Published on 12, July, 2020
Hello, I am wanting some advice on employment for my 22yr old Son. Diagnosed with High Functioning Autism with complex communication issues.
My son has been working voluntarily for a Heritage Railway for the past 2 years. He has shown a good apptitude in all areas he has been trained in. Including the standardised code and tests for railway safety. He currently volunteers as a train guard as well as other areas of maintenance, of the safe running of the Heritage railway.
There have been various full and part time jobs advertised which he has applied for over the past 2yrs but not even been offered an interview!!
Being my sons official appointee, I contacted the company on my sons behalf to ask for an update on how they see my son as a future employee. Mainly due to his Job Coach at the Job Centre asking for an appraisal.
I received an email from the HR and Manager stating how my son was a valued member of the volunteer team and was often willing to undertake jobs that other volunteers and permanent employees shyed away from. He is safety conscious and has shown vigilance in ensuring all the safety and safe running of the railway.
My son has applied for various permanent jobs that have been advertised, but at the time it was felt that he did not fit the criteria for the job advertised.
This year the company have expanded and are now advertising for various seasonal, aswell as permanent roles.
All of which, my son has training and experience in, as a volunteer! He hasn't so much as been offered an interview!!
I feel the company are now taking the proverbial but my son loves the work and volunteer roles. I'm at a loss as to what to do!! I don't feel I could stop him volunteering as it is valuable work experience and to be fair he loves it so much I don't think he could just walk away, without it destroying his confidence!
I'm hoping someone can help me out on where next to turn for help!!
Thank you
Autistic Human here, Been there, Done that & from my own experience is that businesses/organisation and their management have this awful attitude of stringing us autistic individuals along with the intention of keeping us as volunteers because for some reason and i have been told this directly from management of similar businesses/organizations twice now in different roles is that the organisation/business will keep a capable autistic individual on as long term volunteers because they get a free staff member and they don't have to pay them as they are on benefits.They also have no incentive to hire autistic people and the businesses/organisation know that theirs are little opportunities out their for us so the businesses/organisations know this and know that it's often in our best interest to stay volunteering so that we don't get are benefits sanctioned or deducted.
You preventing him from volunteering is the worst thing you can do because he will have nothing to work towards also from experience when my mother who was my appointee pulled the similar stunt of preventing me from volunteering the job centre took their opportunity to sanction me as a result.
If your son is in receipt of personal independence payment and is on universal credit for limited capability to work you may be able to get him on to engineering course or a course that could lead to working in the industry. while keeping his benefits however this is a gray area and many people struggle with knowing if this is an option because the rules aren't clear or straightforward. whatever work your son goes into has to be within his special interests as it is the primary skill that will give him somewhat equal footing with non autistic individuals.
I agree, I would never stop my son from volunteering. He loves the aspects of the work and the Job Centre are happy he is gaining valuable work experience.
It's just unfair that he going to be stuck in this situation for a while or the rest of his life. people say things are improving but things are only improving for those in the four major cities and not the rest of the country.