I've been unemployed for three years, I told the job centre last August that I have asperger's and regretted it as the adviser decided this meant I was 'mentally incapable' of working so decided I wasn't following my job seekers agreement and so forced me off JSA and onto ESA. I was denied ESA, as it seems there's no criteria for ASD in the assessment nor do they consider how ASD can effect us doing certain jobs or in different ways, so I'm back on JSA now.
I've had a disability adviser at the job centre, as of Janurary, but he is no help what-so-ever - he doesn't seem to understand what asperger's is or how it effects anything, he's not really discussed with me what I can/cannot do, and so all he does is perform a job search as the normal advisers do...which is no good!
I used to work as an employability trainer, so I know how to write CV's, but things have changed in the jobs market and with asperger's it's all the more difficult to find work. I need help in figuring out what jobs I could do, career advice or advice on what I can do until I'm back in work, general job seeking advice (e.g. what to do when I have no references, how to deal with answering phone calls from employers, how to apply for certain types of jobs, etc.), help getting into work placements or voluntary jobs, and unbiased information about benefits.
I've had Shaw Trust suggested to me but they only help people on ESA so not an option for me, and I can't ask at the job centre given their attitude with me at the moment. Surely there has to be some other support somewhere for people who are disabled but still on JSA - any suggestions?
