What support is there for unemployed Aspies?

[Kasha]

What support is available for people with AS/ASD on JSA?

 

I'm long-term unemployed (3+ years), I have Asperger's Syndrome and I can't use a phone - this is the main barrier I face as most employers will only contact you via telephone, but there are other problems because although I'm high functioning being out of work for so long means I've regressed and my confidence has taken a huge bump. I've held down [good] jobs long-term in the past, only lost my last job as the company I worked for went under.

 

First 2 years the job centre forced me to apply for call centre work (despite knowing I can't use a phone), they then deemed me 'mentally incapable of working' for having Asperger's and forced me onto ESA (despite being capable of work) - I went back on JSA in December, yet my benefits are still not being paid correctly, but the job centre won't do anything but give me a telephone number to call (obviously I can't call, and they won't talk to my boyfriend, so I'm stuck). Now I'm back on JSA I finally have a disability adviser, but he's no help what-so-ever, the only benefit to having him is that he's not as ignorant as other advisers, however other advisers are still ignorant/prejudice when I sign on so I still have to constantly explain my disability to them, which they seem to belittle and seem to see as my being lazy/unwilling to find work rather than a genuine disability.

 

I asked my disability adviser for some sort of support to help me back into work and was sent to Remploy - all they do is sit me at a PC to job search two hours a week, which I could do at home, and they put me in the 'retail' group - any job is great but it's insulting that they think retail work is all I'm capable of due to disability, besides I have no retail experience and retail isn't exactly the best job for people with AS/ASD so applying for retail roles really isn't helping me at all. Of course, I don't know what work I can go for or what sort of support I could expect to get, but certainly I need something other than bullying from the job centre staff to help me back into work.

 

Is there any other support available to disabled people who are unemployed?

[Tally]

What's so insulting about retail work? If you can do better, why have you been unemployed for 3 years? Retail work pays better than Jobseekers, and looks better on a CV than a long period of unemployment.

[RainbowsButterflies]

Surely if you want support over and above the average jobseeker then you would be better off in the work group of ESA rather than JSA?

[darkshine]

Did you tell them what work you were interested in looking for?

 

Because they might have put you on retail because that is where the greatest demand for jobs is and not because of their perception of disability...

[Kasha]

What's so insulting about retail work? If you can do better, why have you been unemployed for 3 years? Retail work pays better than Jobseekers, and looks better on a CV than a long period of unemployment.

 

There's nothing insulting about retail work - it is insulting that people think just because you're disabled that this is all you're capable of doing.

Why have I been unemployed for 3 years? Because I have Asperger's, and struggle to use a phone - read my initial post, and if you cannot help don't reply.

 

Surely if you want support over and above the average jobseeker then you would be better off in the work group of ESA rather than JSA?

I don't qualify for ESA - surely there should be support available for all job seekers, but more so for those who are disabled.

 

Did you tell them what work you were interested in looking for?

 

Because they might have put you on retail because that is where the greatest demand for jobs is and not because of their perception of disability...

 

I don't know what work I'm looking for - although they have been told retail work is not what I'm interested in. Given as they've deemed me as being incapable of work full-stop, they know what my work history is and it's not retail (IT, teaching, training), I have no doubt they have placed me into retail work for this reason - even if not, surely if a person is not interested in a certain type of role and has neither experience or qualifications, putting them into that type of role and not even acknowledging the idea of a person going into another line of work - whether it's prejudice or not, it's not acceptable.

[Mumble]

Why have I been unemployed for 3 years? Because I have Asperger's, and struggle to use a phone - read my initial post, and if you cannot help don't reply.

Maybe you haven't been employed because of your rudeness?

[darkshine]

I don't know what work I'm looking for - although they have been told retail work is not what I'm interested in. Given as they've deemed me as being incapable of work full-stop, they know what my work history is and it's not retail (IT, teaching, training), I have no doubt they have placed me into retail work for this reason - even if not, surely if a person is not interested in a certain type of role and has neither experience or qualifications, putting them into that type of role and not even acknowledging the idea of a person going into another line of work - whether it's prejudice or not, it's not acceptable.

I'd find this really frustrating - not least cuz I struggle to communicate what I think (in person especially - or on the phone)...

 

I think the "what do you want to do" question is one of the hardest to answer - but it seems that with your previous experience that there is a fairly clear road to go down (assuming you are still interested in these career paths?).

 

Have you been able to speak to them about this since making your first post here?

 

Best

 

Darkshine

[Aeolienne]

Is there any other support available to disabled people who are unemployed?

There's Prospects at the National Autistic Society but the waiting list is indiscernibly long. EmployAbility, although officially aimed at students, can offer some help to less recent graduates (or even non-graduates).

 

I have a similar problem in so far as I don't really know what work I should be looking for, so I've signed up for a career counselling programme with the ChangeKey Partnership - they have had experience of working with Aspie candidates.

Edited September 4, 2011 by Aeolienne

[caci]

Have you considered signing on with temp agencies for office work ?

 

If you specify you do not want call centre jobs, and would be willing to do data input, this may be a way forward.

 

My husband can not cope with the phone, and did not have a permenant job until he was in his 40's, but has always worked.

 

He said it was easier (for him) to register with an agency and let them find the jobs for him. Most contracts were on a weekly basis, but he had a few which lasted for over 2 years.

 

Eventually, an employer recognised his "true" abilities, and promoted him onto the permenant staff.

[alanm]

Have you considered signing on with temp agencies for office work? If you specify you do not want call centre jobs, and would be willing to do data input, this may be a way forward.

 

My husband can not cope with the phone, and did not have a permenant job until he was in his 40's, but has always worked. He said it was easier (for him) to register with an agency and let them find the jobs for him. Most contracts were on a weekly basis, but he had a few which lasted for over 2 years. Eventually, an employer recognised his "true" abilities, and promoted him onto the permenant staff.

This has certainly paid off for me, last May one of my local temp agencies got me a data entry job which they thought could be a fortnight to a month, I settled in ok and just took it week by week, another linked department found more work for me continuing through August and September and then they were in a position to offer me and several other temps fixed term contracts on their own books to the end of February. Last month they then had early Christmas presents for us, that they were able to make those permanent.

 

The great thing was that when I started through the agency last May it was a case of "can you turn up and start there next Monday" with no need for an interview, those being my usual obstacle. I was able to turn up and start, be shown the ropes and prove my capability. Three months in I got to go beyond my first general data entry task and get some financing, now I have about 5 regular tasks, all linked phases of a wider process, and my supervisors have been really good about my disability and I don't have to be on phones at all. There's a mix of data entry and telephone people, those who can be good at doing both sides are encouraged to for cover flexibility, but many are distinctly one or the other.

 

I haven't even been on these forums for ages, I don't have time to read often since I've had this work. Best of luck to all those out there still job hunting.