The Disabilty Sub Committee

Tomorrow afternoon I meet for the first time as the Staff Member representing staff with disabilities at the University. As I have never sat on a committee before, especially one of this nature, I hope that I am able to raise concerns and address issues that confront staff with disabilities. Within my own situation, I find that I cannot go beyond my current duties without encountering frustration. Over the last 5 years, I have wanted more stimulation and the ability to learn and acquire more skills which seems to always confront difficulty. As I know many adults with Asperger Syndrome, there seems the ever growing problem of them finding employment or more so being granted the opportunity of having a go and learning more. In terms of the Disability Sub Committee my appointment is a milestone for myself and perhaps a pioneering stage for an adult with Asperger Syndrome to be appointed to such a committee. I am on a learning curb with this appointment and I have tried to find out across the university if all areas and departments are covered by disability representatives. As support for staff with a disability is essential, I hope that the work place can be more accommodating for staff so that they can enter employment and finally have the opportunity of hopefully having modifications made to make their working life more possible. I have had to draught proposals and submit suggestions with a couple of them being accepted and I would like to do more than what I am currently doing but only time may tell. People seem to think that because you can only work part time that you are either lazy or putting yourself down. You try and deal with mental exhaustion and trying to navigate the world around you when you confront a lack of understanding and awareness. By serving on the committee hopefully I can make a positive contribution and more importantly make the possibility of staff with a disability to find acceptance and provide input within a workplace. It will be interesting to see how the unfolding year goes. Please note that a lot of adults with Asperger Syndrome have good brains and the recent article concerning an adult in Sydney is one that really needs to be focused on for are we utilizing the skills and attributes adults can make and contribute to in this world? http://www.smh.com.au/national/remarkable-minds-just-waiting-for-work-20100319-qmad.html I have often been told in life what I cannot do. I am incapable of working on the Loans Desk in a Library, I can't go beyond shelving library books? Or you are getting anxious or some other issue as a way of brushing aside the real and underlying issue in that an adult with AS may have such problems but they also have positive and important strong points. Also obtaining the opportunity to learn higher duties is also dealt with difficulty and I have had to go to another library to learn and acquire new skills and could only utilise 45 mins being a school library for being in an inflexible work place. You would think that if a member of staff displayed enthusiasm then surely this could be provided rather than discouraged and made difficult.? If you lived the life in my shoes and other adults with Asperger Syndrome you may begin to wonder how valuable and what more we can do rather than being labeled or unable to go beyond base grade routine positions. I don't dislike the job I do I just want to go beyond it into something which allows me to use my brain more and to acquire more stimulation. I am also looking forward to undertaking a MPhil/Phd as an adult with Asperger Syndrome as the topic of difficulty for adults with navigating the social world and I hope I am able to do this and assistance in promoting awareness of issues that need to be raised and addressed to make the life of adults with AS much better in the world around.