Around 80-90% of adults on the autism spectrum have no full time employment.  Even of those whose only spectrum issue is having an obsessive-compulsive personality, being a mono-track or details oriented type thinker, or having social emotional agnosia so they struggle to read facial expression or body language, one of the only easier places they get employment is in the geekville of I.T.

I directly employed spectrum adults where I can. Over the years, 9 of them, 2 of them in full time when I ran a shop and UK consultancy, the rest in casual gardening work all at award rates. I think those of us who can be autism friendly employers, should give people on the spectrum award wage work tailored to their needs so they can at least get a reference and something to start a CV.

Some of those I employed then used their experience to gain work elsewhere. I also recommend those who’ve worked for me to other autism friendly people. It’s about networking and many are so isolated or unexperienced in work they’ve no opportunity to network and no confidence. I also know of many very afraid or reluctant to work through social anxiety/phobia, change of routine, waiting for an idealised job they may not have the full skills for (or may never have) the compelling nature of their own home interests and identification with being a person who felt secure on government benefits. Their needs are diverse.

They are certainly far too diverse a group to generalise.  Some who’ve worked for me had significant dyspraxia (info tumbling), dyslexia, LD, language processing disorder, two had significant communication disorders, but some also had a variety of co-morbids (only in one case was this too much to adapt to), and all had social communication disorders and plenty of dents from life’s knocks.

Even though all were in the moderate-HFA/AS range, they required anything from fairly high to at least hour to hour minor support. And it’s not always about just chances or about how you instruct each activity, because in half the ongoing issues that came up the basis was ongoing information processing challenges, not a lack of learning or experience. So that’s sometimes pretty hard to keep up with, especially if you have your own processing issues. Still, as a person on the spectrum there’s heaps of great things about employing other spectrum people. No game playing to start with – yay!

People on the spectrum can register and list their skills, interests and abilities at http://www.auties.org or in the comments section below.  (Please ensure, you DON’T put your phone number in the comments boxes).

Warmly,

Donna Williams

http://www.donnawilliams.net