Good morning, it's 11 am here in a rare, sunny East of England and today, I'll be talking about Autism and unemployment.
Personal Experience
Ever since I left school at 17, I've struggled to hold down a job. The issue? I'm actually pretty smart, so why is it so hard for me, and for others on the spectrum to acquire and keep a job?
Why do Autistic people struggle to get work?
Contrary to popular belief, it isn't always about our Autistic qualities. It actually comes down to the lack of support in our own communities, and from potential employers, not to mention the lack of awareness about what Autism really is.
There are many myths circulating the internet regarding Autism, some of which I'm sure you've heard (cough cough, insert a ridiculous story about vaccines here.)
The Core Issue
The core issue is that many researchers worldwide are focused on the need to 'cure' or 'treat' Autism.
Why?
I honestly believe that it's because we are different and in general, people are afraid of what's different. I understand this as a concept but it doesn't really get us anywhere in terms of increasing support and resources for Autistic people.
Many of us are bright, creative individuals who have a style of thinking known as 'Lateral Thinking.' Often, we see details before the big picture and process things through our senses, instead of through clearly defined concepts.
But, this is simply how we think. We're not diseased or defective, just different. If more people understood that, particularly employers and support workers, then we'd make a lot more headway in a short amount of time.
Trauma & Abuse
It's no secret that many of us on the spectrum end up developing anxiety, depression, and even PTSD.
Why?
Look at how Autistic people are treated as they grow up, by those close to them, teaching staff, and society in general. Awareness and understanding of Autism are crucial. With many 'professionals' trying to 'correct' an Autistic person's behaviour, what they're actually doing is teaching them that they cannot be themselves, ever.
I and many others like me (especially Autistic women) learn to mask our real selves and real reactions to things, in order to be deemed more acceptable. The large issue here is that it's common for us to lose sight of who we really are and what we want in life. Plus, it takes an enormous amount of energy to constantly try and act like a non-Autistic person when you're brain is wired in a very different way from most people.
The trauma and abuse a lot of Autistic people face in life lead to social isolation, which only worsens conditions such an anxiety and depression. A lot of us become suicidal and wonder 'what is wrong with us' when actually, there's nothing wrong with us at all.
The Split Narrative
While there are many out there that work to improve our rights to fair treatment (and to those people, I will be forever grateful) , there are also many that push myths online about us, or slander us for not retaining employment, all while employers often refuse to work with us for being different in the first place.
People often see Autistic people as incompetent (although we really aren't) and employers want the most competent of individuals to work for them.
We are left in a sort of no man's land, where no matter what we do, we can't seem to gain any ground.
What would help us to get into Employment?
Over the past eight years, I've determined several factors that would dramatically improve our ability to gain and keep employment:
- Spreading true, factual information about Autism in order for the general public to better understand our differences and for potential employers to understand the various skills we can offer.
- Creating supportive programmes for Autistic people, to help them develop their skills in areas of interest so they can pursue a career in a chosen field.
- Have researchers focus on understanding the Autistic brain, instead of obsessing over our 'unusual' behaviours. Understand the brain and you will understand us in full.
- Promote understanding of the difference between Empathizing and Systemizing Neurotypes, which explain how Autism actually affects the human brain (Extreme Systemizing neurotype.) This usually leads to strengths in mathematics and science-based fields (STEM fields.)
These are just a few thoughts that have come to me so far, but I'm adamant to help others like me wherever I can.
Why?
I believe that we can make an incredible change in our world. Sure, only 13-15% of Autistic adults are in full-time employment at present but most of us would like to work and do have useful skills to offer employers. We might just need a little understanding from others, and support in reaching our full potential.
I honestly believe that if we start focusing on Autistic strengths and on accepting that some people are just born different, then we can improve our chances of acquiring and maintaining employment in the future.
Thank you for reading my post
If you've stayed with me this far, then thank you very much. I know it can be a hassle to read such a long post, especially if I ramble on for a bit.
Please consider sharing it if you feel it might be useful to others.
Other than that, have a wonderful day and take care.
Dax. xoxo
