Aeolienne

Dietrich Buxtehude (c.1637-1707), Sonata No.6 in E major, BuxWV 264, performed by John Holloway (violin), Jaap ter Linden (viola da gamba) and Lars Ulrik Mortensen (harpsichord)

Sorry Livelife, that wasn't very clear. My last so-called job was on the Autism Work Placement Programme of a well-known investment bank. It was a major disappointment. I was initially assessed by a occupational health adviser who made some recommendations - regular meetings, moving from daily to weekly. When I joined the team, I hardly saw my manager at all during the first month, despite the recommendation. I was given some work, but never enough to fill my day. I said that I didn’t have enough work to do, but my boss was too busy to meet with me. When I said I was disappointed at how unproductive I was being, I was accused of having narcissistic tendencies. It made me feel like a charity case, that I was just there to salve their conscience and allow them to tick a box. I tried to apply for work for after the placement, so I went to trade fairs and networking events, but I couldn’t really explain what I was doing in my current job because I didn’t know myself! In my last post I should have said "in line with my interests", not "one line".

Get a proper job (i.e. one line with my interests and a permanent contract, not another crappy autism work placement) and move into my own place.

Xavier Montsalvatge (1912-2002), Ritmes, performed by Jordi Masó

Julia Holter, Hello Stranger

Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (c.1525-94), Missa Papae Marcelli

Cyndi Lauper, Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

This was the programme: Employment and autism: why it is important for employers to understand autistic perspectives 08.45 - 09.30 Registration and refreshments on arrival 09.30 - 09.40 Welcome by the Chair Mark Lever 9.40 - 10.30 Employment: doing it your way Damian Milton 10.30 - 11.20 Recognising hidden gems – roles and companies that value the autistic mindset Conor O’Halloran Break 11.50 - 12.40 Stream A: Transitions, work plans, consistent support and skills David Breslin or Stream B: Employment Training for Professionals NAS Employment Consultant Lunch 13.40 - 14.30 Hints and tips: an autistic's perspective on how to get a job and maintain employment Stephen Ben Morris 14.30 - 15.20 Finding the balance between reasonable adjustment and professional development Helen Ellis Break 15.40 -16.20 Q&A panel Stephen, Helen, Damian, Conor, David 16.20 - 16.30 Close Mark Lever 16.30 End My feedback... The conference was interesting, but didn’t actually offer anything in the way of leads to follow up. I had hoped that Conor O’Halloran’s talk might have provided such leads, but despite its title he spent most of the time talking about his chequered work history. What information he had about enlightened companies employing autistics was drawn entirely from a US perspective (not that he had ever worked there) and I suspect was largely a cut-and-paste job. Damian Milton’s talk was also predominantly about his work history. He did briefly raise an interesting point, about whether the low percentage of autistic adults in employment suggests that the methods used by schemes such as Prospects Transitions are ineffective, but didn’t follow this up. The best talk of the day was Helen Ellis’s. As she said, professional development is so often overlooked for autistic employees because getting them into work in the first place is seen as such a hurdle. Indeed, there seems to be this assumption is that the right way to treat autistic workers is to give them routine, predictable work, and to assume that they have no career ambitions. I personally think that even if some people do want that kind of work, they should still be encouraged very gently to move in the direction of career paths so that they are better prepared to move on if they get made redundant due to circumstances beyond their control. Just my tuppenceworth.

What's so great about slam-door trains? Good riddance to them I say.

My favourite German-language film is Good Bye Lenin!

An Economy That Works: Better growth beyond GDP by the Aldersgate Group, available to download here

Value Together: Annual report and accounts 2014 by Associated British Foods plc

What's dialectal behaviour therapy?

Or this: Personal Independence Payment myth buster

Anatol Lyadov (1855-1914), Kikimora

ALT-J, This is All Yours

Where are you based?

Staff Benda Bilili, Bouger le monde

Did anyone else here go on the climate march on Saturday?

Maurice Ravel, Alborada del gracioso

Janine announced on Facebook today:

And in Canada: Meticulon.

Telemann recorder sonatas performed by Michala Petri (recorder) and Anthony Newman (harpsichord)

I was on a train that stopped at a station called "Braintree Freeport". How futuristic that sounds - does Dan Dare commute from there?!

Employment and autism: why it is important for employers to understand autistic perspectives Brought to you by Ask autism Date: Thursday 7 May 2015, 09.30 - 16.30 Location: RAF Museum, Conference Centre, London, NW9 5LL. Nearest tube: Colindale The aim of this conference is to improve the understanding of autism in relation to employment, with the goal of equipping employers and support professionals with the tools to allow people on the autism spectrum to achieve all that they can achieve. The topics covered will include: why you should hire someone with autism; how to support someone already in employment; what are reasonable adjustments if you are on the autism spectrum; and how can you succeed in the workplace environment? In attending it is thought that you will gain a true understanding of autism and the positive attributes someone with autism can bring to the workplace; learn what employers should be doing to ensure true participation in the workplace; hear real-life examples of good and bad work practice; learn about the challenges faced by many people on the autism spectrum with interviews, work life, and maintaining employment; and visit the exhibitor stands to find out what support is available for employers and employees. Delegate rate (early booking - £195 + VAT) £225 + VAT, NAS members - £175 + VAT; Individuals on the autism spectrum and their parents/carers - £45 + VAT; Academics and students - £45 + VAT. To book and full details click here