Job Talk
The Spring semester is almost over at the college where I teach and “getting some kind of job” is the main response from students to the question “what are you planning to do this summer?”. And—it occurs to me on this last day of April with May and Charlie’s 11th birthday right around the corner—-what kind of job will Charlie get some day?
Today’s Southeast Missourian describes the Tailor Institute, which is now offering skills training sessions and social outings for “high-functioning” adults on the autism spectrum. The Institute operates under the Southeast Innovation Center and is currently training three high schoolers and two college students. One student works for the Southeast Missourian and scan negatives. The other student works for the the Center for Regional History at Southeast Missouri State University, where he is also a part-time student; he “files papers, archives documents and will work on a project over the summer making a map of a cemetery in Oran, Mo.”
Institute director Elaine Beussink says that, autistic adults are able to find employment, it’s “sustainability” that is the issue:
“Because of the dynamics of the spectrum disorder, they may be perceived as rude, impolite or insensitive. Those may be things needed to maintain employment. If you appear insubordinate or are too rigid, those are complaints employers may have for releasing an employee.”
Charlie’s IEP meeting and annual review are on Friday. He’s going to middle school and more and more of the skills that he is working on are pre-vocational, including in areas such as math (he’s working on addition and subtraction, and money—-he’s had some trouble understanding the different values of the coins). Charlie’s choices for a job will be very limited but I know a steady job will be invaluable when he’s grown up.
Just as some parents of autistic adults have told me that they are less and less, and less, concerned with tracking down what caused to be autistic, so finding jobs—real jobs in the community—-is a major concern to begin to work on. How can companies be encouraged to hire disabled workers?
Tags: asd, asperger, autism, employment, Health, job, missouri, Parenting, pdd-nos, Work
13 opinions for Job Talk
Karen
Apr 30, 2008 at 6:16 pm
Your questions are such important ones. I was delighted recently when I was told by a Safeway employee that they have several disabled people employed in their store — actually, the topic came up naturally since they were doing a fundraiser for Special Olympics/Easter Seals. The cashier who told me about it did so with a pride that really touched me. I know the compaines are out there. Wish they were easier to find.
Linda
Apr 30, 2008 at 7:58 pm
Education and training are the keys. Employer acceptance is out there if the potential employee is an asset, a legitimate asset to the employer’s business.
Lenora
Apr 30, 2008 at 9:08 pm
Safeway is fantastic and the employees are union. In Chicago the chain is called Dominick’s. My local store has at least 5 regular employees with special needs. I chat with them while I’m checking out and they have all been employed for quite a while. One woman (with the cashier’s help) guessed she had been there 13 years.
Kristina Chew, PhD
Apr 30, 2008 at 10:12 pm
We’ve been told that they start some high school students in our district working in various jobs to try them out and see what might be good, and one is definitely bagging groceries. I’m not sure how Charlie would do standing at the check-out counter for long periods of time, not yet, at least.
I want very much for Charlie to have meaningful work that he enjoys doing and that uses his talents and abilities, and that keeps him active. Jim and I have wondered about him perhaps working in a park—raking leaves and that kind of thing. I think he would like to be outside.
S.L.
Apr 30, 2008 at 11:57 pm
Hi,
Have you seen the piece on Walgreens? A friend had emailed it to me a while back, it was a video. I’ll see if I can dig it up. Anyway, apparently they do a lot, hopefully more companies will follow suit.
I remember reading an article in the paper about a year ago. It featured an autistic young man who enjoyed breaking glass. This was obviously a dangerous “behavior” in the home-setting. However, he (& his family) were able to turn that into a job opportunity, working at a recycling plant. Don’t know if this link will work, only one I could find for this story: http://www.judevine.org/CurSite/news/press_releases/KC_AP_Article.pdf
This is definitely an area, that in regard to so-called “Autism Awareness” gets very little airtime. It is unfortunate, actually, it is unforgivable. Thanks for always bringing the issue of adult services front & center.
stopautismquackery
May 1, 2008 at 12:23 am
@S.L.
Here’s a blogpost about Walgreens:
http://www.autismvox.com/one-job-at-a-time/
Pls post vid you mention if you find it. Thx.
Kristina Chew, PhD
May 1, 2008 at 1:52 am
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2akb4v2cUQ
good stuff.
Lisa Rudy
May 1, 2008 at 9:11 am
actually, this is something that’s really been on my mind for a long time.
my husband and I have lived in the museum/arts/sciences worlds for a long time, and met people who do SO MANY different kinds of things for a living - with or without higher education - and most parents and kids are simply unaware that those jobs exist. A few non-bagging possibilities that build on kids’ interests -
animal care at a zoo or animal rehab or spca
naturalist (trail care, etc.)
systematist (a branch of science in which counting, sorting, and careful observing of the parts of animals is key to success)
image researcher
farmer/farm hand (we have wonderful, small organic farms, vineyards, and cranberry bogs here on Cape Cod, and they’re always looking for help)
In short, there are so many options that are so rarely considered. We are thinking about creating a program up here that would expose youngsters (and young adults) to brief “internship” experiences along WITH their parents and a support person - so that everyone could get a sense of what’s really, really out there in the way of careers. And, of course, we’d provide sibling care and some direction on how to move forward.
Heck, we have a friend who makes his living building haunted houses; another who travels the country showing the stars to kids; and another who builds gizmos and gadgets for children’s museums. Most of them are unusual people; often, they’re looking for help!
what do you think??
Lisa (autism.about.com)
Laura
May 1, 2008 at 9:38 am
I linked to the Tailor Institute - what an innovative idea! I never really understood why we - the parents - are supposed to be grateful that Walgreen’s would allow autistics to do inventory. Why not train autistics for something like IT programming?
My only complaint is that the Tailor Institute is in Missouri. I wonder if it serves a broader geographic area with respect to job placement?
Bonnie Sayers
May 3, 2008 at 12:00 pm
During the week long series back in 2005 on Autism: The Hidden Epidemic CNBC did a segment during their power lunch two days:
Autism in the workplace, teaching teens with autism real job skills
I taped it and have the DVD, but cannot find a transcript of it or a video. This was the best of that weeks stories as it showed a girl folding boxes at a pizza place, a boy vacuuming at a Holiday Inn with his aide close by, and another boy stocking the refrigerated section of a general store. I think it was in Vermont or New Hampshire where this school work program was in place. Anyway, I know I mentioned in another post somewhere, but did not have the exact name of the piece.
Bonnie Sayers
May 3, 2008 at 12:01 pm
Here are a few links that break down what was on during that week:
http://www.autismspeaks.org/inthenews/naar_archive/nbc_networks_focus_on_autism.php
http://www.aspires-relationships.com/it_is_autism_week_2_2005.htm#CNBC
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