>
>I read for a M.Sc. in Micropalaeontology (a study of micro-fossils and a
>branch of Geology). The course work was fine but I had a struggle with the
>research side of the work as this was unstructured and I thought that I
>needed too much help with it.
>
My main problem with the degree that I did was that the exam questions (it
was about 75% on exams because a 'traditional' university) were very vague
and I could not see how I was supposed to expand them into any relevant
information. I also had a lot of problems in the practical lab because I
could not work with other people except just either them doing everything
(so I didn't learn anything) or me doing it all myself. At that time I did
not have any knowledge of aspergers, and I did try to explain to the
supervisors that I was literally unable to work in a group but their
response was basically, people work in groups, tough luck. I was lucky in
my second year ecology course to do an individual project and this went
well, apart from the supervisors initially refusing to supervise me (due to,
'narrow or restricted interest' which is actually one of the asperger
diagnostic criteria, that I insisted to do my project on woodlice responses
to heavy metal pollution, when they wanted me to do something about moth or
ladybird survival which was their specialisations). Unfortunately I had to
do a spoken presentation and at the last minute the director suddenly asked
a question. I was, (still true) unable to answer a new question so
basically told him it was not relevant, and was marked down for not
considering this- however, if you know about woodlice, the question was
actually very stupid (he asked were they not affected by pavement edge
however woodlice are quite able to climb vertical surfaces, a better
question may have been the light gradient although I controlled for this).
I am hoping to get more support at the university that I will do the MSc
because I put this on the application.

>Later on, I started to read for a PhD in the same subject but this was
>really too much for me, again, I needed much more guidance and structure to
>my day.
>

>I too, have had great difficulty in avoiding bullies and trying to fit in
>at work. I too, have had a really terrible time in the English Civil
>Service. They still haven't sorted out their disability employment
>conditions, and despite declaring that I was having problems with memory
>and interruptions, they still continued with the bullying and ostracism.
>As a result of this I have been ill again since October 2001.
>
My partner has also been bullied at his work in civil service, although at
first he was in friendly workplace at the inland revenue (it was the local
office which was friendly they are not all like that), he has been
threatened for his political beliefs at his new workplace, although he is
good at the job which is computer modelling. I am not sure why they are
like this. I have had problems at all work with silly behaviour (although I
often did not even notice it at the time but things like not passing on
information to me so that I was excluded from staff meetings, or making me
do all the worst jobs, for example when I was working at a special school I
was often left to supervise the kids which the other people did not like (ie
most behaviour problems), which meant I was under too much stress and never
had opportunity to do other work). I really hope, that in future I could
find a job where this didn't happen because it is one of the most important
things to me.

>I have done quite a lot of work at the local employment office and this has
>helped tremendously, even though the course was not tailor – made for
>Autistic/Asperger folk.
>
>I did a lot of tests and exercises and discovered I would be much better
>working in a quiet environment, where the job description is well defined
>and there is good routine to the day. This may not necessarily apply to
>you, but you could explore your own suitable working conditions using
>similar facilities in your local area.
>
>We were provided with computerised psychometric testing to see what sort of
>job would suit our tastes and I worked with a small closed group of six
>fellow patients to explore our strengths and weaknesses.
>
>Using this information, we then constructed a CV and learnt what type of
>jobs would be suitable for us as individuals. Surprisingly enough, I
>discovered that Caring for the Elderly would be a good avenue to try, and,
>once I get time I will try volunteering in a Local old peoples’ home. If I
>am good enough, I will try to get sponsorship for some NVQs in care. But
>all this is a long way in the future as I need to get well first, and come
>off incapacity benefit.d
>
I think, even a lot of autistic/aspergers people are good at caring work
because it is a more clear social relationship. I have done some with
disabled kids which I did like, but my problems were with the behaviour of
other staff who let some of the kids get away with bullying the others, and
I was often crying about this, they thought I was mental and look for an
excuse to get rid of me really. However, when I was in hospital I liked
helping the old people who had mental health problems, when they would ask
you to sit by them if they were scared, because some of them had to go to
ECT. Well actually I do have empathy because I know I would be really
scared, that it could fry your brain (I read in temple grandin book that it
is the same voltage as cattle stunners). ALthough sometimes I didn't know,
what you were supposed to do and the nurses were often not helping because
they would say 'it's just a behaviour' or they told someone 'mind your own
business' when they asked them to help this lady who was having panicing
problems. I hope you will get this NVQ because it's a good thing to help
with old people.


>I also registered with “Learndirect” and via this, I discovered that our
>local college had funding from the European Social Fund to let us take the
>Morrisby Profile. This is quite a comprehensive psychometric test – not
>done by computer and I had a thorough analysis afterwards.
>
I did have a test, when I was at school they did one for all the people, in
one year, but it did not have things which were relavent. The one which I
have done recently at the careers service was a bit better however it did
say some of my responses were conflicting, and said it was not likely that I
could get secure work because it was mostly in contracts, however some of
the interesting things it said were doing forestry or conservation work
(which I would like to do but mostly, you need a driving license which is my
biggest problem, I am not sure, if it is to do with asperger but I have very
bad coordination and I can't do all the different things at once), or
jewellry or furniture design. Now I can't do any of these at the moment
because I am not sure how you can find the jobs, and even, since I thought I
would put that in, I have lost my notebook which I wrote them all down in so
I can't type in them all (I can also remember it said clinical
cytogenetecist and plant breeding which, I can't do the first one but maybe
the second). But also when I was in hospital doing occupational therapy they
said I should try and sell some of the jewellry (I had to make some for
people because they wanted to give it to their family for presents). So if
I can find a market near here then I can try to do that maybe. At the
moment I am just doing some voluntary which is surveys of reserves for the
wildlife trust but that is better for me because I can do it when I want and
they don't say you've got to turn up every day, and I can go on bicycle and
not the stupid trains.

>In the meantime I have found an excellent book called …
>
>Asperger Syndrome Employment Workbook
>The Author is Roger N. Meyer.
>It was published in 2001 by Jessica Kingsley Publications
>The International Standard Book Number (ISBN) is 185 302 7960
>If you look for it in a British Library it will be catalogued under
>331.5’94
>
I think, I will try to find that book because it is a good idea if there is
some specific information about aspergers, there is not much of this in the
jobcentre here or the careers service because I suppose they think not many
people have it (I am not sure if that is true but I have not seen any other
people in the job centre who did have it as far as I know). But I am now
not going in the jobcentre because I did work for one week, so I got signed
off. but they couldn't help me with transport to that job. Now the cpn
says I have to claim incapacity benefit but I don't know how to do this
though, i expect they don't tell people because they want to reduce the
number but it is very stupid if they think I can't travel to work but they
think I should still go there.

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