Is there any support available for aspies on JSA?

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? 

Parents
  • I'm currently back on ESA - I was denied again, it's currently in appeal. 

    I now have a formal diagnosis of Autism. 

    While I was on JSA I was put onto the Work Program - this was the worst hell so-far. The staff at Ingeus were very rude and on multiple occasions openly mocked clients as soon as they walked out the door, in front of other clients.

    On Work Program I had to apply for an additional 10 jobs a week, on top of what is expected by the job centre - as with the job centre there was no regard for the fact there aren't enough jobs full-stop least of all for disabled job seekers, and no allowences for the restrictions your disability may put on you when job seeking. They refused to give me any flexibility in regards to appointment, and even scolded me for taking time to get up the stairs (I have mild mobility problems).

    My advisor would sit right up close to me INSISTING that I maintain eye contact with him becuase not doing so was rude, one day this along with general upset of being there, sensory issues being assaulted and being forced to apply for jobs I couldn't do...triggered a meltdown. At which point my advisor accused me of haivng a "bad attitude" (for the record my meltdowns are of the crying veriety - autistic or not it's not a very helpful thing to say when someone is visibly very upset), saying that I had no reason not to get a job like anyone else, he then told me if I didn't improve my attitude and start looking him in the eye that he'd kick me off Work Program and thus my benefits would stop. 

    I couldn't take it any more, I had to get out of there - the New Deal work placement a few years ago where I was placed in a call centre (despite being unable to use a telephone) resulted in my first meltdown in years causing serious regression...I didn't want to risk that again!

    Thus I reapplied for ESA, I may be denied again...but in the mean time the space away from Work Program and Job Centre has done me the world of good!  

Reply
  • I'm currently back on ESA - I was denied again, it's currently in appeal. 

    I now have a formal diagnosis of Autism. 

    While I was on JSA I was put onto the Work Program - this was the worst hell so-far. The staff at Ingeus were very rude and on multiple occasions openly mocked clients as soon as they walked out the door, in front of other clients.

    On Work Program I had to apply for an additional 10 jobs a week, on top of what is expected by the job centre - as with the job centre there was no regard for the fact there aren't enough jobs full-stop least of all for disabled job seekers, and no allowences for the restrictions your disability may put on you when job seeking. They refused to give me any flexibility in regards to appointment, and even scolded me for taking time to get up the stairs (I have mild mobility problems).

    My advisor would sit right up close to me INSISTING that I maintain eye contact with him becuase not doing so was rude, one day this along with general upset of being there, sensory issues being assaulted and being forced to apply for jobs I couldn't do...triggered a meltdown. At which point my advisor accused me of haivng a "bad attitude" (for the record my meltdowns are of the crying veriety - autistic or not it's not a very helpful thing to say when someone is visibly very upset), saying that I had no reason not to get a job like anyone else, he then told me if I didn't improve my attitude and start looking him in the eye that he'd kick me off Work Program and thus my benefits would stop. 

    I couldn't take it any more, I had to get out of there - the New Deal work placement a few years ago where I was placed in a call centre (despite being unable to use a telephone) resulted in my first meltdown in years causing serious regression...I didn't want to risk that again!

    Thus I reapplied for ESA, I may be denied again...but in the mean time the space away from Work Program and Job Centre has done me the world of good!  

Children
No Data