Bulat Utemuratov Foundation and RAOUL Charity Foundation Launch Supported Employment Program for Young People with Autism in Kazakhstan

ALMATY, Kazakhstan, Feb. 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Bulat Utemuratov Foundation and RAOUL Charity Foundation have launched a new supported employment program aimed at developing a structured pathway into the workforce for young people with autism in Kazakhstan.

The program seeks to establish a practical and scalable model enabling young people on the autism spectrum to enter and succeed in professional environments. It will expand access to meaningful employment opportunities, strengthen specialist expertise, and introduce internationally recognized supported employment practices into Kazakhstan's social services system.

"For us, this program represents an important next step in strengthening opportunities for young people with autism in Kazakhstan," said Ainur Karbozova, CEO of the Bulat Utemuratov Foundation. "As they transition into adulthood, employment becomes one of the most significant challenges. Our objective is to develop a sustainable model that enables them to realize their potential while supporting employers in building inclusive workplaces."

RAOUL Charity Foundation will serve as the program's methodological and training partner, drawing on its international expertise in supported employment to adapt global best practices locally, train job coaches, provide supervision, and support monitoring and quality frameworks.

"This partnership is about turning long-term support into long-term opportunity," said Mikhail Krivonos, international partner at RAOUL Charity Foundation. "We believe in people's abilities and potential. Together, we want sustainable employment to become a realistic and achievable stage in the lives of young people with autism in Kazakhstan."

The pilot of the program will engage young people with autism and employers across telecommunications, retail, services, logistics, and other sectors. It's implemented with methodological support from the RAOUL Charity Foundation, in partnership with Beeline Kazakhstan and the Association of Social Innovators. Participants will receive individual assessments, tailored training, and professional profiling aligned with real vacancies, and supported entry into the open labor market.

Since 2015, the Bulat Utemuratov Foundation has built a nationwide system of support for children with autism and their families. Through its network of 13 Asyl Miras centers operating in 12 cities, the Foundation has supported more than 20,000 children over the past decade. The new employment program extends this long-term commitment into adulthood, focusing on lasting social and professional inclusion. As it develops, partners plan to share results and insights, aiming to scale the model across other regions of Kazakhstan.

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