HOST - NEWS & ARTICLES

4th Transnational Partners' Meeting of the HOST Project Concludes Successfully in the Netherlands

Sat, 12 Oct 2024 21:11:00 +0000

The 4th Transnational Partners' Meeting (TPM) of the HOST Project was recently held in Leeuwarden, Netherlands, marking an important milestone in the project’s ongoing efforts to foster inclusivity in the hospitality industry. This meeting brought together partner organizations to evaluate progress, test the HOST board game mechanics, and plan the next steps in the development of the final version of this innovative training tool.

Unlocking Neurodivergent Potential in Hospitality

A key focus of the HOST Project is unlocking the potential of neurodivergent individuals, particularly those with autism, within the hospitality sector. Individuals on the autism spectrum often have unique strengths such as exceptional attention to detail, pattern recognition, and the ability to deeply focus on tasks. These traits make them highly valuable in roles requiring precision, consistency, and creative problem-solving—qualities that are often overlooked in the fast-paced world of hospitality.

However, for these strengths to be effectively harnessed, managers must be equipped with the right training and tools to understand and support the needs of neurodivergent employees. This is where the HOST Project comes in. Through the development of a board game and accompanying training materials, the project aims to provide hospitality managers with the resources necessary to create more inclusive work environments.

Building an Inclusive Workplace: The HOST Board Game

The HOST Board Game was a highlight of the meeting in Leeuwarden, where partners tested its mechanics to ensure that it delivers a meaningful and engaging learning experience. This board game is designed to help managers better understand neurodivergence and how to create environments where both neurodivergent and neurotypical employees can thrive together.

The training tools provided by the project offer practical advice on how to accommodate different working styles, from clear communication to creating predictable routines and sensory-friendly environments. These simple adjustments can drastically reduce stress for autistic individuals and improve their performance, making them feel more comfortable and empowered at work.

The Benefits of Inclusion for All

The HOST Project highlights that inclusion is not just about providing equal opportunities—it also represents a competitive advantage for businesses. In the hospitality industry, where attention to detail, creativity, and customer service are crucial, neurodivergent employees can bring a fresh perspective and innovative solutions to the table. By fostering a culture of inclusion, hospitality businesses can tap into an underutilized talent pool, improve team cohesion, and enhance workplace productivity.

Furthermore, the project emphasizes the importance of building empathy and understanding between neurodivergent and neurotypical staff. This collaboration can reduce stigma, promote mutual respect, and ultimately lead to more harmonious working relationships.

Looking Ahead

As the HOST Project moves forward, the development of the board game and training materials will continue to evolve, with the ultimate goal of delivering practical, impactful tools to the hospitality industry. By empowering managers to support neurodivergent individuals, the project aims to create more inclusive and innovative workplaces where everyone has the opportunity to succeed.

The success of the 4th Transnational Partners' Meeting in the Netherlands marks another step toward achieving this vision, paving the way for a more inclusive, productive, and empathetic future in hospitality.

Advancing Autism Inclusion through Innovative Training Materials in Hospitality

Tue, 08 Oct 2024 08:43:00 +0000

The HOST project, under the banner of The Spectrum of Hospitality, has achieved a remarkable milestone by developing specialised training materials and tools tailored for Human Resources professionals and managers in the hospitality sector. Central to these resources is a VET-based board game that simulates real-world workplace scenarios, promoting an inclusive and engaging environment while enhancing essential skills such as communication, problem solving, and teamwork. The training materials are designed to enhance the skills of staff with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) by improving their technical and theoretical knowledge, soft and job-specific skills, communication, problem-solving abilities, teamwork, decision-making, and other crucial interpersonal skills. This initiative centred on creating Vocational Education and Training (VET)-based methodologies to equip these professionals with the essential skills to effectively train and support staff with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

Given the limited VET opportunities available for autism training in this industry, the newly developed materials have proven to be a transformative resource. They address a significant gap, offering valuable insights and practical tools to improve the training and support of staff with ASD. Autistic individuals, with their distinctive problem-solving abilities and fresh perspectives, can greatly enhance team dynamics and service innovation. By acknowledging and leveraging these unique strengths, hospitality businesses can better address diverse guest needs and drive operational effectiveness.

The feedback on these training materials has been exceptionally positive. Evaluators have highlighted their clear structure, engaging content and thorough explanations, noting that they surpass the expected quality standards. This achievement means that individuals with autism now have access to more effective and inclusive training, which empowers them to build the skills and confidence required to succeed in the hospitality sector.

Additionally, the training materials have been praised for their practical applicability in both work and training environments. These resources are grounded in contemporary theories and best practices in social responsibility and inclusive employment within the European hospitality sector. Evaluators also emphasised that the materials effectively meet the specific needs and challenges of the target groups, aiding managers and HR professionals in developing the skills necessary for managing, developing, and retaining autistic staff.

Overall, the HOST project’s training materials greatly advance inclusivity and professional development for individuals with autism, setting a new benchmark for diversity and effectiveness in the hospitality industry.

Autism Friendly Training

Mon, 16 Sep 2024 08:59:00 +0000

Autism-friendly training is becoming a common term in today’s workplace discussions, but what does it truly mean?

Autism-friendly training is designed to accommodate the unique cognitive and sensory needs of individuals on the autism spectrum.

This type of training includes adjustments in the way we prepare, start, continue, close our meetings as well as adjustments to our communication, training structure, and environment. It moves beyond conventional training by focusing on inclusivity, clear instructions, visual aids, and flexible approaches that align with the strengths and challenges of everyone in need.

Autism-friendly training requires thoughtful adjustments at every stage of a meeting. In preparation, clear agendas and objectives should be shared in advance to allow participants time to process. At the start, concise instructions and clear roles create structure. During the meeting, allowing for breaks, providing visual aids, and keeping the environment sensory-friendly can make a significant difference.

Autism-friendly training helps reduce stress, anxiety, and information overload by ensuring meetings are clear, structured, and paced appropriately. Summarizing key points at the end helps to reinforce understanding and reduce any lingering confusion. Offering follow-up materials and allowing time for questions post-meeting provides additional support, ensuring participants leave feeling informed, rather than overwhelmed. By creating a calm and predictable environment, these adjustments help to minimize anxiety, leading to more effective communication and collaboration.

Differences from Conventional Training In a standard training session, there’s often a focus on group discussions, brainstorms, verbal presentations, and fast-paced interactions. Autism-friendly training, however, considers the need for:

Clear, structured communication: Reducing ambiguity, sudden changes and offering as precise instructions as possible.
Visual tools: Incorporating diagrams, checklists, and visuals to aid understanding.
Sensory accommodations: Adjusting environmental factors, such as lighting or noise, to reduce discomfort.
Flexible training schedules: Allowing extra time or self-paced learning to help those who need it.

Practical Steps for Preparing Autism-Friendly Training

Assess Individual Needs: Before designing a program, consult with employees to understand their specific preferences and needs. Some may prefer written over verbal communication, while others might need breaks, brief wrap-ups after each step.
Adapt Training Materials: Use visual aids, simplified text, and clear task breakdowns. Offer alternative ways of absorbing the material, such as videos or interactive sessions.
Create a Sensory-Friendly Environment: Minimize distractions and sensory triggers, such as bright lighting or noisy environments, to ensure a comfortable learning space.
Provide Ongoing Support: After the initial training, continue to offer feedback, mentoring, and support to ensure employees feel comfortable and empowered in their roles.

Implementing autism-friendly training may initially seem time-consuming, but it’s a valuable investment in the long run. As workplaces become more accommodating, not only do individuals on the spectrum benefit, but so does the organization as a whole. Increased productivity, higher retention rates, and a more diverse, dynamic team are just a few of the rewards that come from embracing inclusivity in training.

Monotropism: Exploring Singular Focus in Autism

Thu, 06 Jun 2024 13:05:00 +0000

Autistic people are renowned for their narrow and intense focus. The concept of monotropism, introduced by autistic autism researchers Dr Dinah Murray (1946-2021) and Dr Wenn Lawson (1952), provides a fascinating perspective on the singular focus characteristic of autism. Dr Murray and Dr Lawson argue that monotropism is a fundamental aspect of cognition in autism and can directly or indirectly explain all features associated with autism. In order to create a supportive and autism-friendly environment (e.g. in the workplace), it is crucial to understand monotropism as it brings both strengths and challenges which shall be addressed.

Essentially, monotropism is a cognitive style characterised by a kind of “tunnel vision”. Non-autistic people’s cognitive style tends to be polytropic, meaning that they can switch attention between various tasks and stimuli quickly and take in more information on a surface level, however, they are prone to missing nuance and detail. In contrast, the monotropic mind concentrates resources on one thing at a time. Monotropism contributes to repetitive behaviours in autism by shaping the individual's focus on a particular activity, a 'special interest', a stimulus, or anything else to the point of excluding others. While this singular focus lets autistic people excel in repetitive, monotonous tasks and brings great attention to detail, it also makes transitions or processing multiple things at once hard. Moreover, people with a monotropic cognitive style may miss 'the bigger picture'.

One of the core features of autism is difficulty in social situations. Because of their singular focus, autistic people may struggle to simultaneously combine various aspects of communication: analysing the social context and figuring out what behaviour is appropriate, maintaining eye contact, thinking about what they have to say, putting it into words (especially if they are visual thinkers), speaking, gesturing and showing the proper facial expressions, listening and processing what they've heard, looking for subtle, hidden meanings, and seeing and interpreting others' nonverbal communication. In addition, each conversation happens in an environment whose stimuli must also be processed. In places with many sensory stimuli, autistic people can find it increasingly difficult to maintain a conversation.

Because the autistic brain struggles to process and cope with multiple channels of information at once, it can easily become overflooded with information, leading to cognitive or sensory overload and, occasionally, a meltdown or shutdown. In this context, it is also important to note that, while autistic people are often sensitive to particular stimuli, it is most often complex sensory input which is overwhelming and leads to overload and extreme reactions.

By learning about monotropism, we can explore the cognitive profile of autistic people and pave the way for adequate support systems and necessary accommodations in the workplace and in general. Recognising and understanding monotropism is paramount for creating inclusive spaces and welcoming and appreciating autistic people as meaningful, invaluable members of society.

If you wish to learn more about our project and creating autism-friendly workspaces, follow our Facebook page!

Wrapping Up the HOST Project

Mon, 13 May 2024 09:00:00 +0000

Empowering Hospitality Managers and HR Experts

The HOST Project Training Course for Hospitality Managers and HR Experts is nearing its completion! Over the past few months, the project consortium has dedicated itself to extensive research and the development of training materials tailored to the genuine needs and challenges faced by both employers and staff with autism within the European hospitality industry.

The aim of the HOST VET Course has been clear from the outset: to provide a comprehensive training program geared towards enhancing the skills, knowledge, and competencies required for effectively managing, developing, and retaining staff with autism in the European Hospitality Industry.

Our efforts have resulted in the creation of a robust curriculum, encompassing five key modules:

🌻 Module 1: General Information about the Autism Spectrum: This module serves to inform learners about autism, helping them identify the typical needs of staff with autism and promoting understanding and effective support among colleagues and employees.

🌻 Module 2: Hospitality Management Soft Skills: Focusing on communication, behavior, and motivation, this module equips learners with the skills necessary for motivating others, giving feedback, and effectively communicating job profiles, work, and tasks.

🌻 Module 3: Change Management: Hospitality managers are trained in planning, managing, and leading change within their organizations, ensuring smooth transitions and adaptation to new processes.

🌻 Module 4: Support Management: Introducing learners to the concept of planning, developing, and implementing actions and activities that support the employment and development of autistic employees in the EU Hospitality Sector.

🌻 Module 5: Evaluation and Monitoring: This module provides practical guidance to hospitality managers in supporting autistic staff throughout the entire employment process, from recruitment to ongoing evaluation and support.

Project Work and Milestones

As the curtains draw to a close on the HOST Project, it's time to reflect on the journey, the milestones achieved, and the impact created in the realm of hospitality management.

Identifying Training Needs

The HOST partnership conducted a thorough analysis, including both online and offline interviews among tourism managers, to identify the training needs and challenges faced in supporting staff with autism. Results indicated a growing trend towards social responsibility and inclusivity in the workplace, with a significant percentage of organizations already implementing or considering implementation of social responsibility policies.

First Transnational Partners' Meeting (TPM):

The project kick-started in Cyprus, with the aim to equip hospitality HR and management departments with education and tools for inclusive employment practices. Objectives were set, including the delivery of a tailor-made VET methodology and course, along with a board game as a learning tool for staff with autism.

Second TPM in Riga, Latvia:

Brainstorming sessions fueled discussions on the development of the HOST Board Game in Latvia, emphasizing the need to respect diverse experiences and generations in the workplace. The game aims to bridge the gap between non-ASD and ASD colleagues while fostering skill development and team-building.

Third TPM in Vienna:

Partners tested the mechanics of the HOST Board Game and planned the next steps for its development. This meeting marked another stride towards the project's completion, showcasing the commitment of all partners towards creating impactful resources.

The Impact:

The anticipated outcome of the HOST Project is profound - a VET Course empowering hospitality managers and HR experts to support staff with autism, and a board game facilitating skill development and inclusivity in the workplace. As the project nears its finalization, early access to materials invites stakeholders to provide valuable feedback, ensuring the course and game meet the real needs of the industry.

Contact us

As we approach the final stages of the project, we invite interested parties to acquire early access to the materials. Your feedback will be invaluable as we put the finishing touches on the VET Course. Feel free to reach out to any of our consortium partners:

@SPECIALISTERNE (Denmark)

@LAS (Latvia)

@DEKAPLUS (Cyprus)

@BEST (Austria)

@8D GAMES (Netherlands)

@KALLIS FILOXENIAKI (Cyprus)

For more information and updates, check out previous articles or visit our Facebook page: HOST Project ! Together, we're paving the way for a more inclusive and supportive hospitality industry for all.

Development of the HOST Boardgame

Thu, 04 Apr 2024 06:36:00 +0000

These past weeks, the partners have been in a creative process with the development of game cards to the HOST Boardgame. A boardgame that serves as a learning tool for hospitality staff with autism, through critical thinking, problem solving and conversation. Partner and specialist in games, 8D Games, has designed a very nice framework for the other partners to work with.

More specifically, all partners have produced several realistic scenario cards, which explore various situations and dilemmas, that can occur in the daily life of hospitality and that may be difficult to handle. The mere focus in this matter has been to develop content that encaptures important aspects of autism awareness and friendliness. Therefore, a big part of the focus has been on precision and transparency as well as to do a variety of both emotional and practical scenarios.

Firstly, we have conceptualized 6 fictional hotels that varies in size and type, in order to create different perspectives for the players when answering the scenario cards. The scenario cards also take into account the dynamics of front-office, back-office, restaurant, kitchen, and housekeeping operations.

For instance, the front-office scenarios may revolve around guest interactions and handling reservations, focusing on communication and social cues. Meanwhile, the back-office scenarios might delve into administrative tasks and problem-solving skills, emphasizing organization and attention to detail. In the restaurant setting, scenarios could involve managing orders and accommodating special dietary needs, highlighting patience and adaptability. In the kitchen, challenges related to multitasking and sensory sensitivities may be explored, while in housekeeping, attention to routine and precision could be emphasized.

Moreover, alongside the scenario cards, we have developed question cards designed to promote reflection and personal growth.

We are excited to bring the HOST Boardgame to life as a valuable tool for autism awareness and hospitality training. Through engaging gameplay and thoughtful content, we hope to inspire positive change within the playing team and beyond.

Dispelling Myths: The Truth About Empathy in Individuals with Autism

Mon, 29 Jan 2024 10:23:00 +0000

One of the most persistent prejudices about individuals with autism is the misconception that they lack empathy. In reality, many autistic individuals are highly empathetic, while some may not experience empathy in the traditional sense.

Regardless of where individuals fall on the empathy spectrum, what unites autistic individuals is their unique processing and expression of emotions compared to neurotypical individuals. This distinction has led neurotypical observers to mistakenly conclude that people with autism lack empathy.

Whether experiencing high or low empathy, autistics often react more slowly in social situations compared to neurotypicals. When they do respond, it may deviate from neurotypical norms, leading to negative interpretations. Autistics with high empathy may take time to disentangle from others' emotions and formulate an appropriate response, while those with low empathy may analyze the situation, weigh suitable reactions, and compose a response.

Social Realities for Autistic Individuals: The Call for Empathy Beyond Norms

Regardless of their level of empathy, individuals with autism expend significantly more energy in understanding and responding to social interactions than neurotypicals. This is why many autistic people become fatigued more quickly in social settings. Moreover, the social game is riskier for those, who have the perception of constantly "making mistakes" in neurotypicals' eyes. Negative experiences in social interactions prompt many autistic people to be overly vigilant, leading to masking behaviors in social interactions.

Autistic people have spent their lives learning to communicate on neurotypical terms; now, it is crucial for society to understand and embrace a nuanced view of autism, empathy, and social interaction. Neurotypical individuals also bear the responsibility of learning to be empathetic in ways that transcend conventional norms, offering a solution to the double empathy problem.

Source: https://dk.specialisterne.com/hvem-siger-at-autister-ikke-kan-vaere-empatiske/

🌐 #AutismAwareness #EmpathyForAll

Empowering Education: HOST Board Game and the Design Thinking Journey for Targeted Learning

Wed, 03 Jan 2024 10:58:00 +0000

Developing new tools and interventions requires a different mindset than applying existing solutions. Radical change requires designers to be hyper critical of their own work: are we designing the right thing, and are we designing it right?

This is why the HOST Board Game is built on a foundation of Design Thinking. Design Thinking is a cycle of development steps that designers and educators can use to develop new learning interventions. These are the steps:

🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Empathize: Get to know your target audience. What are their challenges? What are their dreams?

📝 Define: Define the boundaries of your project in terms of budget, time, goals and requirements.

🧠 Ideate: Come up with ideas that fall within the boundaries of the project, meet the challenges of your target audience and help them realize their dreams.

🎲 Prototype: Try building your ideas quick and dirty. If you come up against big roadblocks, you want to know this early.

🔎 Test: Don’t assume that your idea will work because you did your research. There are always blindspots in design, and testing early helps you to catch them.

Once the cycle is complete, you can go back to earlier steps. If you really missed the mark with your prototype, it could be good to go back to empathize. If there are small improvements to be made, start at ideation and prototype it quickly.

Following these steps gives you confidence in building things for target audiences with specific needs, such as players with ASD, without getting stuck in the research phase for years.

Further reading: https://www.interaction-design.org/literature/topics/design-thinking

Understanding the Dynamics of Neuro-diverse Teams in the Workplace

Mon, 18 Dec 2023 06:50:00 +0000

Autism introduces a unique blend of strengths and challenges in the workplace. Recognising and understanding these nuances can pave the way for a more conducive work environment. For example, individuals with autism often have their distinct communication styles. That is, they might prefer clear and direct instructions, and sometimes, visual aids too can be a great help to them. The sensory experiences, which are a constant in the bustling environment of hospitality, can be particularly intense for some with autism. For this purpose, simple adjustments, like modifying the lighting or creating quiet zones, can enhance their comfort. Additionally, social interactions, which are the essence of the hospitality sector, can pose challenges. Ensuring interactions are structured and predictable can make a world of difference.

Before implementing any strategies, it is important that all team members have a basic understanding of autism. Simple training sessions can be a starting point, fostering understanding among the team. Communication, especially in the hospitality sector, needs to be crystal clear. For those with autism, this could mean a preference for written instructions or the use of visual aids to ensure there's no room for ambiguity. The dynamic environment of hospitality can be overwhelming in terms of sensory inputs. Thoughtful considerations, like creating a quiet corner can be beneficial. Moreover, change, while inevitable, can be unsettling for some. Maintaining a routine or giving a heads-up about upcoming changes can help in making transitions smoother. Lastly, every team member, irrespective of their role, is vital. Ensuring everyone feels valued can be achieved through team activities and regular feedback sessions.

For managing neurodiverse teams effectively, managers in hospitality should ensure that constructive feedback is:

Clear
Specific
Centered on behavior rather than personal attributes.
Highlighting strengths while addressing areas for improvement fosters growth
Helpful for aligning team members with organizational objectives

For individuals with autism, feedback that is direct and free from ambiguities can be particularly beneficial, guiding their professional development and ensuring they remain aligned with team goals.

Meet the hospitality crew of the HOST board game!

Thu, 30 Nov 2023 08:22:00 +0000

The art for the game is coming along really nicely. How did this group of characters come together, and what considerations were taken into account?

At partner 8D Games, responsible for the Board Game Work Package, there are three core considerations that are taken into account when designing characters for serious games:

✅ Firstly, there's of course the aspect of story relevance. The characters we select must contribute to the narrative of the game and align with the gameplay mechanics we've chosen. In this instance, it means that the crew in the board game should represent a wide array of perspectives and positions - allowing players to start comprehending every situation not just from an individual standpoint, but to assess each dilemma in relation to each other and to the organization as a whole.

✅ Within those parameters of relevance to the story and gameplay, it's important to be mindful of representation. Particularly in a role-playing game, having characters that different players can identify with is crucial. This means consciously designing characters of various ages, diverse backgrounds, and with different physical attributes.

✅ Lastly, we consider the art style, which must resonate with the target audience. We make very different style choices for children than we would for professionals, for example.

You could sum it up as: for serious games, you design based on what the audience and the game require -without letting your own preferences interfere. It's always about the end users and the impact you want to achieve.

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