Don’t Write Me Off
This is the slogan of the latest campaign from the National Autistic Society. It launched today at a reception in Parliament where over100 MPs heard NAS Council member Thomas Madar talk about his experience as an autistic adult and saw the latest campaign video.
The campaign addresses the lack of support adults with autism face when looking for a job or trying to access benefits. New NAS research has revealed that, of the adults with autism we surveyed:
· One third are currently without a job or access to benefits
· Over half have spent time with neither a job nor access to benefits, some for over ten years
· Just 15% have a full-time job
· 79% of those on Incapacity Benefit want to work
· 82% who have applied for benefits say that they needed support to apply.
As with previous campaigns these statistics will be brought to life with the personal stories of adults and parents directly affected by these issues. For news, resources and to take part in the campaign visit the campaign website
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Comment by Laurentius Rex | October 13th, 2009
“they” already did!
Comment by Laurentius Rex | October 13th, 2009
As for my experiences, they are on my website here and there, does anyone care, I have to say I don’t even think the NAS has the message. You have to live it to know.
The NAS will never get it, Charities will never get it, because as you know it is Capitalism!!! Red in tooth and claw.
Comment by Socrates | October 13th, 2009
I’d give the NAS a big hug for effort… But I wonder really how much a*** will actually get kicked on the front line?
I think the new administration will lead us into dark, Dark Days. There’s going to be a lot of collateral damage in this war on Benefit Scroungers.
Personally, I’ll die before subjecting myself to the Get-a-F******-Jobcentre / DWP Boards of Enquiries again. Seriously, sit back and watch me immolate.
Comment by Clay | October 14th, 2009
I’m sure all those statements are true. It’s a sad state of affairs.
Comment by Laurentius Rex | October 14th, 2009
Sad indeed.
My biggest fear right now, with the baying wolves of the media and the tabloid scum in the last days of Gordon Brown’s “Rome” is that they will fall before the Queen gives assent to the Autism Bill.
Cameron will be our next Prime Minister, his own son, neurodiverse as we are, with Cerebral Palsy died, I hope he does not forget.
Comment by Laurentius Rex | October 14th, 2009
Which reminds me, the press is baying at Gordon because he is “luscus” now. (never mind they accused him of “autism” before)
Well he is not the best example of a one eyed leader maybe, but for F**k’s sake!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Comment by David N. Andrews M. Ed., C. P. S. E. | October 15th, 2009
“· One third are currently without a job or access to benefits
· Over half have spent time with neither a job nor access to benefits, some for over ten years
· Just 15% have a full-time job
· 79% of those on Incapacity Benefit want to work
· 82% who have applied for benefits say that they needed support to apply.”
It’s pretty bloody bad in the UK; it’s even worse here… not saying this to compare misery… rather, saying it to emphasise the fact that autistics routinely get shat on by societal systems all the time.
Comment by Do not give out your name online | October 15th, 2009
As one of the case studies used for the campaign, I just want to reply to Laurentius rex’s comment by saying: yes, the NAS staff do get it.Their problem is that they have to fight against people in the media who dont.
Comment by David N. Andrews M. Ed., C. P. S. E. | October 15th, 2009
“Their problem is that they have to fight against people in the media who dont.”
Good point!
Comment by Mike | October 15th, 2009
I think Larry’s point was not that the NAS does not understand the problems faced b autistic adults. He is suggesting that all sorts of people are disadvantaged by the system. Charities are capaigning to make the system work to the benefit of their members. But what if the system needs radical structural change for this to happen. That is a far more overtly political agenda than anything endorsed by the NAS or any other charity.
Comment by Laurentius Rex | October 15th, 2009
Indeed, this is the weakness of “charity” and why it is outdated.
The UK has failed to properly reform charity because the people who regulate it are part of the machine themselves.
It is about time that there was at least some harmony accross Europe with not for profit as the criterion for registration substituted for the antiquated notions of the great and the good sorting out the poor and the sick.
The charity commission is only just getting round to the notion that public schools are anything but public and even less charitable.
The system disadvantages people like me because we don’t have the disposable income to play at being lady bountifull and it is thus harder for us to take any significant role in the governance of charity never mind the class and language divides.
The NAS it seems would prefer an ex director of Social services on the board to handle (no I still am constrained not to go into detail here) you can guess what, and where will that get them? WHERE INDEED but a sore foot from the self wound of a gun misfired.
Comment by Socrates | October 16th, 2009
Hey Larry, contact Jenny Cutler (forensic psychologist) at PPS Training and ask her about her experience of Autistics in employment over the last couple of years.
You think the geezer with the red hat at the golf course was as bad as it gets?
How many people are going to be driven to suicide by this?
Seriously, people will die.
Comment by Michael | October 26th, 2009
The NAS campaign was very good but it won’t change a thing for the reasons detailed by other people here. Autism is a very, very harsh disability so I hope the Conservatives will at least be aware of it more than they are now.
Comment by abd | December 8th, 2009
I do not thing the situation will improve, it might improve slightly . I am surprised by the campaign because it is better presented than expected. The government wants to place people who have disabilities in employment. The Disability Employment and employment advisor are under resourced and under paid including generally having a poor knowledge of autism.
1) Who would want to employ a person with AS. Increasingly it is very hard for a person to sit in isolation and undertake the task. The levels of discrimination are huge.
2)What employment options are available outside London, the cost and time travelling to London makes travelling to London infeasible, even 30 miles from London. The support outside London is patchy.
3) A person who has an ASD may have dyspraxia, dyslexia, AD(H)D etc.
4)Having a degree is worse especially outside London because the person is over-qualified for many non - graduate jobs and graduate jobs are fiercely competitive requiring contacts or assessment which NT find difficult. The job centre will not help graduates. Organisations such as RBLI, A4E, Remploy, Shaw Trust have poor support for graduates.
6)The benefit system is designed for people with pysical disabilties. RBLI, A4E, Remploy, Shaw Trust expect a persn to get Incapacity benefit or DLA to get the support.
7)People tend to be diagnosed as adults especially the people who are functioning, the N.A.S is parent led and designed for children.
8)We are in a recession , with fierce competition for fewer vacancies.