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I need to earn money.

Beth Von Black
over 6 years ago

Hi all. I'm new here (and relatively newly diagnosed) and need to vent.

I'm 31 and have struggled since I was 17 to enter 'the world of work'. Over the years I've been in and out of university and college, I've had short term part time jobs, I've done a part apprenticeship and I've been self-employed. I've been unemployed for around 5 years now (currently taking a break from being a student at the Open University) and I need to earn money. I live with my fiancé and as soon as we moved in together, I lost my entitlement to half of the disability benefits I was on, so now I'm on half of what I was on when I lived with my parents. I am so sick of being poor - I need to find a way to bring in the rest of the money I lost but I'm at a loss.

I have Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and POTS as well as Autism. I'm not a simple person to employ by any means - I can only cope with people in small bursts and I HATE talking on the phone. So what on earth can I do to earn money???? Any ideas??? I'm desperate.

  • 18 days ago

    Can you drive? Delivery driving ticks both of those boxes- you're alone most of the time. What are your skills/interests?

  • 18 days ago

    It sounds like you're going through a tough time, and I'm sorry to hear about the challenges you're facing. Given your health conditions and preferences, finding traditional employment might indeed be difficult. However, there are still ways to make quick money that align with your situation. Have you considered freelance writing or graphic design?

  • over 6 years ago

    Welcome to the forum. I struggle with JHS so i can understand how frustrating it is to have multiple difficulties when looking for suitable work. I'm afraid i don't have a solution for you but i just wanted to offer my support!

  • over 6 years ago

    I'm also wondering if you're getting all the benefits you're entitled to; do you get ESA and PIP?

  • over 6 years ago

    Hi, I could relate to a lot of what you mentioned in your post regarding work. I received my Asperger's diagnosis in the middle of my second attempt at a university degree (had to drop out of the first one due to poor mental health and exhaustion). Prior to the diagnosis, I was trying to force myself to do the same kind of jobs that my friends were doing - in busy, noisy places that frayed my nerves and left me feeling ill. I've also been unemployed for a few years. 

    Have there been any jobs in the past that you've enjoyed (or enjoyed parts of)? I don't know if you've ever considered archive work? I'm doing some archive volunteering at the moment and it is very autism-friendly. I get to work alone, organising and filing documents, and writing in a catalogue. I don't know much about EDS and POTS but the archive work isn't too physical, if that's an issue for you? I'm hoping to get enough experience so that I can get a job as an Archive Assistant and eventually do an MA to become fully qualified. 

    Here's a link to placement and volunteering opportunities: http://www.archives.org.uk/careers/placement-opportunities.html

    Sorry if I've droned on a bit! Hope some of this is helpful

  • over 6 years ago

    Just do a simple job somewhere there's not many people like stockrooms ect or work night shifts somewhere