matzoball

Same here I would love to meet you guys!

ooft.

S'cool

Pretty much! To address what else was said - I know it sounds like I have drank the kool-aid! Just because I am trying to highlight the positives does not mean that I am not aware of the negatives of the situation. I am just trying to be glass half full is all Mumble - sorry if the tone came across as defensive or agressive, it really wasn't my intention! The points you made are actually things that are being addressed at work and things that I have thought about - The support plans and strategies currently employed to support us are constantly evolving with the intent on sharing that with other organizations. It's not going to be a case of you only get that kind of support if you work for us - that would defeat the point of what the company is trying to achieve - it's not perfect yet but it's got a good start. Believe me, there are days when I just want to throw in the towel because I get so frustrated about things! It's a work in progress and really, it's only just starting so the way things are now aren't necessarily going to be the way things are a year from now. I'm not saying that this is how all companies need to do things, it's just a way of doing things.

This is kind of getting away from the point of the OP - a major company doing something positive to help people on the spectrum. It should not be seen as something to take apart, but to be built upon. I have responded to every point made on here as I am part of the company, but it's getting kind of disheartening that it's getting picked to bits. The article was essentially a puff piece to get the company mentioned in the media so as to raise awareness and a bit of hope. I have worked my ass off over the last 8 months, and so have the others. It might seem like it's only benefitting us right now but that is really just not the case! What we are trying to do is really important because if it works here then it means so much more for the rest of the uk. Thorkil could have chosen anywhere in the world for the first branch but he chose us because he knows that people in the UK have a strong work ethic(not to say nowhere else does) and Specialisterne would have support from the goverment and the autistic society to help make this endeavour a success. We are realistic about our goals and we understand the pressure on us - especially from the ASD community - to make this work. So please support us, not denigrate us.

Went to casting today - went really early so was there for half an hour! Queued, filled in a form and had my photo taken - had me an egg mcmuffin then home! Now the wait begins....

you really really need to seek professional help about your paranoia issues. your other posts about getting people back for staring at you quite frankly scared me. speaking as someone who has a lot of problems in those areas - you are going to convince yourself it's you everytime. so please get some help before you get yourself into serious trouble.

Well to me the aim of anyone getting a job is to have it for as long as possible! However sheltered employment is not the aim. Although gainful employment is one of the main aims - developing work and social skills is another. I will use myself as an example - mainly because I really don't like speaking for others! I have paranoia and anger issues - but they are not as bad as they were when I first started. Because of Laura and Maria(managers) supporting me and helping me to challenge my negative thoughts and behaviours I don't immediately go to the 'bad place' when something happens that I can't handle. I also through their support have developed my confidence enough, that my eventual aim is to do what Laura and Maria do, but in the Berlin branch of Specialisterne whenever that opens. That is a long time down the line but I am working hard to make it a reality. I hope to become an advocate for autism in Germany, and that simply would not have happened if not for Specialisterne. Moving on is something we(as the new starts) have all discussed. At the moment we all want to work really hard to ensure that Specialisterne survives the current state of the economy by bringing in contracts and raising the profile of the company so that other companies will gain confidence in us. This means that we will be able to take in more people as time goes on and expand on the 5 year initial plan - not to say that it's just going to exist for 5 years, that's just the start! One thing I have noticed as time goes on, is that the other guys now talk about companies they would like to go and work for - this didn't even enter into the conversation when we all started! So my take on it is that eventually some of us will move on having been empowered as you say to advance in their chosen careers(one of us is actually already moving into politics!) and some of us will stay with the company hopefully!

I am just speculating, but I think it may be because IT is a massively competetive career field - so being exclusive gives spectrum people a fair chance - I guess it is a form of positive discrimination really! There are NT people who work at Specialisterne, but the test analyst jobs are only filled by autistic people. The manager jobs etc are not exclusively NT so there isn't any case of being excluded at the upper levels of the hierarchy. I do think there should be opportunity for more social inclusion(working with NT people on a more regular basis), but I think that that will come with time when we get external contracts. One of our guys is away working on one just now and he says it's fantastic - his disability is acknowledged insofar as reasonable adjustments etc, but he is treated like one of the guys which is all any of us could ever ask for - level playing field

Her name is Sabine - it's a documentary, but amazing. Temple Grandin - a biopic about the amazing advocate for autism Snow Cake - fantastic movie and Sigourney Weaver is really good

Good luck Baddad and Ben They really want family groups so you may be in luck!!

They aren't trying to buy into, or re-enforce stereotypes - I myself am not that IT minded, my talents lie in creative endeavours and of late (i am aware of the irony) people management. There is scope perhaps not at this moment in time, but certainly in the future to expand into other avenues of career skills. They just have to be given the chance to actually do it. There are very few companies in the UK who actively employ people on the spectrum, and more often than not the NAS are involved, so the chance for exploitation is slim. I am not saying that it isnt a very real possibility, but I can only comment on what I know.

Didn't say you were judging! Just clarifying my side of things They are the only company that does this in Britain, with plans to expand. The ultimate aim is to become an established name in the UK in the IT industry - but right now they have to be realistic and try and achieve this with small steps initially. What people don't know is how hard our Operations manager and several others had to fight to get this money in the first place - it's been 2 years in the making before they even opened their doors to the first 12 trainees. The trainees(me being one) who went on to full time employment are very aware how important this endeavour is. With that in mind we are all working very hard and very dilligently to make this a success so that as you say it proves a positive for autistic people in general not just us. Branches of Specialisterne are starting to open all over the world, and I think that given the right support that it will be a success and really bring about change for the better.

I registered for extras casting aaaaages ago - I got an email asking me to join the casting on Saturday for World War Z which will be filming in Glasgow this coming August! I am freaking out a bit over the thought of massive queues etc - but the chance to actually meet Brad Pitt is too good to pass up!! Will let you know how it goes!

There are lots of these articles quoting Thorkil floating about the internet, they are generally treated as puff pieces(imo) by what ever journalist has written them. http://www.heraldscotland.com/mobile/business/corporate-sme/industry-urged-to-use-the-skills-of-autism-sufferers-1.1076157 I am pictured in this article, and on the whole it's not a bad piece - but use of the word 'sufferers' actually grated on me because as far as I am concerned - I am autistic, and I don't suffer. But it illustrates the point I am trying to make albeit not that clearly. We try to vet every piece of media coverage we get - but as the article title proves, we can't always control the final copy. So while in my opinion Thorkil is an expert, he may not necessarily see himself as such - and it's worth keeping in mind that at the end of the day a journalist chose to use that word, not him.

I think you are so incredibly strong and brave over how you have handled all of this. Just ignore the idiots as work, as hard as that might be - keep in mind there are people who care a lot about you(this place most definitely included) xxxx

I work for Thorkil. Specialisterne recognize the fact that people on the spectrum (not all) are essentially an untapped resource(quoting the article) because mainstream society more or less deems us unemployable - we are all qualified software testers but aren't limited to that one field of IT. I myself have developed project management and team leader skills(i wouldn't have been saying that this time last year), others in my team web development and information architecture. Combined we have several computing related degrees, design experience, programming experience and media experience. All of us have found the working world a difficult one to inhabit, and our company allows us to be ourselves and utilize our skills and talents. When I have sat down with Thorkil and Steen(one of the chairmen), it has never been about the money(well of course that factors into it as Specialisterne is a business!), the conversations have always been about ensuring that we are happy, fufilled and confident. Yes I am pretty evangelical about Specialisterne, but it really has changed my life and I really believe in what Thorkil is doing - not trying to do, but actually doing!! He is getting out there and raising awareness of the company as much as he can because he knows that we are fantastic at what we do, and shouldn't be written off just because some of us have sensory issues, or social issues etc His son, who is autistic will have a job to go to if he so chooses when he is older because of all the hard work he has put in to create this amazing company. So I would say that Thorkil really does know what he is talking about.

Tangled is awesome!! Pascal the chameleon is one of the best disney sidekicks yet

Aspergerss - what you have just put up is really quite worrying. You should not under ANY circumstances be physically harming other people!! You should not under ANY circumstances be verbally harming other people!! You need to seek some sort of cognitive behavioural therapy to deal with your perceptions of other people and manage your negative thoughts. You should also be seeking help with your paranoia. We all have paranoid thoughts to some extent, but the difference is how we deal with that paranoia. If you have done what you said you have to people, then count yourself lucky you haven't been arrested. When you feel people are getting at you or staring, it is best to distance yourself and try your hardest to ignore them. Otherwise you are going to find yourself in a lot of trouble with the police or worse.

Anyone watch the coverage? My second favourite band kitty daisy and lewis were on in the 'studio' after beyonce - ruddy brilliant

try looking for it on www.letmewatchthis.ch - it's a streaming website so you can watch it and not have to download

Really sorry to hear this, thoughts and prayers are with you xx

Oh Tally I am so sorry. Will be thinking of you and your family xx

That is fantastic - well done Mark and Steven xxx

http://www.examiner.com/asperger-education-in-west-palm-beach/girls-with-asd-suffering-silence