AUTISM FORWARD empowers individuals to make this change happen by:
Providing GRANTS for specialist MENTORING for autistic adults to give them the support and advice they need to make the transition from education to work and find paid or voluntary employment.
Providing RESOURCES for employers, colleagues, friends and families of autistic adults to encourage them to listen, talk and accept their different way of seeing the world, so that autistic people are included and valued in communities and workplaces.
At present, only 16% of autistic adults are in full time work. National Autistic Society (NAS) research reveals that this figure has remained the same for the last decade, showing that people on the autism spectrum are not benefiting from Government employment programmes and employers are not receiving the help they need to assist with the recruitment and retention of autistic staff.
AUTISM FORWARD CIO was formed in 2017 and is registered with the Charity Commission (registered number 1171704).
You can help transform the lives of autistic adults and make a neurodiverse workplace a reality by DONATING to AUTISM FORWARD so we can fund specialist employment related mentoring and raise awareness among employers.
We are a registered charity with no paid employees and no fixed overheads, so all donations go directly to fund mentoring by independent autism specialists.
Board of Trustees
Ann Leverett
Chair and Treasurer / Trustee
Ann Leverett
Chair and Treasurer / Trustee
Ann was Senior Manager/Vice President, Asset Management at Libra Bank PLC (a Latin American consortium bank) for 14 years then Head of Operations for Women in Banking and Finance (a not for profit support group) for 22 years.
Ann has been involved in charity fundraising and volunteering for Breast Cancer Campaign, Burgess Autistic Trust and National Autistic Society. Ann has an adult daughter with Asperger’s Syndrome who was supported through university by a mentor provided by National Autistic Society.
Jane Pierce
Secretary / Trustee
Jane Pierce
Secretary / Trustee
Jane qualified as a solicitor in 1995 and practised for over 20 years in the area of banking and finance law, both in-house and in private practice, most recently as a partner and consultant with Gowling WLG LLP. Jane has previously been a trustee of the charity Supporting Children with Diabetes and has worked on a voluntary basis for Cancer Research UK Limited. Jane has an adult stepdaughter with non-verbal autism and is presently involved in setting up a City wide support and campaigning network for parents of children with disabilities.
Elif Gokcen
Trustee
Elif Gokcen
Trustee
Elif previously worked as a specialist autism consultant for AS Mentoring Limited and a student advisor for The National Autistic Society. Over the course of six years, she has supported individuals with ASC through higher education and into employment. Elif has significant experience in helping clients manage their time, workload, and relationships, as well as providing interview support and advice for other professionals supporting individuals with ASC. Elif is currently a trainee clinical psychologist at King’s College London and her previous qualifications include a BSc in Psychology, an MSc in Research Methods in Psychology, and a PhD in social and neurocognitive functioning in autistic and non-autistic populations.
Helen Needham
Trustee
Helen Needham
Trustee
Helen works in the Data Practice at global management and technology consultancy Capco and is the founder of their Employee Neurodiversity Network. Helen is also the founder of Me.Decoded, a website dedicated to the promotion of neurodiversity. Diagnosed as autistic in 2017, five years after her son’s diagnosis, Helen is a dedicated neurodiversity advocate who brings valuable insight, guidance and support to our board. As an advocate, Helen talks passionately about the challenges and strengths of being neurodivergent in the hope that more people will be encouraged to embrace neurodiversity in the world around them, and remove the barriers that so often prevent them from finding employment and realising their potential. Helen has spoken at TEDx Square Mile, the House of Commons, Women’s Forum Global meeting and numerous other awareness raising events, including our own Celebrating Neurodiversity event with Herbert Smith Freehills.
