• Replies 7 replies
  • Subscribers 82 subscribers
  • Views 2784 views
  • Users 0 members are here
Options
Related
Hints and tips
  • To quote someone's message, first select/highlight the relevant text, and then use the Quote button that appears
  • To "mention" someone, type @ followed by the start of the forum name, and choose from the list; that person will get a notification of being mentioned

Access to Work and work in general

Aspiedent

I have made an appointment to see my MP a week on friday (6th Feb). One thing I want to bring up is Access to Work. Although I finally managed to get the support the need, I am under the impression that Access to Work do not understand autism and that they are not keen to help those who are self employed or trying to set up a business.

But it would be helpful to thoughts from other people as well. So please could you post your experiences of Access to Work as a reply to this post?

  • Dan198523 said:
    My opinion is to research and seek out disability confident employers where possible

    Locally to me (Norfolk) haven't seen many Disability Confident employers who aren't Public Sector, and their jobs invariably involve public contact.

  • in reply to metalmickey

    Hello mate , AtW can help get into work also and provide great support if the application is well supported, what area are you in geographically as that does make a difference. My opinion is to research and seek out disability confident employers where possible and see what support Atw can give you and them .. happy to chat further on this 

  • I have wondered about Access to Work as my main obstacles in jobsearch are:

    • Interviews heavily based on first impressions, body language, "selling oneself" and articulate "STAR" answers
    • Job descriptions tend to combine so many elements. I have computer and numeracy skills so would be well suited to a 'back office' role with a lot of spreadsheet / database / finance work but roles are often combined with reception / telephone / customer / public elements that I would not do well at.

    Access to Work is often not raised until the person has a job so I wouldn't know what to say about it at application stage. Some posters have said don't declare Aspergers at application or interview stage, but I had tried this in the past, muddling through employment without it, but finding I would have to in future after being told to "improve at communication skills" in appraisals.

  • in reply to Dan198523

    Hi Dan198523,

    I have deleted your email address as contact details break number 2 in our rules:
    This Community forum is public, so do not post personal or identifying details. This includes, but is not limited to, full names, addresses, contact details, social media, or photographs of yourself.
    You can find our rules in full here:
    https://community.autism.org.uk/p/rules
    Thank you for joining our community!
    All the best,
    Eunice Mod

  • Hello do you still have an interest in AtW? If so I would like to hear from you , I am on (Removed by Mod) regards Dan

  • I am glad you have had a good experience.

    I have found the help variable. In the past it was generally good, but it seems to have deteriorated over the last year. Now it depends on who you get. Some are still quite good; others are dreadful.

    I am told they have a cut in funding. But this does not make sense when this is the one part of system that actually makes money for the government.

  • Hi,

    I got on really well with a lovely lady on the end of a phone with Access to work.  She used to send me reminders each month otherwise I forgot to send her details of expenses to her.  She was brilliant.

    I used to get a taxi to work, paid for by AtW, but I needed a helper, which I was told about but my boss took longer than the six weeks to get the gyst of why I needed a helper and by then it was too late.  I ended up giving up my job due to the lack of support, it was a pity as I'm not sure whether I will ever get back to work (I'm 52).

    So I hope you get some excellent help from them.

    Margaret