around 1 person in 100, that is to say an estimated 6,000 cases.
Are there different "degrees" of autism?
Yes indeed. Each person is unique and each autism is different. At the international level, we now speak of an Autism Spectrum Disorder, ranging from people who are slightly disabled to those who are very severely disabled. Within the Fondation Autisme Luxembourg, we work to help each person on the spectrum according to their needs. At one end of the spectrum, there are people with “high potential” (Asperger’s syndrome, which we estimate at 1% of cases) who manage to live independently. In all cases, certain symptoms can affect daily life, such as hypersensitivity to light, sounds, taste…
Today, does being autistic necessarily mean that the workplace is inaccessible?
Good question! The professional world is not closed by definition, even if in practice it is quite difficult to find an employer who opens their doors in a lasting way to a person with autism. It depends on the capacities of the person with autism but also on the availability of employers. Indeed, training a person with autism will require more time and patience, but they can also contribute enormously in terms of regularity, precision, repetitive tasks, etc.
Access to employment is an important area of development for the FAL over the coming years. In fact, abroad, certain companies have had very good experiences in recruiting autistic people, for example in the IT sector.
Interesting! We know that the needs in IT professions are enormous, with not enough candidates in the end… Could we imagine recruiting more autistic people in this sector in Luxembourg?
Why not. In Nice, for example, a company currently employs 80% of Asperger’s autistics and offers IT development services. Among their clients, this company includes Amadeus, a major flight booking platform. In Luxembourg, there is a growing desire among companies, which must be made more aware of the possibilities available to them.
Today, how many residents does the FAL have?
As of today, we have 32 year-round residents, as well as about a dozen children welcomed in our day centre. We also support more than 650 families throughout Luxembourg with their administrative procedures, assessments, etc. We also support more than 250 professionals from different sectors.
How many employees are needed to take care of these residents?
We employ 113 full-time equivalents to take care of the fifty or so people on site, 24 hours a day.
How can one help you, whether as a private individual or as a company?
We are always looking for volunteers to help us during various events such as holiday camps, stays offered to the people concerned, or inclusive outings.
In addition, do not hesitate to use your network to raise awareness among those around you about this disability and to share the Foundation’s information on social media.
Finally, through financial donations, which allow us to cover expenses not financed by our agreements. We have launched a new initiative called ËMMER DO, to show the daily presence of our support team. They are always there to support autistic people and their families. You too can now be “ËMMER DO” by supporting us with just €1 per day!
Thank you Patrick, we can feel great motivation and a lot of commitment in your answers. How did you become Head of Communication at the FAL?
Thank you very much! People have always been at the heart of my interests. I have also had several experiences in humanitarian associations as both an employee and a volunteer. Making autism better known in Luxembourg and thereby motivating people to act was a wonderful challenge for me to take on.
Patrick, thank you very much for your time and your dedication to this cause. Have a great day and see you soon!
With pleasure, thank you!
Find all the information about the FAL here.
Picture : Fondation Autisme Luxembourg
