Mentoring

[Mumble]

I've discovered the source of the problems I'm having getting a suitable mentor: I've found the main recruiting agency and job ad for ASD specific mentors for university students used by companies like I've had. Amongst the job description are:

• Must have a degree (because of course by having a degree they'll know the issues I have at uni even if it's on an entirely different course )
• Must have counselling qualification (because of course that includes experience in AS )
• Must have a minimum of one year experience working with people with mental health difficulties (because of course that's what we have )
• Must have excellent study skills (because of course what works for NTs is exactly the same as what works for ASD )
• Must have awareness of the potential impact of mental health issues on academic study (again because of course AS is a mental health issue )
• Must have an awareness of specific learning difficulties (because of course that's exactly what AS is )

Well there we go - we now know AS is a mental health issue and specific learning difficulty treatable through counselling

 

It's little wonder I've had so much difficulty getting an appropriate mentor. My supervisor really wants to help but I think he's as stumped as me as to where to get someone appropriate from. Clearly the officially trained mentors following the guidelines above are not appropriate but there doesn't seem to be any other option. If anyone has any ideas that are available now, I'd love to hear them. I really need the support as this weekend clearly demonstrated but there seems to be such a barrier to getting it.

[Guest Lya of the Nox]

life just dont make sense

sorry

x

[Kathryn]

Hi Mumble,

 

I've recently contacted an advocacy agency in the hope of getting an independent advocate for my daughter because as a parent I think I need to withdraw a bit, and she needs more objective support and advice than I can give her. They have a good reputation for listening to clients and helping them get what they want. They are now in email contact with my daughter. I don't know if they cover your area, but if you think this is something that might help you, I could pm you the details.

 

K x

[Mumble]

That would be great if you can Kathryn. It perhaps isn't quite what I need, but I want to make sure I have really covered every possibility. I'm having a meeting next week to try and thrash out some ideas (my academics really get that I need support, and the type of support, I need) so at this stage I think anything is worth considering

[Kathryn]

Pm'd you.

 

K x

[Canopus]

I know all about this and it's a sod of a problem. My investigations have confirmed that over 90% of mentors and supporters of people with AS want qualifications and work experience that are of little relevance to AS. I applied for a mentoring job and was rejected because I have no psychology qualifications or social work experience.

[Mumble]

I know all about this and it's a sod of a problem. My investigations have confirmed that over 90% of mentors and supporters of people with AS want qualifications and work experience that are of little relevance to AS.

Absolutely. It's the skills they want that have so far caused me the most problems with the mentor I've had. She had a degree so she thought she knew all about doing a PhD, she had counselling skills so thought she'd use them on me despite it being flagged up in my report which she had that I'd had major problems with counselling before because of an AS connected difficulty, she treated me as if I had learning difficulties . . . need I go on.

 

I don't suppose you know anything about the other 10% or so? At the moment I'm open to absolutely any suggestions for possible support.

[llisa32]

I'm gonna have to surf for something but how about befriending groups that are nothing to do with ASD's??

 

They may be some woman's networking groups or something like that where you may come across just another human who doesn't have a text book at the ready, and will be willing to support you as the mumble, rather than mumble as the textbook?

 

I think you could do with someone open and honest who's willing to learn about you and how to support you, equally maybe you could provide something in return? - there maybe other woman with different circumstances who are desperate to find a way into learning/research etc...despite whatever you think...YOU actually give very good advice your self missy Mumble <'>

 

I'm just thinking that sort of an arrangement might benefit?

[bid]

OK, trying to look at both sides here...

 

How many times have people complained that LSAs, etc, have no qualifications, etc??

 

I actually think the requirements are pretty sensible...I honestly can't see why these specs are upsetting you so much <'>

 

Must have a degree:as a PhD student you are working at an exceptionally high academic/intellectual level. It seems sensible to me to have a mentor with a roughly similar academic background.

 

Must have a counselling qualification:again, this seems a very useful tool for a mentor to have. On a personal level, I have benefitted from good counselling, as it has an impact on all areas of one's life.

 

Experience of working with people with mental health problems:depression, low self-esteem and/or severe anxiety are mental health problems, there's no getting away from it. I have mental health problems as a result of my AS, and I would imagine that a pretty high percentage of us do. A mental health problem shouldn't have any more stigma than a physical problem.

 

Knowledge of the potential impact of mental health issues on academic study:this seems sensible to me, see above.

 

Knowledge of specific learning difficulties:this doesn't imply that AS is a specific learning difficulty. But there are plenty of people with AS who do have dyslexia/dyspraxia, etc.

 

I'm sticking my neck out here, but maybe you are taking this too 'personally'? The requirements for a mentor for ASD needs to apply to a wide range of people with ASD, whose profiles will all be different.

 

It is certainly true that the mentor employed for you was not suitable for the job, but that doesn't mean that the requirements for job are wrong. I think they are very thorough, and have been well thought through, IMO. If/when my DS goes to uni, and if he wanted a mentor, I would be extremely pleased to see such a list of requirements.

 

Bid

Edited September 13, 2007 by bid

[bid]

Well there we go - we now know AS is a mental health issue and specific learning difficulty treatable through counselling

 

Mumbles, I just don't get this implication from the list of job requirements. I don't think that's what they are saying at all <'>

 

Bid

[Laz]

You know i do find it bording on insulting that somehow by being AS your pre-destined going to collapse into peices with a mental health problem at the very minute you encounter social isolation, struggle with work and education and all the wonders life throws at you. Ive had my fair share of meloncoly moments but ive hardly got my aunts schitzophrenia or my uncles bi-polar depression....yet...but still we dont all go mad the minute were under stressed

 

Wider society when you think about it should be utterly ashamed that bright intelligent young people are ignored, neglected and abused to the point that they suffer nervous breakdowns, mental health crisis and clinical depression. Its really an utter disgrace that this is not isolated tragic individual cases but situations that are occuring on national level with hundreds of people.

 

But just think, if you think being asperger is bad imagine being learning disabled! Thats even worse