Employment Pilot Program

I will report what I have been doing with an employment pilot program since a few weeks ago, (as I have been busy with work etc.). As I have mentioned previously in my blog I have been running a social group for Aspie adults since late last year and decided that employment help for Aspies would be the first project that I would focus on advocating for in the local area. Garry, who has been my mentor for over 6 months, planned to come down to Orange for a week to assist in getting an employment pilot program for Aspies discussed with service providers and also to help strengthen the social group.

So a bit more information about how my personal experiences for gaining useful help in applying and getting an interview and also performing well in an interview. Currently I am with a mainstream employment service provider. When I first joined the provider I was happy with the level of support as I was provided training to build up my confidence being interviewed and the staff member helped me write my applications for jobs. She spent the time that was needed to make sure I had a reasonable chance in gaining employment. Unfortunately a few months after that the staff member was promoted to another position and over the past year I have had about 5 different people, all who said I was perfectly capable of doing all the applying myself with no help at all. I have recently wanted to join a Disability Employment Provider (DES) but need an official diagnoses (multiple psychologists have said that it is highly likely that I have it although nothing official yet) to give to Centrelink for them to transfer me to the service I need. The need for individualised service where the staff understood me and the services I need was affirmed when I went to the service provider I am currently with, in which she asked me how long I had Asperger's. It is ignorance like this that shows just how hard it is to get services that will help people with different abilities that are little known about still in society.

So this is why I am currently building up the group in Orange, Garry taught me a-lot about how to build up rapport with the others in the group and how to get them involved in the running of it and the associated projects. When he was down we also built up our professional networks and to invite professionals in Orange to work together in the process of creating a special program for people with Asperger's to help them gain employment and work with employers to help them identify appropriate roles, provide reasonable adjustments in the workplace to make it easier for the Aspies to feel comfortable in the environment (to ease sensory issues etc.) and to understand how Aspies like to learn and work so they can alter their management strategies to get the Aspie to work at their best potential. People we spoke to include the Cathie Mathews from the Health Department and who advises the education department also, Betty Ross from ICAN (http://www.autismcarers.org/) who is assisting us in many ways including planning education sessions for employers and DES providers, Chris Lear who is an officer in the National Disability Co-ordination Officer (NDCO) program. He was able to provide us with contact details of valuable services and was very helpful in providing other input regarding our employment program. More information about the NDCO program can be found here https://education.gov.au/national-disability-coordination-officer-program

Meeting with Kris Lear - Early march

The next step in achieving better results for Adults on the spectrum will be to grow the group, both in size and strength. I am currently organising to set up a stall in the main shopping centre in Orange and other events that will grow the size of the group. I am also organising to start an Aspie
Adult Social Group with the Bathurst Autism Support Group (that focuses on school aged children), Betty from ICAN and several members of the Orange group who will pitch in when they can.

As you can see I have been very busy, but with all this work comes rewards such as the Adults starting to achieve closer to their potential (including me) and the reduction of ignorance of Autism in the community, leading to better understanding and inclusion. If you have any stories of what helped you get your current job, and what services providers did that wasn't as helpful please reply to this post. Thanks for reading and enjoy your weekend!

Increasing employment opportunities for adults with Autism

A recent study by ASPECT, a not-for-profit organisation that support stakeholders and individuals with Autism, found that despite the Australian national employment rate being 95%, just 54%  of the adults with AD and HFA in this study (excluding those still in full-time education) had a paid job at the time of completing the survey. 

As a nation (and other nations) must work together to improve the employment rate of those with Autism. As the above statistic shows although some people born with autism go on to achieve great things, the majority of them are not given the opportunity to fulfill their potential.

People with autism may not understand the unwritten social rules that others usually pick up without

thinking. For example, they may stand too close to another person or start an inappropriate subject of conversation, appear insensitive, as they have not recognised how someone else is feeling, often struggle understanding irony and sarcasm, and often offend as they are often very blunt with their comments. Because of this it is often hard for us to be successfully through the hiring stage and holding onto a job for the long term.

Although there are some  issues that may arise because of the difficulties people with autism face, the benefit to employ them outweighs the issues. Some things that are being done to help people with autism gain meaningful employment include the US plan requiring all federal employees to have at-least 7% of their workplace positions be occupied by people with a disability. (1) An organisation called Specialisterne (2) works to enable one million jobs for people with autism and similar challenges through social entrepreneurship, corporate sector engagement and a global change in mind-set. 

The low employment rate of people with Autism isn’t because they don’t have the skills, the commitment, or the drive, but because many employers just don’t understand the benefits of employing someone with autism.

Employers need to know that it makes good business sense to employ people who are reliable, punctual and loyal; people who have good attention to detail and concentration levels; people who have excellent problem solving skills and can be analytical, resourceful and creative. What good employer wouldn’t want an employee with those skills?

It is also a disadvantage for employers, who are missing out on a large national resource of loyal and hard working staff. So the economy is also missing out.Employers must first realise what they are missing out on, then equip themselves to capitalise on it.

An effective way of assisting people with Autism in the realm of employment is to provide support searching for a job, applying and selection process and then when a job is found providing on the job support. The first stage of support would include career counseling to help the adult decide which field of employment they would like to get into and organise relevant further training if required. If the adult is already suitably qualified it may be necessary to help develop confidence, help with writing resumes, role-playing interviews, sourcing internships, placements and work experience among other things. 

Whether to disclose your diagnosis is a tough decision even in today's society as many people's opinions of people with a disability is negative. Much work needs to be done to improve the image of autistic's and to promote the positive aspects of autism. If you choose to disclose to a potential employer and get invited to an interview your employment consultant should identify and organise reasonable adjustments for both the interview and if you are successful the workplace. 

 When the applicant is successful it is essential for the employment consultant and the employer to work together. (3) The type and level of support required will depend on the person's individual needs, but could include:   

•  appointing a colleague to act as a mentor to the employee with autism,
  through helping them with any issues that arise and advocating on their behalf
  if necessary
•   arranging general and specific autism awareness training for staff who work with the employee(s) with autism

 Link 3 at the end of this post gives more information about employing people with autism including advice to help managers communicate effectively and suggested adjustments to make at the interview.

 

As you can see we are starting to make some progress and there are some great programs out there but there is still alot to be done. I am currently seeking comment from anyone who has autism/asperger's to let me know what works, what doesn't and what you found the most difficult in obtaining employment and also what your employer has done well and what could be done better. I am also interested in hearing stories from parents, employers and staff at recruitment agencies and employment consultancies. Please leave a comment below and please enjoy the rest of your week :)

(1) floridatrend.com/article/16857/hiring-people-with-disabilities

 (2) http://specialisterne.com/
(3) http://www.equalityni.org/archive/pdf/Employingpeoplewithautism.pdf

Gardening For a Healthier Lifestyle

I was thinking a little while back of a hobby I could start that could take up a part of my day as I have found I was becoming less productive due to only working Part-Time. I settled on gardening because as far as I know there is no other hobby that has so many benefits. Not only does it get you out in the fresh air and sunshine, give you a great feeling of accomplishment watching your plants grow and mature, is good for reducing stress as it is a low intensity activity; fresh veges, fruit and herbs are incomparably more delicious and contain no added chemicals like shop bought produce usually does.

In the next few paragraphs I would like to give you some information on how to start growing plants.

You will need:  

• Somewhere to plant which will be either pots, a garden bed or a seedling tray 
• Seedlings if you do not want to grow from seed or seeds
• Fertiliser (I prefer liquid and i put in to a watering can, but granular is also available) 
• gardenate.com (seasonal information about vegetables and herbs in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, UK and the USA) 
• watering can and access to water
• seedling mix for seeds, potting mix for pots, or you may need soil for garden beds
• trowel

Optional:

•   Sticks and string if you want to grow vine plants such as beans
•  Soil thermometer to check the temperature of the soil
•  pH metre to ensure the soil is the right pH level 

Before you buy your plants and/or seeds you must see what plants can grow in your climate at the time of planting. I use gardenate.com for vegetables and herbs as it tells you everything you need to know about planting your chosen seed or seedling.  It informs you on how to sow (as a general rule sow seeds at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed), what temperature soil it can live in, how far to space the plants out, when to harvest and what other plants it is compatible with and what plants to avoid planting in close proximity. It also has a comments section which is invaluable in finding other hints and tips on how to grow and cook your produce.

For instructions on how to transplant seedlings if you decide to grow them in a seedling tray and need to give them a home where they can grow bigger follow these instructions How to transplant seelings.

I think the most important and fun part of the process is trial and error, you will get better with it as you get out and garden more, also if you are unsure of anything there is usually a youtube instructional video. Also I would love to get some feedback on this article so please let me know if I should edit or add anything to make it even more helpful. Hope you have a great week and may your garden flourish!

An Aspie friendly holiday

I have recently come back from a cruise holiday and it was the best value for money and laid back holiday I have ever had. There are many reasons that cruise holidays are great for Aspies and generally everyone which I will talk about in this post.

Cruises are generally great value for what you pay for. Generally it will be around $100 per night which includes travel, accommodation, on-board entertainment which generally includes swimming pool, tennis table, live and pre-recorded music, theme nights, night club, live entertainment, food, regular tea and coffee. Some things that will cost you money, however will be alcohol and special drinks (such as espressos and mocktails), gambling and tour excursions. I recommend that you book tour excursions well in advance directly before the cruise as the cruise line will sell these tours at prices much higher than you can buy them directly.

One of the best things about a cruise is that you only have to unpack once, because you stay on the cruise overnight. Also it is great for Aspies as there is a schedule of activities on-board which makes it easier to plan your day and not get too stressed of constantly being uncertain of everything. Travel is simplified as you are moving between destinations effortlessly so you do not have to worry about driving, getting on and off buses, trains etc. all while moving your luggage around.

If you are going overseas make sure to get your passport well in advance and pay attention to the currency you will be using as it may end up being more expensive than you think if you don not take exchange rates into account.

I would love to hear your experiences on the best holidays you've had and any tips you may want to share. Enjoy your week!

a new way to connect: through music!

Please come see what this is all about. Plug.dj is a real-time social media experience combining content discovery in a highly interactive online environment. Join the community!! http://plug.dj/aspie-community/
By the way I am not paid by plug.dj to put this up I just thought other Aspies would be interested in connecting through a mutual interest i.e. music

Continuation of Autism Advocacy in the New Year

I have finally got some time to sit down and write my New Years blog. I have recently went on a trip to meet Peter down in the snowy mountains where I explored the mountain terrain and even hiked along the Main Range Track which starts and ends at Charlottes Pass. It is a 22 kilometre loop which took us across the Snowy River and up over Mt Carruthers towards the summit of Kosciuszko itself, then by Rawson's Pass and down the hill back towards the starting point. It was no easy task especially for me as previously the longest walk I have down was about 5 kilometres. I really got to prove to myself I am more capable than what I sometimes think I cannot do and sometimes you just need a bit of a nudge.

So now to our teams new projects for the year. Recently we have been networking with other Autism Groups in close proximity to the Orange group including Bathurst (FB page for Bathurst Aspergers & Autism Support Group), Wagga Wagga (http://www.waggaautismgroup.org.au) and Lithgow ( FB Lithgow Nanna's Touch ASD Support Group). While looking around the region we noticed that Dubbo does not have an Autism group. We have started to advertise to the people of Dubbo who are stakeholders in the Autism community to come forward and assist us in establishing a monthly meeting and extra recreational activities with a focus on the outdoors and having new experiences. To read developments into the Dubbo Autism Support and Social group please see here FB page DubboAutism.

In the new year Orange will have its own separate Adult Aspie Social Group meetings. These meetings will be at  79-81 Kite Street Orange (parking available in the Woolworths Carpark) @ 7pm ON the 2nd Tuesday of the month starting in February 2014 on the 11th.

For the month of February we have teamed up with the Rural and Remote Autism Network to start our "Give the Habit a Flick in February" where you give up alcohol or another a luxury close to you that you spend your money on and donate the money that would be spent on your habit to charity. Please see out every-day-hero account for me details https://give.everydayhero.com/au/supporting-people-in-orange-with-autism.

In the near future as we collaborate with our stakeholders we will have a more detailed plan for the New Year and these will be announced on the blog and social media. I hope all readers have enjoyed their festivities of the season and from the Orange and abroad team we wish you a prosperous and rewarding 2014. Please stay tuned for further updates and feel free to comment away on your Autism communities plans for 2014 or anything else that you feel is relevant. We look forward to announcing our exciting new plans in the New Year!!

Moving into the future with services for Aspies

With Asperger's Syndrome only being formally recognised in the DSM until 1994 and the majority of people being diagnosed as children up until recently there has been a lot more focus on children and adolescents than adults.

As of late there has been some talk and a few implementations of services for Adult Aspies as people have started to realise there are (especially now) a lot of them that require services. It is very important to have Aspies involved in the decision making processes and allow them to gain positions as aids as appropriate to achieve a sense of belonging to these organisations and have them feel as not a dictatorship but rather a helpful environment/service. Some of the services required are:

• Employment - to help increase the number of Aspies employed it is necessary to have specialised employment services that understand Autism and have specific programs in place to help secure appropriate employment. 
• Social therapy and social groups. I believe that both therapy and attending a social group for adult aspies that are run by Aspies is important as it helps us improve our social skills and feel less isolated and alone. It is necessary for more adults to take initiative to start social group like I have in Orange and Garry Burge has in Brisbane. One path of doing so is talking to a local autism parents group and seeing if they can help assist in creating a social group for aspies. Social groups also help in discussing and solving other issues as teamwork can yield new perspectives and solutions better than just oneself.

Trekking4Autism

It is my pleasure to be inviting Peter Hosking to the next Orange Asperger's Social Group as a guest speaker. Peter is quite inspirational as he is giving it his all to raise money and awareness (which will eventually lead to more acceptance) for people with an Autism Spectrum Condition. Peter is 31 years old and has Asperger's Syndrome. He will be trekking from Walhalla in Victoria to Tharwa in the ACT along the Australian Alps Walking Track (AAWT) (totalling 655kms), from October to December 2014, all in the name of helping people with Autism. 

When he attends the group later in the month he will definitely add some very useful ideas into the group like having a healthy lifestyle which aids in having a healthy mind. Getting out into nature is a great way to improve health, by being out in the fresh air, exercising and getting the endorphin's flowing will help improve your mood and help thoughts become less stagnant. Often, the best thoughts and ideas come to people when they get out from behind the desk or TV and go for a walk or other physical outdoor activity.

He will also be talking about positive mindsets and overcoming obstacles that people with Autism may face, reaching your true potential and attaining goals that you truly deserve. Often people with Autism (myself included) are socially isolated, but with the help of groups like the one that I assist running we can all assist each other and become better people and work towards common goals. I believe that having online friends can help but its human nature to need face-to-face interaction with people (people with Autism included). If anyone has any ideas, opinions or questions about running a group or about Peter's expedition please leave a comment. Peter has asked me to mention that  he is needing some people to help with his trek. He needs to focus on training and physical strength/ endurance so would welcome enthusiastic people to help with media and sponsorships. You can also read more about Peters Trek on his website http://trekking4autism.com.au/.

Asperger's, mental distress and a different approach to treating mental distress

The reason why talking about mental distress (also known as mental illness but I use distress as it includes more people than what a diagnoses does and does not have the stigma attached as the word illness; it implies a fully human experience) in the Asperger's community is that various studies have shown that as many as 70% of people with Asperger's also have a mental illness, most commonly depression and anxiety although there is likely a higher percentage of people that have autism also have schizophrenia and bipolar.

I went to a workshop in the week about which was titled "Navigating mental distress, supporting the personal journey of recovery". The pilot program is run by inside out & associates Australia (http://www.insideoutconversations.com.au/).

The workshop was about how the traditional method of treating mental illness is to solely use a medical approach to treat people with a mental illness creates stigma, leaves patients dis-empowered as they were dictated to by health professionals and were not in control of their own treatment. The seminar also explains how we need to move away from this, and let individuals take control by asking what they want/need, helping them reach the goals that they want to achieve, empowering the individual by handing back control to them and making them feel valuable by allowing them to be part of their own improvement.

The way we look at mental disorders need to go from being medical to being focused on the individual and looking at the distress as a wholly individual experience and treating the person as a person, not treating them as a "someone who is mentally diseased".

The seminar was on a recovery-oriented mental health services. Recovery is defined as ‘being able to create and live a meaningful and contributing life in a community of choice with or without the presence of mental health issues’.

Recovery-oriented approaches offer a transformative conceptual framework for practice,
culture and service delivery in mental health service provision. The lived experience and insights of people with mental health issues and their families are at the heart of recovery-oriented culture. The concept of recovery was conceived by, and for, people living with mental health issues to describe their own experiences and journeys and to affirm personal identity beyond the constraints of their diagnoses.

Recovery-oriented approaches recognise the value of this lived experience and bring it together with the expertise, knowledge and skills of mental health practitioners, many of whom have experienced mental illness in their own lives or in their close relationships. Recovery approaches challenge traditional notions of professional power and expertise by helping to break down the conventional demarcation between consumers and staff. Within recovery paradigms all people are respected for the experience, expertise and strengths they contribute.

Recovery-oriented approaches focus on the needs of people who use services rather than on
organisational priorities.

More information about recovery can be found here (these are also the source for part of this blog post)
http://www.ahmac.gov.au/cms_documents/National%20Mental%20Health%20Recovery%20Framework%202013-Policy&theory.PDF
http://www.mentalhealth.org.nz/file/downloads/pdf/Destination%20Recovery_FINAL_low%20res.pdf

I am in agreeance with this approach and believe that it will help alot more people have better outcomes. This is a great start for people with an Autistic Spectrum Condition however, as there are quite a number of differences between non-autistic and autistic people such as the difficulties of recognising their own and others emotions, we often appear to lack empathy however the opposite is often the case that we feel very strong emotion which often confuses and overwhelms us.

As I have not found a lot of information I would like to get some thoughts from you on what I should put in my next post which will focus on what people with Asperger's need to cater for their specific needs in the way with dealing with co-morbid conditions, especially anxiety and depression, but any suggestions on this topic are more than welcome.

Thank-you for reading my blog and if you like my work please support it by giving it a plus1, sharing it on facebook and twitter. If you want to you can follow me on twitter (@AutismOrangeAus).Stay tuned for the next update.



Tweets by @AutismOrangeAus

Females and Aspergers Syndrome

As promised I am publishing a blog about females and Asperger's. I thought the best way to explain Aspie girls is to have someone with more knowledge than me in this area. I would like to share with you a video by Willow.  The video is about her personal experience as an Aspie  and her thoughts on girls on the spectrum.

Willow is a young woman with Aspergers Syndrome, Attention Deficit Disorder, Dyspraxia and Dyscalculia. She runs a YouTube page and a forum where she aims to help other people on the spectrum. You can find more about her on her website: http://www.willowhope.com/

Would love to know your thoughts on this subject, especially what you think about the ratio of females to males diagnosed and the general difference in behaviour between males Aspies and female Aspies.

Thanks for reading my blog and stay tuned for more updates!

Guest Post from my Mentor Garry Burge

This week's post is my first guest post which is written by Garry Burge who was diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome 1998 by Dr Tony Attwood. Garry is heavily involved in Autism Advocacy and has started a group for Adults with Asperger's where he resides in Brisbane. Garry has been my mentor since he first contacted me a few months ago. Since then he has supported and encouraged me with my advocacy work, most notably helping me with creating a social group for Aspie Adults in Orange. His blog with further information about him and the great work that he and others are doing is here http://garrysaspieblog.blogspot.com.au/. 

Over the past month I have been in touch with other adults on the Autism Spectrum on skype. It is with great news that my contact with Ben Wilshire has been very productive. Ben is an adult on the Autism Spectrum based in Orange, New South Wales in Australia.  Ben like so many adults has a lot of potential and energy but finds the labor market a real struggle.  The many adults I come into contact with are finding employment support difficult. Either employment consultants from Disability Employment Agencies are not turning up, not getting back to clients or just unable to assist adults with Autism to get employment.  These factors have made me wonder whether the group I run and am  involved with should take action!  Is it possible that employers can be contacted with the positives of employing someone on the Autism Spectrum as possible?  The group now has many adults in attendance and it is hoped overtime that important responsibilities and commitments can be delegated. However this needs to be done in a way that brings out the potential of adults. 

Getting back to my earlier post concerning Ben in Orange.  I have worked with Ben to encourage him to take on an advocacy role and it is one that I believe he is doing very well. He now runs a group in Orange and this group is very important for rural New South Wales.  Regional Australia needs a big boost in terms of awareness and services for adults on the Autism Spectrum and Ben is doing a great job at providing a start.  The Brisbane and Orange groups are now working together and the Facebook group is now bringing in the help of others to spread the word of Autism and to work with the adults.  The group is a means of entering the Aspie world and for the outside world to see us positively and not as the often negative betrayal that is seen mostly in the media.  We have been somewhat disappointed that a newspaper article didn't go into the Courier Mail but there are more important things at the moment.  The work of Damian Santomauro is also important within Australia, especially Brisbane and like the many adults we have here, more of a focus on who we are and what we can achieve is essential.

The group in Brisbane has a lot of potential but currently I am trying to work through the many facets of a foundation base before important tasks need implementation.  The most important of these is dealing with the lack of services for adults.  Quite simply if you feel socially isolated and in need of friends, you have no choice but to put up with the 'me society' and to be referred to a psychiatrist or psychologist who will recommend medication or referral to some specialist who indicates that we are broken and need fixing.  Instead I would like to think that society needs fixing. A fixing in accepting Autism as a fact of life and to work with Autistic people rather than box or label them.  Of course this involves a lot of work but something that can be achieved with optimism. 

I would like to conclude by saying that I am working very hard with other adults to look at ways of moving this country forward in a positive direction with Autism.  It would be also good one day to entertain the idea of an Autism Act which was introduced into the UK Westminster Parliament and passed and that only needs a Member of Parliament to put forth a Private Member's Bill. Until then let us remain optimistic about the path forward.

Accommodations/considerations for those with Asperger's Syndrome

Society has become accustomed to considering people with a physical impairment and then accommodating those needs by incorporating features into buildings such as ramps, lifts and disabled car-parking spaces). Now is as good a time as any to consider those with Asperger's Syndrome in areas such as Employment, Education. (When I come up with a few more areas I will write another blog post on them). As people vary with their requirements what one Aspie requires isn't quite the same as what another Aspie requires it would make sense to discuss with the individual on whether the accommodations are suitable and whether any other reasonable accommodations can be made to assist with them reaching their full potential.

Employment

Unfortunately an Australian survey has found that only 54% of adult Aspies are in paid employment. With more employers understanding this demographic combined with accommodations such as those listed below it is possible to employ many more Aspies as most want to, and are capable of, working.

Examples of accommodations that can be made to assist Aspies include:

• Including a section on the application form for the applicant to provide information about any adjustment they may require during the recruitment process and the workplace to help overcome potential barriers or disadvantages.
• Let interviewees know in advance of the interview who will be on the panel, exactly where the interview will be held and what they can expect to happen during the interview itself. It is also good practice to ask the interviewee if they need you to make any adjustments to the room itself - for example, to the lighting
• During the interview it is important to adjust the type and wording of questions you ask in order to give Aspies an opportunity to demonstrate their ability. This can be done by asking clear and concise questions as opposed to hypothetical or abstract questions and avoiding idioms and abstract language.
• Raising staff awareness of the employee with autism’s particular strengths
• Being clear about your expectations of the employee
• Not making assumptions

A great resource (of which I got the aforementioned accommodations from) about employing people with Autism/Asperger's Syndrome can be found here: http://www.equalityni.org/archive/pdf/Employingpeoplewithautism.pdf

Education

Most students with Asperger's disorders are eager to learn, however as many have sensory issues and require to be taught in a way they better understand, their specific needs should be taken into consideration.

Examples of changes made to the learning environment/teaching methods include:

• If they are light sensitive, seat them away from the bright windows.
• If they are noise sensitive, seat them away from the door or hallway noise.
• Have a quiet area for the student to use for seat work when needed. This would provide a quiet, non-visually stimulating area to allow better concentration.
• Make sure to utilize the interest areas of the student to keep him/her involved in the activities. Everyone learns better if lessons are somehow connected to an interest area. If the student likes dinosaurs or the solar system, work that topic into the day, even if it is for a reward.
• When under stress, ask if the student would like to leave for  a few moments
• Provide step-by-step written instructions

The resources I used for information on education accommodations are http://www.autism-help.org/education-sensory-autism.htm and http://www.iidc.indiana.edu/styles/iidc/defiles/IRCA/Academic%20Supports%20for%20College%20Students%20with%20an%20Autism%20Spectrum%20Disorder%20%20Quick%20Overview.pdf.

These are quite useful and contain more information.

I am sure there are other areas that I could cover however am going through writers block at present. If you have any suggestions for what other areas I can cover in a blog in the future please message me or leave a comment. Also if you have any comments on this blog please write them in the comments as I would love to know peoples opinions on this topic. 

A letter to the media about Asperger's Syndrome and the support that is needed to improve the employment rate of Aspies

My name is Ben Wilshire and I have Asperger’s Syndrome. I live in Orange NSW and have recently started a social group in my local community to lessen the isolation that many Adults feel, that are on the Autism Spectrum. The meetings are a great place for other adults on the spectrum to be themselves and talk about what is important to them and having people who can relate to the situations that they are going through. You can read more about

Garry Burge, who I often collaborate with, has suggested that I provide you with statistics on various areas which need to improve in relation to Adults on the autistic spectrum. I would like to cite my source as a study titled “We Belong” ( the full report can be found here: http://www.autismspectrum.org.au/images/Final_We_Belong.pdf) which was conducted by Autism Spectrum Australia (Aspect), to better understand the experiences, needs and aspirations of people on the autism spectrum who do not have any intellectual impairment. A survey of people with Asperger’s or HFA and their families or carers found that more than 70 per cent of respondents are not receiving enough support to meet their needs in key life areas including social skills development, access to employment and community participation.

In stark contrast to the Australian employment rate of 95%, just 54% of adults in the study (excluding those in full-time education) had a paid job and the most common response to why they don’t have employment is because they need more support to look for work and apply for jobs. This is despite the fact that 80% of the adults have commenced or completed a tertiary qualification and have an average or above average IQ.  Employment Service Providers have emphasised that ongoing support is as equally as important as help to enter the workforce. They have put particular emphasis on developing their social awareness and communication skills, as well as educating co-workers about autism.

With the right support from employment services and employers, and the two co-operating together, the rate of meaningful, paid employment for Adults with Asperger’s Syndrome will increase which will have many benefits including: a valuable contribution to the workplace by people with unique talent, a sense of being a productive member of society for the adults and a greater amount of independence and  increased positive opportunities.

Thank-you for allowing me the opportunity to contribute to your article. I hope to hear from you soon.

Kind Regards,

Benjamin Wilshire

An update on the progress I am making in Autism Advocacy in my local area

I attended the local Autism/Asperger's Support group about a month ago for the first time as I had finally got around to finding out more about the group. I had talked to the group organiser before hand and he had informed me that other adults with my condition would be there. When I attended however I realised that something more was needed. This group seemed to be pre-occupied only by parents and issues with their school-aged children. Now I definitely think there is a place to have support for the parents however I identified a gap where work was needed to improve the group. This gap was to have some meetings or separate meetings especially for the socialisation of the people affected by Autistic Spectrum Conditions (ASC).

I knew for this to happen I would have to advertise the group specifically for people on the spectrum to come along. I approached the two local newspapers and was interviewed and my story published the week after. (You can read one of the articles here: http://www.centralwesterndaily.com.au/story/1777482/breaking-down-social-barriers/).

The Thursday just passed I held the group meeting. It was exhausting as parts were emotionally charged however I managed to get alot out of the meeting. The time spent on preparing the agenda was well worth it as I had a few questions answered and it kept the conversation fairly on topic. The main question that I asked the individuals with Aspergers at the meeting was "what do you want to get out of attending the group?".

There were multiple elements that the Adults with AS (Asperger’s Syndrome) who attended the meeting identified as important to include in the group. These were:

·      Share their experiences with other people with the same condition

·      Build relationships with each other

·      Learn more about AS

A local park in the beautiful city in which I live :)

It was also mentioned that as AS is only just becoming better known and understood it is important for them to learn more about themselves and learning how to cope with social in social situations.

My next project is to assist running the next group meeting in October  and to organise and run a fundraising event for people with ASC's. The purpose will not only be to raise funds for Autism but also to raise awareness and gain acceptance by the wider community, What I am needing to do now is to assess the needs of my local peers with ASC and determine (with the help and guidance from the group as a whole) to determine where the money will be best spent.  I want to be able to take my idea to a charity that supports people with ASD and make a proposal to where my donated money will go so I do not have to go through the process of creating a new, separate legal entity.

This will be a difficult but very worthwhile event that will keep me busy, among other things, over the next few weeks. If you are interested in keeping up to date with the group go to the page which is here:  http://www.facebook.com/pages/Orange-Autistic-Spectrum-Social-Support-Group/1421529814734828