Select Committee on Autism
Submission 3
To whom it may concern
My name is (as the email address would suggest), and I have autism.
I have lived with this diagnosis since I was 18, which was 17 years ago. I have found it quite hard to hold down work and the longest I have ever been in any form of employment is 5 years. I’ve mostly been unemployed.
The main idea of this submission is that people with autism are undervalued simply because they have the label “disability” or “autism” against their name. Employers don’t realise the absolute value we have. Some qualities we have include:
- attention to detail
- loyalty
- leadership
- the ability to do mundane tasks others would prefer not to do at all I believe we should be given an equal amount of chance to secure a job as much as those who don’t have a disability at all. It should be noted to employers that if we have inclusive boundaries such as being able to concentrate and have brain breaks so we can cope, then we can perform just as well as others can.
I hope that this entices employers to take more of us on. Rather than ignore us with comments like “you don’t fit the role,” or “you don’t qualify,” or there just being no answer at all. To put it, it is simply, disability discrimination at its best.
Of course, you can respond back to me via email. I am also happy to supply my phone number upon request for any further information.
Yours sincerely