I’m looking for other autistic people to support & connect with and maybe make some new friends

2

Comments

  • Rechnin
    Rechnin Online Community Member Posts: 89 Contributor
    @L_Volunteer I think everyone one here has heard what my issue is, but, basically, my currently employers don't wnat to help me after my diagnosis and it looks like I will be looking for a new job.

    I am glad you are ok, hope you enjoyed your holidays.
  • L_Volunteer
    L_Volunteer Community Volunteer Adviser, Scope Member Posts: 7,922 Championing
    Hi @Rechnin

    I am really sorry to hear this. Thanks for catching me up with what's being going on for you though. 

    I am assuming you are already aware of the Access to Work scheme? A useful website to support you with this is https://exceptionalindividuals.com/. I particularly like the video they created about Access to Work which you can find at the bottom of this post.

    Additionally, Scope has some useful employment support services. You can find them at https://www.scope.org.uk/employment-services/ if you are interested.

    It is really important that you feel supported in your workplace, even if this means looking for a new job with a more supportive employer! I am wishing you all the best of luck with this.

    If there's anything I can do to support you further, please don't hesitate to reach out again  :)

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8MHpKNp1dGY&t=1997s
  • Rechnin
    Rechnin Online Community Member Posts: 89 Contributor
    @L_Volunteer Thanks for listening.

    I have an appointment next week with you Support to Work team and will look at the information you have sent me. This has been the only job  have had since my diagnoses and maybe somewhere esle will be better.

    The issue I have is the same many here have, I soon get bored if I am not enjoying ht I am doing and fear going back to being constantly in and out of work. Though I do enjoy fix contracts as well as I find it hard to stay in one place (until now) for long periods of time, but that is frowned up.

    Thanks for the help.

  • L_Volunteer
    L_Volunteer Community Volunteer Adviser, Scope Member Posts: 7,922 Championing
    Hi @Rechnin

    It certainly says more about the employer and less about you. You will find somewhere that works for you. You just need to find an employer who is accepting, understanding, and supportive. 

    If possible, the only other thing I would encourage you to consider is your interests and strengths. Then, you can hopefully find a job around your interests and strengths.

    Try not to worry too much if within that there are also some tasks you find difficult. That's perfectly understandable and is what support is there for. Just consider the proportion of your time that you would be spending on difficult tasks.

    I am wishing you the best of luck with your Support to Work meeting. How are you currently feeling about this?

    We are here for you and always listening  :)
  • Rechnin
    Rechnin Online Community Member Posts: 89 Contributor
    I think it is obvious my current employer in not suitable, that is for sure. I hope there is something out there, we will see.

    I am hoping some of this will be discussed in my meeting next week, it might be time to try something new as I have always done office work.


  • L_Volunteer
    L_Volunteer Community Volunteer Adviser, Scope Member Posts: 7,922 Championing
    edited January 2022
    There will certainly be something out there for you @Rechnin! I have faith in you and your abilities. You now just need to be confident in your own abilities.

    Good luck with your meeting next week. It is great to hear that you are aware of where you may want to get to. With this goal in mind, people can help you to get to where you want to be.

    Please feel free to let us know how you get on with your meeting  :)
  • Lisa82
    Lisa82 Scope Member Posts: 197 Empowering
    Hi @Elysium

    I also have Autism along with many other disabilities I have been born with, including Cerebral Palsy. 

    I, too, would also like to make some friends here.

    Would you like to post a bit about yourself so people can connect with you more whom have similar hobbies and interests to you?

    My hobbies/interests are:
    Gardening at an allotment 
    Walking (although has to be local)
    Browsing the internet 
    Twitter, You Tube 
    Religious beliefs 
    Brain training exercises 
    Eating (I absolutely love my food 😋)
    Helping people out 
    Animals 

    What are your hobbies/interests?

    It was lovely to connect with you and I look forward to hearing from you 

    Take care and have a lovely evening 
  • Lisa82
    Lisa82 Scope Member Posts: 197 Empowering
    Hi @L_Volunteer

    I hope you are well

    It's lovely to see your posts on here to the other members. You're very supportive 😊

    I hope to be supportive, too

    Have a great evening 
  • Lisa82
    Lisa82 Scope Member Posts: 197 Empowering
    @Elysium sorry I forgot to say on my post to you; it's lovely to see that you want to support people on this forum. That's lovely.

    Hopefully I will also be able to support people and hopefully my posts are helping people out loads.

    I also love joking (in my dad's cause). He was a right joker. He always wanted to make people happy, bless him 💖

    Take care 
  • L_Volunteer
    L_Volunteer Community Volunteer Adviser, Scope Member Posts: 7,922 Championing
    Hi @Lisa82

    I am well thank you. How are you today? Thanks so much for your appreciation for my support. I am always more than happy to help if I can!

    You have already been supportive so I am sure you will continue to be. I am really proud of you for being able to share your experiences with autism, cerebral palsy, and other disabilities. You will be surprised by how many people are helped by sharing your experiences.

    It would seem we share a lot of the same interests. Mine also includes local walks, YouTube, eating, animals, and helping other people. In addition to those, I am also a really big Disney fan!  :)
  • Lisa82
    Lisa82 Scope Member Posts: 197 Empowering
    Hi @L_Volunteer

    I'm well thanks. I'm glad you are too. I wasn't well earlier though; I kept getting really bad toothache and hot food was agitating it.

    Thank you for the compliments and you are also a great support

    I'm glad we have a lot of the same interests; thank you for sharing that with me 😊

    Take care and have a lovely safe evening. It was lovely to connect with you 
  • L_Volunteer
    L_Volunteer Community Volunteer Adviser, Scope Member Posts: 7,922 Championing
    Hi @Lisa82

    Thanks for your response. How are you today? I am sorry to hear you weren't feeling well earlier. I hope your toothache has remained at ease since. I do try to be supportive and I thank you for recognising that  :)
  • Lisa82
    Lisa82 Scope Member Posts: 197 Empowering
    Hi @L_Volunteer

    Thank you for your lovely response 

    My toothache is a lot better thank you 

    How are you and your family? I hope you are all well

    You are very supportive 

    Take care and have a lovely safe evening 
  • L_Volunteer
    L_Volunteer Community Volunteer Adviser, Scope Member Posts: 7,922 Championing
    Hi @Lisa82

    Thanks for your lovely response too. I am glad to hear your toothache is better. Me and my family are well thank you. How are you and your family?  :)
  • Elysium
    Elysium Scope Member Posts: 94 Empowering
    Hi all, I’m often busy with work so missed the request to post more about myself, so here goes… please feel free to use my template and write your own here so we can see at a glance what we’ve got in common!

    Name: Els

    Gender Pronouns: They/them

    Orientation: Pan/Demi/Celibate

    Identity: Autistic/non-binary/Romany/Bargee traveller/teacher/healer/survivor 

    Job: Teacher & Artist (QTS & MA) for the past 20 years, before that I was a Designer/Project manager 

    Family: 4 adult children, all Autistic, all graduates, 3 disability support animals (2 dogs, one cat) all Vegan

    Location: Cambridge, UK

    Religion/Philosophy: Vegan (for past 30 years)

    Living arrangement: live on my Dutch Barge with my youngest who is about to go to uni and my animals

    Hobbies: Boat maintenance, chopping wood, hauling wood/coal/gas/drinking water/petrol (not strictly ‘hobbies’ but boat stuff is what I spend most of my time outside work doing!) Watercolour painting (my art Instagram is els_illustrates), writing (poetry & prose), cycling, reading, movies by the fire, plant medicine, long dog walks in wilderness, forests (pref pine), hiking, camping, wild swimming, exploring remote coastline, sunbathing, meditation, breath work, Dance, Bass, self-care, healing trauma (especially repeating cycles/ancestral trauma)

    I want to learn: BSL, electrics, mechanics, underwater welding, to cope better with loneliness/triggers, to be a better parent & to be more present (with myself & others)

     <3 






  • Elysium
    Elysium Scope Member Posts: 94 Empowering
    Tori_Scope said:
    Hi @Elysium :) It's been good to see you around on some discussions already! This is the discussion I made for you. 

    I hope that you can find some other people to connect with. It's really great to hear that you're interested in supporting other people as well, as that's a big part of what we try and do here on the community.

    Do you have any particular interests or hobbies? Telling us a bit more about yourself might help you to connect with other members you have things in common with.
    Thanks Tori  <3
  • Elysium
    Elysium Scope Member Posts: 94 Empowering
    Rechnin said:
    @L_Volunteer I think everyone one here has heard what my issue is, but, basically, my currently employers don't wnat to help me after my diagnosis and it looks like I will be looking for a new job.

    I am glad you are ok, hope you enjoyed your holidays.
    Failing to make accommodations for your disability is discrimination under Equality law. I’ve had employers like this several times, it sucks as they make you feel like it’s your fault - you’re not alone & there are some good employers out there but tbh I’ve found them to be a tiny minority. Are you in a union as they have the power to convince employers to accommodate your disability & make reasonable adjustments or take them to disability tribunal. Start by:
    1) keeping a diary of all incidents at work esp where your disability is affected eg. Inadequate Breaks
    2) get your dr to record the effect your employer is having upon you in your medical records, as this will be referred to if your case goes to employment tribunal. Consider asking your dr to sign you off sick for stress/worsening the symptoms of your disability - better than being at work being discriminated against!
    3) if you’re not in a union join one! There are special rates for disabled members. I think GMB is about £5 a month but VERY worth it so you are protected/represented. Union membership means they will pay ALL your legal fees if it goes to tribunal

    Feel free to Pm me I’ll try to support you as best as I can, I’ve been where you are many times  :)
  • Elysium
    Elysium Scope Member Posts: 94 Empowering
    L_Volunteer said:
    Hi @Elysium, 

    I also have autism! And I know many of our community members have autism too. How are you?  :)
    Hello L, it’s great to meet other Autistic people here! Thanks for reaching out! I’m ok, just you know, surviving as best as I can as an Autistic in a neurotypical world! B)
  • Elysium
    Elysium Scope Member Posts: 94 Empowering
    emilyanne said:
    I’ll help anyone or support anyone who needs it 
    We have to help ourselves first tho to be able to help anyone else! A lot of those of us with trauma give so much of ourselves to others in the hope that we’ll be loved in return but sadly most of us get taken advantage of or abused. This was me for most of my life. Only now have I turned my loving focus inwards to myself as a priority and only now am I able to start to truly ‘be there’ for others, witching clear boundaries that protect me from further trauma, as I now strive to love myself unconditionally in the way that I always hoped I would be but never was <3
  • Lisa82
    Lisa82 Scope Member Posts: 197 Empowering
    L_Volunteer said:
    Hi @Lisa82

    Thanks for your lovely response too. I am glad to hear your toothache is better. Me and my family are well thank you. How are you and your family?  :)
    Hi @L_Volunteer

    Thank you for your lovely comment and sorry I only just noticed it after all this time

    I hope you and your family are well. I'm well thank you; although having housing problems at the moment, my tenancy has ended and me and family don't know whether my tenancy will be renewed or not. I have contacted the council to fill out an application form and mentioned this to them, however am waiting to hear back from them.

    I am also looking out for other private accommodation just in case

    Take care, stay warm and have a lovely safe day ahead 😀

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