My Virtual World – 3D Job Training for Autism

• April 8, 2024
• admin

“My Virtual World – 3D Job Training for Autism” is a European Commission-funded Erasmus+ project running from 2022-2024 that aims to raise awareness on how autistic people are impacted through the job-seeking journey, and help employers adopt practices that allow for the inclusion of employees on the autism spectrum. By training adult educators, VET workers, employers and parents, the project aims to help young people on the autism spectrum into the labour market and secure sustainable employment.

Context of the project

The context of My Virtual World is centred around autism. Autism is a complex lifelong disability experienced differently by each affected person. An estimated 5 million people in Europe are on the autism spectrum. Autistic people, irrespective of their support needs, face a high level of discrimination in all aspects of life, including education and vocational training, resulting in poor employment outcomes. This project aims to provide training resources for teachers, trainers and other key workers working in Vocational Education Training (VET) that can be used to help autistic people to gain more sustainable employment thus live more meaningful lives in the long term. The project will address the issues and needs within VET so that there is a link that bridges the gap between the autistic community and the business world.

The project brings together School of Coding (SOC) Blended Learning, Elderberry, Institut Regional d’Insertion Professionnelle et Sociale IRIPS, Autism-Europe, IDP European Consultants, and SInAPSi (Services for Active and Participated Inclusion of Students).

Priorities and outcomes

The “My Virtual World” focuses on 3 priorities:

• Adapting VET programmes to the skills and abilities of individual autistic learners, and the labour market needs
• Promoting an innovative approach to employment and training for autistic people by developing a VET programme using digital technologies in virtual reality
• Addressing the digital transformation by using an existing open-source platform developed in 3D environment, which will enable people to learn and experience the journey faced by an autistic jobseeker looking for employment

The project is focused on creating resources that will directly facilitate the achievement of these objectives. This is done by producing the following three outcomes:

• Methodology and VR curriculum: guidelines and explanation on how to develop competences and address the skills needed of those working with autistic people, and advise or employ autistic people.
• VR Application: an app which will include games for autistic people seeking jobs to help them prepare for interviews and new worker roles. This also includes a game for educators and employers to understand the challenges autistic people face when undergoing job-seeking
• Online toolkit and resources: the project partners will develop modules (including videos, best practices, training material) to provide information about autism, specifically as it relates to autistic people entering the job market and the benefits of employing autistic people

Handbook

The 3D Autism Methodology and VET Curriculum is designed to provide educational models, practical examples and case studies, recommendations, best practices, and didactic notes. The handbook is available to download on the project website in English, Swedish, French and Italian.