I believe that it is important to work as not only does it assist financially, good work can bring a sense of belonging, inclusion and a feeling of accomplishment and doing something worthwhile. It also helps in creating a schedule. A structured routine is important, especially for people with Autism as without one you can forget to do important tasks, if you are going to bed and waking up at different times everyday this will adversely affect your sleep and we may become preoccupied with one of our special interests and we may spend more time than we intended to on them. Schedules are also important as they give more control over what you want to achieve i.e if you dont have a schedule or plan than it is alot more difficult to achieve the goals you set out to do.
As with any job, the job that I am currently doing comes with its own challenges. The main difficulty i faced when i started it was that it was overnight work. The first couple of nights I was tired nearing the end of the shift (mid-morning), however after a week of getting into a new schedule of sleeping and eating etc. i have become accustomed to it. It also helps to have a great team leader which not only makes sure that everyone knows what they're doing but also assists in getting the work done themselves too. It is great to work in a team where everyone gets in and gives it their best to get it done. Where I am working currently i feel that I am valued and assisted appropriately. It is so important for any work environment to have a great culture where employers contribution is valued and they are assisted/guided whenever possible.
As this is temporary work in my spare time I am currently organising a movie fundraising event with the Blue Jay Foundation (http://www.facebook.com/bluejayfundraising) so I and other Aspies who live in my town can gain a 1 months paid work experience. If you are from Australia and are interested I suggested that you look on their page and contact them.
Currently I am busy with work but I plan to post at least weekly. Stay tuned and thanks for reading!
