Specialisterne Canada Project

Observing the amazing abilities of his own son with Asperger Syndrome, Danish Information Technology professional Thorkil Sonne founded Specialisterne (‘The Specialists’) in 2004, employing persons on the autism spectrum as IT consultants, primarily in software test and data conversion.  The Copenhagen Company has thrived on the special skills of its employees, delivered the benefits of their talents to Danish firms, and created good jobs for over 50 people, 33 of which are on the autism spectrum. 

This was a bold move, which has garnered significant recognition for Specialisterne:

• Best Large Social Firm Europe 2006 – CEFEC
• Case Study – Harvard Business School
• Network Prize 2005 – Danish Business Leaders Nework
• One of 12 Shocking Ideas That Could Change The World – Wired Magazine
• For Some with Autism, Jobs to Match their Talents – New York Times, June 2011

And also for Thorkil Sonne:

• Ashoka Fellow and Globalizer 2009 – Global Social Entrepreneur Network
• Heinrich Prize 2010 – Danish grassroot network
• Brave Thinker 2009 – Atlantic Magazine
• Intelligent Optimist 2009 – Ode Magazine
• IT Prize 2008 – The Danish IT Industry Association
• Autism Prize 2004 – The Danish Autism Association

In 2009, Thorkil set up the non-profit Specialist People Foundation and sold Specialisterne to it for a single Danish Krone.  The foundation’s goal is to create one million jobs for those with Autism Spectrum Disorder, in part through facilitating start-up of similar operations in other countries.  Licensed Specialisterne operations have been established in Reykjavik, Glasgow and Berne.  Operations in Berlin and Warsaw are in the start-up phase, and planning is underway for companies in many other countries around the world.

Alberta has tremendous potential to host a successful Specialisterne site.  Each major city has roughly twice the population of Copenhagen, and more significantly, a much higher proportion of Information Technology activity.

 The Specialist People Foundation has adopted a licensee model to facilitate the start-up of local companies.  Licensed operations gain access to the Specialisterne business model, an extensive library covering  assessment, training, management and marketing, and access to Specialisterne’ s existing business contracts with global companies such as IBM, Microsoft and Nokia.

The Specialisterne Canada Advisory Board’s goal is to establish Specialisterne Canada as an Alberta-based not-for-profit company.  We are a diverse group of people, with representatives from the Autism, Education and Information Technology communities.  We are a project of Autism Calgary.

To achieve licensee status, candidate firms must first go through a rigorous start-up process.  The first step is a very thorough Feasibility Study.  In short, the study will attempt to answer the questions: “Can a Specialisterne licensee succeed in Calgary, and what changes will need to be made to the Danish model?”  We are very pleased to announce that we have raised the $42,000 required to fund the Feasibility Study, and it will commence in January, 2012.

The Feasibility Study process will be performed locally, but will be guided by the Specialist People Foundation and follow their model.  If the outcome of the Feasibility Study is positive, the project will then move into a Business Planning phase, followed by start-up and commencement of operations.

This is a very worthwhile project.  It has the potential to address a serious growing social issue using a sustainable business model – creating winning conditions for the consultants with Autism Spectrum Disorder it employs, the companies it serves and our larger society.  It is a powerful thing to meet the consultants at Specialisterne, and hear them describe what it means to have employment that accommodates their unique needs, giving them a chance to contribute with their considerable and special skills.

Our project is a small step towards Thorkil Sonne’s goal of one million jobs for ‘specialist people’.  That dream is really one of diversity in the workplace – showing companies the value of employing all kinds of people, and showcasing management approaches that derive value from a diverse and creative workforce.

For More Information

• The Specialist People Foundation
• Specialisterne
• A well-researched recent article in the New York Times
• Thorkil Sonne’s blog
• E-Mail: Russ Peardon (russ [at] autismcalgary [dot] com) , Chair, Specialisterne Canada Advisory Board