Aspies For Freedom

Michael1 said:
If NAS really wanted to help adults with AS they would help us get non stress, social free jobs.

Some of us need to have quiet, low-lit, low interaction jobs but they tend to require skills, talent and/or education.

If we don't have a formal education or access to technology, we may find ourselves without the contacts to discover roles that we can realistically handle.

I have had very well paid jobs, but chose to return to study. Now, I need paid work and am considering setting up a school to employment transition programme. The trouble is that it will take a long time to go from setting up to a position that will pay me for at least some of my time.

In the meantime, I am reviewing job descriptions and skill levels for various jobs. Does anyone know of roles that would be suitable and achievable for different skills and interests?

That is what the disabilities advisors are supposed to do at the Job centres.

Which job centres?
How many of them have any understanding of ASD?
How many of them have any understanding of sensory issues?
How many of them have any understanding of 'hidden disabilities'?

It seems obvious that someone who is non-verbal cannot hold a customer service centre role, BUT they may be able to hold just such a role, if they were using TTY or other devices. They don't have the time or the knowledge to help direct people into such niche roles when they are loking for a job, let alone when they are still at school.

I am planning a database of interests against job roles. I want to interview employers to find out what skills they actually need in an employee, rather than what they think they want.

I would like to assist people into roles that allow them to add value ... where their unique skills or knowledge can be utilised to the advantage and satisfaction of all involved. I know a teenager who tried out to be an apprentice mechanic, but he left because he could not cope with the constant hazing. If there were more hardworking guys like him who were willing to learn and to work, then the existing guys would have to get on with their work or quickly find themselves unemployed.

The only way I could realistically handle a customer service job would be with TTY but I think employers might not understand why some of us are verbal but yet still need assisted communication such as TTY in some circumstances.

I wish they had jobs like that available, I would just like a job that I can do by myself or mostly by myself. That would be excellent. For the school year, I have a job as a receptionist, and it is made more difficult due to there being two vents, one that whistles, and one that blows air, and it causes lots of sensory problems. I would like a job with less social interaction, that would be great.

What sort of work would you do?
What sort of organisation would you work for?

Hmmm, software development ...

Do you prefer working on a particular area of industry software eg, financial, HR, medical, medical devices, biotech, neuroscience, cogntive science, manufacturing, warehousing, distribution, supply, education and or training, graphic design, new media, marketing, internet and mobile computing?

If you were unable to do the business analysis with the client, would you be able to handle contacting them for clarification of issues relating to the specs?

Do you do systems analysis and functional specs? How do you manage when someone else's specs are flawed or impossible to achieve within the constraints of time, budget, and human and other resources?

Do you have a preference for programming language? Do you like straight coding or perhaps you like developing the user interface?

If you were writing code, would you develop program specs or would someone need to do that for you?

Do you like doing QA? Do you like having it done on your code? Do you like doing structured walkthroughs? How do other people respond when you point out problems and issues with their work?

Do you like doing testing with the users? Do you like doing training and support?

How do you cope with users who change their mind, or refuse to sign off?

If you were required to do user support, could you handle being first level support? Or do you prefer to leave the recording of the problem to others, and only be called in when the problem is more serious than the wrong colour on a screen? In late 2006, I worked a temp job as straight Level One support in an environment where I was not allowed to tell the person how to remedy the problem. I could reset passwords, but other than that I was expected to tell people that I would put their name in the help desk software and that someone would ring them back. I was not allowed to tell them when that would occur (sometimes the onsite support person for their area would not be available for several days). It made for a frustrating situation for everyone. Gradually, I began to tell them the answer and recorded the request as closed. It annoyed less people outside the department but more inside.

How would you cope with being in a job interview with a panel of people on the other side of the table asking you these questions?

Some Aspies may need help centers/disability job seekers to assist us in finding a job suited to our needs and abilities.  I don't just mean want, but actually need.

While your "toughen up" idea is a good idea for 100% of the human race, it may not work as reliably as it should for someone on the spectrum.  Sometimes, support and, most importantly, people who understand the unusual problems and idiosyncratic skill set of ASD need to help the AS person steer their ship to the right place.

That we are outnumbered by NTs should not be as great an issue as it used to be.  I am aware that when the diagnosis was not much in use and there was not much support for people with any kind of neurological difficulty, the only choice was to toughen up.

But nowadays, I think we're entitled to a bit more.  And I think the society can try to understand the idea that some of us cannot make as many "positive changes" to our life that the non-autistics among us can do, with hardly batting an eyelash.  That's not to say NTs have it easy, of course--just that making changes is a known difficulty for ASD people.  I think we can ask the society to acknowledge that a bit, now.  We're all on AFF for a reason--this movement is about giving people of our kind more support, more positive exposure, and more access to an individual identity than we've ever had before.

And those of us who came before the diagnosis was in common use--who had no choice but to suffer through everything without having a way to express themselves, without having an identity or a self, without anyone who could understand--we haven't forgotten them.  They pave the way for the modern Asperger/autistic movement.

It sort of becomes like an open book exam without a time limit.

I hate the panel interview because I can only look at the person who asked the question and that is hard enough.

What about those of us who can't toughen up no matter how much we would like to?

Well, we can get by with a little help from out friends.
By supporting each other we can gain strength from our shared experiences.
We may not think we’re tough--but when aspies encounter set backs and struggle to do the things everyone else does easily…the struggle makes us tough. All of us are strong--we’ve had to be.

But this doesn’t mean that accommodation shouldn’t be made. If an employer wants to get the best out of an employee--tackling sensory issues--reducing social interaction--having a rota--allowing the use of email instead of phone--can all increase productivity…
They are only minor accommodations and may even help non-aspie employees function better as well.

My husband was helped INCREDIBLY by simply removing the flourescent light bulbs above his desk.  Years of being miserable solved by a quick action of removing bulbs.  (Exasperated sigh.)

Its amazing how much difference a change in lighting or a reduction in noise can make. I find that I get twice as much work done if I come into the office early or stay late. There's a noticable drop in background noise--and I can stay relaxed and focused for longer.

I find working earlies or lates makes the drive to work (and parking on arrival) easier, so I arrive at work less stressed.

I really don't think that there is a social-free job out there. Pracically every single job out there do require interaction with others. When I worked in the college cafeteria in various postions, I had to interact with others, even when I am stocking beverages and there is a request for a beverage or milk.