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Articles/Articoli

No. 2 (2025)

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

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3280/ess2-2025oa21048
Submitted
settembre 20, 2025
Published
2025-12-11

Abstract

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.

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