The Dandelion Program is an initiative to build Information Technology, life, and executive functioning skills to help establish IT careers for people on the autism spectrum. It is a three-year structured roadmap of transformation initiatives to improve the abilities of Dandelion team members in a number of key areas

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The Dandelion Program is an initiative to build Information Technology, life, and executive functioning skills to help establish IT careers for people on the autism spectrum. It is a three-year structured roadmap of transformation initiatives to improve the abilities of Dandelion team members in a number of key areas.Final_Dandelion_Program_3_year_report_Extended__002_.pdf: 53 downloads, before Oct. 1, 2020

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Dandelion Program 3 Year Report (Extended)

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DXC Proprietary and Confidential
August 22, 2018<Location> Dandelion Program
3 Year Report
<name>
Overview
1. Introduction to the Dandelion Program
2. Our 3 year structure of technical learning
3. Our 3 year structure of developmental awareness and autism support
4. Key elements to Autism and Work
5. Our recommendation for future employment and what support is needed for success
6. Our plan post the Dandelion traineeship
August 22, 2018 2DXC Proprietary and Confidential
<Location> Dandelion Program – 3 year report
3 year program overview
• Year one focuses on job awareness: on-boarding, introduction to the role, internal training 
modules, and establishing a pipeline of work with stakeholders, as well as the development 
of technical and social skills. 
• Year two focuses on self-advocacy to cultivate independence and confidence. Trainees 
are encouraged to learn their strengths, weaknesses, preferences, learning styles, and 
needs. 
• Year three focuses on transition, with team members developing to be career ready. This 
final year is about setting the trainee up to be capable of holding a career outside of the 
Dandelion team support structure
The Dandelion Program is an initiative 
to build Information Technology, life, 
and executive functioning skills to help 
establish IT careers for people on the 
autism spectrum.  It is a three-year 
structured roadmap of transformation 
initiatives to improve the abilities of 
Dandelion team members in a number 
of key areas. 
The 3 year <Location> Dandelion 
Traineeship finishes on <date>
Over the past 3 years some Dandelion 
trainees have attained the skills to work 
independently without supervision by the 
DXC Dandelion support team and have 
transitioned to other teams, working under 
the supervision of DHS 
management. Some trainees have not yet 
attained this level of independence 
performing the type of testing work that the 
client requires. 
On <date> the DXC support team have 
completed their engagement with <client> 
on this program and are required to return 
to DXC for re-assignment. There will no 
longer be Dandelion technical team 
support resources available at <client> to 
provide ongoing daily support. Those team 
members that have not yet become 
independent within <client> will also return 
to DXC. As with all DXC employees 
returning from customer assignment to 
DXC the Dandelion trainees and their 
support team will undergo a search and re-
assignment process to determine their 
next role based upon their technical skills 
and available roles within DXC and its 
customers.
August 22, 2018 3DXC Proprietary and Confidential
<Location> Dandelion Program – 3 year report
Key Elements to Autism and Work
Cognitive Processing: The 
mental action or process of 
acquiring knowledge and 
understanding through thought, 
and the senses
Executive Functioning: Ability 
to prioritize and organise 
ourselves as well as regulate, 
change, manage our thoughts 
and actions.
Central Coherence:
Getting the point or gist of 
things. The ability to pull 
information together from 
different sources to establish a 
greater understanding and see 
the 'bigger picture'. A lack of 
central coherence results in 
misinterpretation of situations 
and communication. 
Working Memory: The ability 
to hold information in our 
minds, keep it active so that it 
can be used in our 
thinking. It is critical for 
following directions, and 
learning and successfully 
completing complex tasks.
Theory of Mind: Ability to 
understand another's 
perspective, understand 
emotions, predict behaviour or 
understand intentions of 
others.  Imagining how others 
think, feel and react.
Adaptive behaviour: A 
collection of conceptual, social 
and practical skills learned to 
enable functioning in everyday 
life. Adjusting one’s behaviours 
to suit different environments, 
and apply the rules in that 
environment. 
Context Blindness: Perform 
well in tests but unable to 
adapt learning to different 
contexts or environments. 
Contextual sensitivity is crucial 
for social interaction, 
communication and flexibility 
in thoughts and behaviour.
The autistic brain thinks in an 
absolute way, rather than a 
relative, contextually defined 
way.
Self-determination: The action 
of understanding oneself: The 
process of learning your 
strengths, challenges, 
preferences, learning styles and 
needs.
Self-advocacy: The action of 
representing oneself or one’s 
views or interests: The ability to 
speak up for yourself, and to 
have a say in decisions that 
affect you, and understand what 
support you need to succeed at 
work.
Autism has a number of elements that create challenges at work:
August 22, 2018 4DXC Proprietary and Confidential
The objective of the 3 
year program was to 
become self sufficient 
Test Analysts to 
transition and work 
independently in an 
office managed by client 
support staff.
•Year 1 – Focused on introducing Dandelion staff into a work office environment and culture. We commenced training by introducing Dandelion 
traineeship with the building blocks of a Software Testing lifecycle such as Methodologies, Terminology, and Techniques.<client> provided the team 
with simple work packages to utilise their learnings from the ongoing training. Work packages involved DXC Support staff guiding the Dandelion team 
to analyse specifications, planning, writing and execution of test cases.
•Year 2 – Focused on greater responsibility and challenging work packages..<client> provided more complex work packages for Dandelion staff to 
develop their analytical and technical professionalism. The team learned about competing priorities and scheduling across these work packages. In 
parallel, DXC Support staff encouraged the team to self advocate by upskilling via external test qualifications and certifications, updating CVs, 
conducting mock interviews, and joining networking sites and groups.
•Year 3 – Focused on working with .<client> to transition Dandelion staff that were ready to work independently in client teams. We commenced 
exposing Dandelion team members to automated test tools, which enabled them to either create and run automated scripts. The DXC Support team 
continued to encourage Dandelion staff to learn about accountability, identifying blockers and always delivering quality test outcomes. The final 
program goal was for Dandelion staff to be a professional Test Analyst creating opportunities in technology & communications.
<Location> Dandelion Program – 3 year Technical & Autism Overview
Over the past 3 years extensive training and self development has occurred in life and adaptive skills:
Cognitive processing: Executive Functioning, Working Memory, Theory of Mind and Central Coherence
Social skills: attending events, team lunches, movies, Christmas parties, birthday morning teas etc
Self Determination and Self Advocacy: understanding self and setting goals for the future
Life skills: NDIS, Nutrition and Finance awareness
Communication: Appropriate communication to team members and other stakeholders; building confidence in writing emails, public speaking and media representation 
(where appropriate)
1-1 support and intervention. Managing frustrations and developing coping strategies
Translating the unwritten rules of the workplace
Referrals to outside supports and professionals and development of mental health strategies 
Autism Awareness training to approximately 250 DXC and DHS staff in Brisbane
August 22, 2018 5DXC Proprietary and Confidential
<Location> Dandelion Program 3 year report
• <Name> has demonstrated excellent growth within the social 
aspects of the role such as;
 Coping in work environment 
 Integrating with the team and other staff
• Able to work independently and autonomously
• Quick learner and very good at mentoring others
• Asks questions to ensure work is 100% correct and understands 
‘big picture’
• Solid organisational skills
• Confidently contributes ideas and suggestions
• Professional, polite, reliable and punctual
• Proactive and always looking for improvements.
Major highlight from the autism consultant::
“<Name>  has shown incredible growth in the social aspects of the 
program.  He participates in team meetings, team events and campus 
events and is highly regarded by his colleagues and his Managers’’
~ Example~
<Name>
Technical Development & ProcessingPersonal Development 
• Executive Functioning - <Name> when commencing in a new team 
requires a clear outline of expectations of staff roles within the team and 
organisation. 
• Executive Functioning - <Name> sets very high standards to deliver 
quality work, he has good time management and calling out blockers. 
However he can sometimes still take on too many tasks. Ensure work is 
allocated evenly and conduct Monthly 1 on 1s with <Name> to ensure he 
is managing stresses of the job.
Major highlight from the autism consultant:
“<Name> is process driven and a valuable asset to any team due to his 
technical ability. He is always seeks process improvements and implements 
possible solutions. He is always willing to take on greater responsibility 
tasks to support the team and client and delivers high quality work. 
• ~ Example~
August 22, 2018 6DXC Proprietary and Confidential
<Location> Dandelion Program – <Name>
Our Recommendation
Independence: <Name> has attained the level of independence and self determination to perform as the role of a Test Analyst automonously. 
Self Determination & Self Advocacy: <Name> is able self-advocate as he is able to understand what he is working on (Central Coherence), what his 
employment goals are for the future, or determine his challenges within the workplace. 
Suitable Future Role: <Name> enjoys coordinating and prioritising work, or solving issue and providing solutions. One day a possible Senior Test Analyst, 
Test Lead or Team Lead role would suit him best. 
Employment Type: Full time hours would be most suitable.
Ongoing Technical Support <Name> requires someone to manage and check in occasionally on his work allocations to ensure he hasn’t overcommitted.
However this can be mitigated by providing him with a clear outline of expectations of staff roles within the team and organisation, which enables him to raise 
blockers as needed. 
Ongoing Autism Support Consultant (ASC) to train Support Staff in Cognitive Processes pertaining to autism. This enables Support Staff to be aware of 
<Name> learning and working needs and the best strategies to apply.  The ASC would also need to help <Name> manage his anxiety levels as he is 
perfectionist and to manage his frustrations with system issues.
Ongoing support strategies required: <Name> needs a Manager who demonstrates strong people skills who is clear and concise with tasks and does not 
micro manage. He eagerly accepts work tasks and especially ones that challenge him. As <Name> is process driven he really strives when given higher duty 
roles outside his current position so he can further develop. However a Manager that is well across <Name> workload capacity and can continue to mentor 
<Name> in calling out when he is taking on too much work. excessive workload is ideal. 
What ongoing support is needed for success
August 22, 2018 7DXC Proprietary and Confidential
<Location> Dandelion Program – <Name>
• Graduation Ceremony will be held to celebrate the successful completion of the Dandelion 3 year traineeship (date tbc)
• Friday 7th September 2018 – final day of Dandelion traineeship at <client> 
• Monday 10th September 2018 – remain on-site at <client> until <Date>.
• Going forward:
 Autism Support Consultant (ASC) will provide on-going 1-1 support on an as needed basis 
 DXC Technical Support will still be provided on an ‘as needed’ basis
 Technical reviews will be in undertaken with <client>  Manager in conjunction with DXC Management
 We will continue to look for other employment opportunities within DXC and our clients  
 We will be investigate suitable APS and Qld Government roles
 Ongoing upskilling and learning opportunities will continue to be recommended
 Career Coach, mock interviews, job application processes and CV writing activities 
 NDIS awareness sessions and planning
 Referrals to outside support services as required
 Autism Consultant will continue to run Autism Awareness training for DHS staff 
Key Dates & Plan Going Forward


https://digitalcommons.ilr.cornell.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1034&amp;context=dandelionprogram

Dandelion Program 3 Year Report (Extended)

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