Taking steps to be positive

The wheels of progress and change turn very slowly. What can be done therefore to make a positive change? Firstly, Australia needs to pass and Autism Bill to ensure that support and services are made available and more so a greater injection of Autism Awareness into society. Yesterday I spoke to Jane who has a nephew Max with Asperger Syndrome. He is 11 years old and in Primary School and has an interest in racing cars. He talks non stop about racing cars, knows everything about them and his parents have taken him to racing car events, and furthermore he has seen how a racing car works and how they are repaired etc. Despite his strong interest and obsession in racing cars and being in a school which understands his needs and provides him support, Max has a precarious situation concerning what high school his parents are wanting to send him to. Their concern is what employment will Max obtain when he grows up and more importantly will there be a high school which will help Max to be supported and immune from bullying and other difficulties etc? Like Jane, I have been contacted by other parents concerned about the same situation, what is there for their child's future when their child becomes and adult and needs to find employment?

I believe that change is possible despite the very slow wheel of progress turning at the moment. All that is needed is for a member of parliament within the Australian Parliament no matter what persuasion to put up a Private Members Bill to introduce an Autism Bill. Sadly the Autism Community was let down by a member of parliament whom we thought may afford other this opportunity only to now feel abandoned and let down by the member concerned. There is still a glimmer of hope though in that I do try wherever possible to find an understanding member of parliament to allow for such an opportunity to occur. What is needed and required is for the Autism Bill to work on or closely with the Autism Bill which was passed in the United Kingdom in 2009. You can visit information on this bill by clicking on the title of this post "Taking steps to be positive". I am currently writing a book but I need help with having the book edited as my grammar needs some polishing. My book proposal has been put forwarded to a publisher and is undergoing consideration now for publication. I can only hope that it will be considered but only time will tell.

In my current situation, I am in employment but I feel that if nothing changes I will be doing the same job for the rest of my life and believe I could do a lot more, but need to be given a chance. I am looking at visiting the United Kingdom in May 2011 to visit Autism Works and undertake some unpaid work experience in order to not cause issues as terms as visa requirements impose. In my work experience, I hope to learn valuable skills which can be brought back to Australia and hopefully adopted in order to allow for adults on the Autism Spectrum to be trained and employed. Rather than existing on pensions and feeling let down and having low self esteem, having employment would greatly enrich and adult with Asperger Syndrome within their life.

I feel at the moment like a lonely poppy in a field, I feel that despite all my efforts to try and make change, that I am virtually hitting my head against a brick wall. I cannot understand why people avoid me and more importantly the only solution available to deal with my current circumstances is to either try harder or be medicated in order to be controlled by NT's. I cannot understand why this is the case and more importantly why people distance themselves from Autism as the not knowing and not wanting to help or understand just makes things especially harder. I am told I am negative but I feel I am telling things as they are and people need to try and understand more so than glance over or ignore. I hope that soon an Autism Bill will be considered but for now I just have to persevere and work as best I can in a shadow. I really hope things change soon.