The Socio-Occupational Inclusion of Young Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder: The Experience of the Social Cooperative Artemista

Journal title EDUCATION SCIENCES AND SOCIETY
Author/s Laura Fedeli, Gigliola Paviotti, Chiara Mignucci, Elisabetta Tombolini
Publishing Year 2025 Issue 2025/2
Language Italian Pages 17 P. 420-436 File size 0 KB
DOI 10.3280/ess2-2025oa21048
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This contribution explores the issue of employment for people with disabilities, with a specific focus on Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). After outlining the national and European framework—which highlights significant underemployment and the persistence of limiting stereotypes—the article traces the evolution of Italian legislation, from targeted placement policies to the recent reform introduced by Decree Law 62/2024. Despite a regulatory framework in constant development, the data show that labor market inclusion remains a complex challenge, marked by prejudice, barriers to access, and a lack of stable pathways. The experience of the social cooperative Artemista, as illustrated in the case of the “Orientation and Accompaniment Workshops for Social and Labor Inclusion,” provides a meaningful point of reflection. It highlights the difficulty of transforming training opportunities into real employment prospects and underlines the need for a systemic and interprofessional approach. Indeed, labor market inclusion requires a systemic network of services, institutions, and universities, capable of translating local experiences into long-term strategies to ensure coherence, sustainability, and transformative impact.

Keywords: social and occupational inclusion;autism spectrum disorder;social cooperative;training

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Laura Fedeli, Gigliola Paviotti, Chiara Mignucci, Elisabetta Tombolini, L’inclusione socio-lavorativa di giovani adulti con disturbo dello spettro autistico: l’esperienza della Cooperativa sociale Artemista in "EDUCATION SCIENCES AND SOCIETY" 2/2025, pp 420-436, DOI: 10.3280/ess2-2025oa21048