Over the years people like Stephen Wiltshire have demonstrated amazing gifts in art and other areas of culture, but they have been regarded as autism savants. However, I believe that this idea or fact as it has been seen will be washed away over the next few years. As I said in pt 1. that communication is the issue with anyone with severe autism or more high functioning autism.
The focus has been on how to get us to function as the rest of society within it and making us square pegs try and squash into round holes, which is impossible, especially as research and science are beginning to find differences in the structure of the brain's of people on the spectrum.
I have the feeling that as more is learned about individuals and differences are understood more and more, we will be valued for what we can bring to the world, rather than being regarded, as an encumberance by some parts of society, and government.
At this point I want to say I am truly grateful for all the wonderful people who do such great work for all with Autism, and I know that they are looking for the best practice and doing the right thing, but I also see that the true numbers of people who have autism, are not really known, especially with adults, of which I am one. So things have got to change radically in some way, so that people on the autism spectrum who do not need 2 or three people to provide care, like myself, but still struggle to achieve a full time job.
Rather than forcing us in to work environments that we are not able to sustain for whatever reason because of individual difficulties (square peg into round hole).
Finding ways to enable and assist us into our own businesses perhaps using existing interests and gifts and providing support throughout the duration rather than setting us up to fail and fall flat on our faces
I also think that attitudes need to change, because this suggestion would be looked at and dismissed, because of bearuacray and closed minds. The present Government is wanting to lessen the benefit burden, but do not appreciate the stresses and incongruities of living with autism or aspergers.
It is demeaning for me to go to a Job Centre as I did up until 2006 and be faced with Jobcentre Officers who ignored my difficulties even after diagnosis. I felt humiliated that I was in the position of having to be at the Job Centre in the first place, and whenever I was there I felt like I wanted to run out the place, but had to force myself to endure the whole thing. These are the things that life on the autism spectrum throws at you and I have to say that although I did not choose to be on benefits, I am truly glad that the humiliation of dealing with the Jobcentre , was taken away, and that I do not have to attend anymore. There are loads of similar stories out there and although my hope is that it has changed with the autism awareness training that has taken place within the Job Centre, I don't want to find out until I need to.
We need to find ways to help people on the autism spectrum fit in in a way that is comfortable for them.
The focus has been on how to get us to function as the rest of society within it and making us square pegs try and squash into round holes, which is impossible, especially as research and science are beginning to find differences in the structure of the brain's of people on the spectrum.
I have the feeling that as more is learned about individuals and differences are understood more and more, we will be valued for what we can bring to the world, rather than being regarded, as an encumberance by some parts of society, and government.
At this point I want to say I am truly grateful for all the wonderful people who do such great work for all with Autism, and I know that they are looking for the best practice and doing the right thing, but I also see that the true numbers of people who have autism, are not really known, especially with adults, of which I am one. So things have got to change radically in some way, so that people on the autism spectrum who do not need 2 or three people to provide care, like myself, but still struggle to achieve a full time job.
Rather than forcing us in to work environments that we are not able to sustain for whatever reason because of individual difficulties (square peg into round hole).
Finding ways to enable and assist us into our own businesses perhaps using existing interests and gifts and providing support throughout the duration rather than setting us up to fail and fall flat on our faces
I also think that attitudes need to change, because this suggestion would be looked at and dismissed, because of bearuacray and closed minds. The present Government is wanting to lessen the benefit burden, but do not appreciate the stresses and incongruities of living with autism or aspergers.
It is demeaning for me to go to a Job Centre as I did up until 2006 and be faced with Jobcentre Officers who ignored my difficulties even after diagnosis. I felt humiliated that I was in the position of having to be at the Job Centre in the first place, and whenever I was there I felt like I wanted to run out the place, but had to force myself to endure the whole thing. These are the things that life on the autism spectrum throws at you and I have to say that although I did not choose to be on benefits, I am truly glad that the humiliation of dealing with the Jobcentre , was taken away, and that I do not have to attend anymore. There are loads of similar stories out there and although my hope is that it has changed with the autism awareness training that has taken place within the Job Centre, I don't want to find out until I need to.
We need to find ways to help people on the autism spectrum fit in in a way that is comfortable for them.
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