AFP Dandelion Program wins 2024 National Disabilities Award
Editor’s note: Pictures of the award winners are available on Hightail
The AFP’s groundbreaking Dandelion Program, which provides a specialised pathway into the AFP for neurodivergent individuals, has been awarded an Inclusive Communities trophy at the 2024 National Disabilities Awards.
The National Disability Awards recognise and promote the outstanding contributions of individuals, groups and organisations to create an inclusive Australia, where people with disability are valued, respected, and can contribute to the community.
An initiative of the National Disability Services (NDS), the Awards focus on promoting high-quality and sustainable disability services. The AFP Dandelion Program received the coveted Inclusive Communities trophy in recognition of the strides it has made to open career pathways in law enforcement for young people living with autism.
The program is the only one of its kind in Australian policing and involves connecting talented neurodivergent people with meaningful employment opportunities, while combatting skill shortages and creating more inclusive workplaces in the AFP.
The AFP launched the Dandelion Program in July, 2023, and the six participants are now in their second year of training.
Through tailored mentoring and individualised support structures, the initiative has fostered an inclusive and supportive work environment where neurodivergent people can thrive and contribute their specialised skills to the AFP.
Participants work across a range of AFP areas such as the Covert and Technical Operations branch, along with roles in data analytics, software development and hardware engineering.
The Dandelion Program participants are based at the AFP’s Edmund Barton Building in Canberra and work out of a neurodivergent-friendly workspace with an imbedded neurodiversity consultant, focus tools and a sensory room for work and rest.
AFP Commander Rob Nelson said the Dandelion Program exemplified the AFP’s commitment to building a policing workforce that reflected the diverse communities the AFP served.
“This award acknowledges the positive impact the program has had in creating more inclusive career opportunities and promoting autism acceptance within our organisation,” Commander Nelson said.
“We are incredibly proud to see the Dandelion Program recognised at the national level. This result is a testament to the hard work, vision and dedication of everyone involved in getting this initiative off the ground.
“Most of the thanks go to the hard-working people who signed up for the program and put their trust in us. Their work has already assisted the AFP in a number of active investigations.
“The trainees in the Dandelion Program embrace every challenge they face and solve distinct technical challenges to keep Australia safe.
“Their impressive work has helped speed up investigations through the development of electronic dashboards and software that assisted investigators to collate and understand data more quickly.
“We started this program to harness the unique skills of people with autism and continue the AFP’s drive towards a more diverse and inclusive workplace. Their contribution to the AFP has already been immense and we anticipate the program will only grow – bringing unique skills and perspectives into the fold along the way.”
The two-year traineeship program is managed by DXC Technology with Untapped Talent, who oversees the selection, recruitment and support of trainees for AFP roles.
To find out more visit the Dandelion Program.