Introduction: Seeking Insights on Scope’s Support to Work Extra Program and how I may be able to acc

chris1717

Hello everyone,

I’m reaching out to share my situation as best I can and to gather insights from those who might have used Scope’s Support to Work Extra program, or have suggestions on how I may be able to access other areas of help etc.

After decades of struggling with unrecognised and now identified as debilitating hidden disabilities, I recently began to access more formal interim support which has enabled me to reach this point of seeking official diagnoses, including for APD (Auditory Processing Disorder).

Background and Challenges

For over 20 years, following longterm employment resignation, I've been out of work such as not employable and no access to benefits due to repeat attempts and repeat difficulties etc.

I can now articulate that my disabilities, particularly APD, severely impact my ability to communicate in typical auditory settings, which is compounded now by PTSD related to past workplace abuse to include depression, stress and extreme anxiety.

These conditions in addition to APD make conventional communication methods like phone calls or video conferencing extremely challenging and stressful and not something I can participate in without ongoing distress caused. I don’t have a contact number to share, which is to help to manage the level of issues repeatedly encountered.

Instead, the issues I suffer are ongoing accessibility issues and being closed down by email to prevent needs being supported, such as a present significant issue with my mortgage provider ongoing for over one year where Nationwide Building Society continue to fail to make or ensure reasonable adjustments. Instead, like other large organisations make access to appropriate help and support impossible to independently access.

Due to my PTSD and the complexities of my auditory and overall communication disabilities, traditional job application methods such as CV creation or managing online profiles are not just difficult—they are non-starters for me now and will never be a way forward for me. These activities are triggering and exacerbate my condition. Any formulaic approach or any approach involving online profile or a CV therefore is not appropriate for my needs.

I can’t further explore self employment or gig economy income streams as these are not viable for me and cause a separate form of stress as I am on my own and don’t have a support backdrop of family / friends. I am most comfortable alone which is due to the issues I suffer with others etc. which makes it constantly a struggle to manage or feel comfortable.

Current Health and Diagnostic Journey

My health issues span several diagnoses:

APD, affecting all forms of communication - not just Audio.

Pending adult autism diagnosis, hindered by past barriers to proper assessment due to APD being abused. 

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, possibly linked to autistic burnout from a life of trying too hard and having too many high stress situations forced upon me which continues to present home life harassment and local authority private property related abuse. 

PTSD, deeply affecting my mental health and daily functioning.

Utilising Artificial Intelligence for written communications, such as to articulate this post and convey my thoughts more effectively to help others understand.

My ability to write and organise my thoughts is significantly hampered by my conditions, and AI helps bridge this gap as best I can, enabling me to participate in discussions here and seek help in a way that would otherwise be too daunting and complex for me. 

Ideally, I am seeking a One-Stop Support Resource to prevent the necessity of having to repeatedly explain my situation across various resources / platforms and to different service providers contributes to significant stress and is pushing me toward a potential shutdown after again having to try too hard for extended periods of time getting nowhere to move important needs forward to improve life and achieve some hope etc. 

I am therefore also searching for a one-stop support resource that can handle the complexities of my needs without requiring me to engage in repeated and overwhelming interactions. This would ideally cover everything from handling legal and administrative matters with service providers and local authority to navigating benefit systems like PIP to include complex failings of my mortgage provider negatively impacting my home and wellbeing.

What I Hope to Achieve

With these challenges, my approach to work and social interaction must be highly customised. I am scheduled to meet with Scope related to the Work Extra Service what ever this actually is I am not sure, and I would like to understand how this program may have previously accommodated someone with specific needs similar to my concerns / situation from a person who has possibly participated and benefited etc.

I cannot use traditional employment strategies and need a program that can offer continuous, personalized support to overcome ongoing barriers and prevent abusive practices etc. I don’t have any trust left and have grown tired of trying hoping x will be different and I can access appropriate help and support which has all previously resulted in being repeatedly let down once the realisation of needs are identified.

Questions for the Community

Has anyone with a similar profile utilised Scope's work extra services? How did they adapt the support to accommodate your specific concerns and conditions?

Are there alternative support mechanisms within Scope resources that bypass traditional employment processes like CV writing or job applications as a direction to move forward etc such as mentoring based on a particular need set identified ?

Can anyone share their experiences with Scope’s approach to continuous, personalised support, particularly in managing life's administrative challenges?

Do any resources within scope exist, I don’t mean signposting to separate services etc as this is a path which repeatedly leads nowhere from my prior experiences of being repeatedly signposted such as legal clinics, CAB, Mind etc. In the end the signposting is a full circle directing back to where you started.

Any guidance or shared experiences would be incredibly helpful as I try to navigate further to understand if Scope is a resource that may be able to help me.

Independently, I sort out a weekly morning volunteer role in a garden which has been positive for me even though I am wiped out after etc. I am on UC with LCWRAG which was only accessed due to help from a support service which it seems my later diagnosis etc mean that I am not presently being helped further etc. As I think it seems I now fit across a different help resource spectrum. I also connected with my local autism hub, however, I have struggled to meet others such as myself and most are autistic with learning disabilities of a different level.

I think I come across as a sort of contradiction as I have abilities etc, however, have proven that I have limitations which result in myself having to presently manage to prevent entering further dangers which can include trying to go it alone seeking redress which results in further abusive practices being suffered all negatively impacting wellbeing.

If I try I am in danger of suffering further, therefore the time has come to only try with the appropriate steps of support in place which at present I don’t really have in place to effectively help which means that issues are either fermenting or escalating all of which negatively impacts my wellbeing. 

I have spent some time reviewing the Scope Website but after review I struggle to understand exactly what Scope may be able to provide beyond Work Extra Resource etc without seeking to signpost on etc. 

Any help here would be appreciated to add insight and identify if I am missing making separate contact here with a separate resource within Scope.

I know of the NAS National Autistic Society and my local chapter and they don’t have anything appropriate to myself from what I have identified. They helped inform about right to choose to access Adult Autism Diagnosis etc. 

I should have possibly shared that over the past 10 years I have repeatedly scored the max for multiple different Asperger’s tests etc which now is included within the Autism Spectrum.

Thank you for taking the time to read.