News and Knowledge

As employers continue to rebound from the pandemic, Hire Autism has witnessed an uptick in the number of job seekers eager to submit applications and receive free assistance from our program.

Five new navigators, Kendal Davis, Richard Petersen, Ann Seehan, Sameera Tata, and Mariah Thach, answered our call for additional help to meet this demand and will begin working one-on-one with job seekers following successful completion of our training program and background check.

The navigator role is a completely virtual volunteer opportunity that allows professionals to use their skill sets to assist autistic job seekers with resume and cover letter writing as well as interviewing. The expected volunteer commitment is one to two hours per week for three months. During this timeframe, navigators support two to three job seekers but are welcome to extend their commitment beyond the three-month minimum.

Lori Gabrek, a current navigator who has supported nearly a dozen job seekers, had this to say about her experience, “Volunteering with Hire Autism fills up my cup especially because I have fewer opportunities to mentor people in my office, and this fills a void for me personally. I would recommend Hire Autism to young job seekers. The more resources they find increases their confidence about what they’re capable of doing.”

Our next navigator training is scheduled to take place in October. Applications are due on September 24. If you have questions about the Navigator program, contact Courtney Carroll at ccarroll @researchautism.org.