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Views on Autism Awareness poster from other adult Aspies

Lotus

I was wondering what you all think about the Autism Awareness poster on the website to be used in work places. I liked the fact it has strengths as well as the issues that may need support. However I did not like the suggestion of someone being my "buddy" at workplace functions. I know it might help some, but I don't want to go to work functions as I find them tedious, so I don't want to give colleagues a reason to insist I go as they will be my "buddy".

Would you put this poster up in your workplace?

Parents Reply
  • in reply to Bagpuss7

    It's.. not very good. In a professional environment people wouldn't know its relevance to them, wouldn't know who is autistic or how to find out, wouldn't see the list of challenges as anything unusual and would identify with many of the strengths themselves.

    The 'How to help' section is laughable. Options 1 and 3 apply to any work interaction, 2 is impossible for everybody, even autistic people and 4 is just bizarre.

    Finally, who is Chris Packham anyway?

    Still, the thought was there. I just wouldn't advocate for putting that poster up anywhere that I work.

Children
  • in reply to Just some guy

    I work for a disability foundation, handling the whole range of physical and learning disabilities and autism, and even there the knowledge about autism is pretty poor.  I tell everyone at work that I'm autistic because I want them to know that if my behaviour seems odd to them in any way there is quite possibly a good reason for it.  In other jobs, prior to diagnosis, I used to get pulled up for not being able to cope with periods of high pressure (deadlines) and often for not appearing to pay attention when actually, I was - but, as I've said on another thread, I can appear to 'zone out'.  Also, I have a tendency to focus so much on one particular task that I can let other things slip by me.  For instance, in office roles, I was often so taken up with doing some task or other that I simply would not notice that the phone was ringing, and people used to think I was simply ignoring it.  Or someone would be constantly calling my name and I wouldn't notice (Wake up! Is there anyone at home?' is something I've heard a lot over my lifetime).  My employer's and colleagues' knowledge of my condition at least enables them to make some allowances for me.

    I see what you mean about options 1 to 3, though I think they have particular relevance with autistic people.  I tend to take things literally if I'm told something, so I need it to be clear and concise.  I can usually rely on my own knowledge, initiative and commonsense in most situations - unless someone is giving me a particular instruction.  Then... I do what they tell me.  And if they haven't given me the complete instruction, I will go on doing what they've told me long past the time to switch to the next task.  I don't think 2 is impossible for everybody.  Less than 10% of communication is verbal, and I've worked in environments where much communication takes place through gesture and expression - stuff that I miss most of the time, even though I've 'learned' a few things by now.  As for 3, I've had a meltdown at work which got mistaken for violent aggression, earning me a reprimand.  It was nothing of the sort, of course.  It was release for a heightened state of anxiety which built up very quickly because of the circumstances at the time.  What's curious about that is that it happened in an autism unit, where some of the service users exhibited extremely challenging behaviour - upon which occasions staff did what it says at 3, and simply gave people space and time to recover without making any undue fuss.  There's a difference between autistic anxiety and agitation expressing itself and someone simply losing their temper.  I also wouldn't want a 'buddy' - but I can imagine working environments where autistic people might find it useful.  My local branch of Morrison's has a couple of autistic people on staff (both with very mild learning disabilities), and they have an allocated staff member that they can both go to if they have any issues.

    Chris Packham is a broadcaster, TV presenter and author - and also the NAS's ambassador.

    I think the poster isn't great - but I still think something is better than nothing.  Even if people don't take much notice of it, they won't take any notice of it at all if it isn't there to be taken notice of.