Perhaps you can start from the stage of idea generation? You can have brainstorming sessions with them and get ideas of things that interest them to do, ideas that they feel need to be executed. Do not be surprised if most of their ideas are equally tailored to those in their own community. Once the idea generation stage is over, you can proceed to strategize the steps they need to take to achieve their ideas. Thus, without really teaching, they could attain skills peculiar to the entrepreneurial mindset.

You may want to contact the good folks at Aspiritech for brainstorming purposes: https://aspiritech.org/

Presently, I have not worked with autistic entrepreneur in Nigeria. The topic is good for research purpose. However, if one considers their traits and moods, I don't know if they can be engaged in profitable entrepreneurship without the experienced care giver who will understand their emotional instability when the need arises. They are nice people to research into especially their creativity when they are in their best mood, entrepreneurship is about helping people to develop their hidden talents, innovations, passion and skills in order to achieve their needs for achievement. Please that is a good topic and area of research.

Hi Elasto,

While I'm familiar with the entrepreneurship literature and have worked with young autistic adults, I'm by no means an expert on this topic. My gut feeling, however, is that people on the autistic spectrum will struggle with entrepreneurship bacause of their deficit in what Currie and Ravenscroft (2002) call the "recreative imagination" i.e., "the ability to recreate in our minds counterparts of other mental states". Clearly, the ability to put one self in the shoes of others is central to entrepreneurial success (see also, Kier and McMullen, 2018 ). Having said that, I still think that people on the autism spectrum are capable of great creative feats. The psychiatrist Michael Fitzgerald (2004) has written an interesting book on that topic, which includes a number of illuminating case studies.

References:

Currie, G., & Ravenscroft, I. (2002). Recreative minds: Imagination in philosophy and psychology. Oxford University Press.

Fitzgerald, M. (2004). Autism and creativity: Is there a link between autism in men and exceptional ability?. Routledge.

Kier, A. S., & McMullen, J. S. (2018). Entrepreneurial imaginativeness in new venture ideation. Academy of Management Journal, 61(6), 2265-2295.

Thanks Daniel Leunbach

So helpful

You're welcome Elasto Marume . I'm glad I could help.

Thanks Arunaditya Sahay, this will take me far

Elasto

You can surely help them. They, too, add value to the society. Go through the case of "Muskaan."

https://www.iveycases.com/ProductView.aspx?id=96163

Thank you Stian Orm, Stella TOYOSI Durowoju

Elasto

Share your experience when you start helping young people with autism.