This afternoon I received a phone call from Senator Jan McLucas Disability Advisor. I spoke in detail with him about the various issues concerning adults on the Autism Spectrum and how more needs to be done. I discussed the need for an Autism Bill and more importantly basic services, support and awareness. I mentioned my own frustrations and how nearly at the age of 40 they I am largely misunderstood and lack social networks. People perhaps think that because I have over 2000 friends on Facebook that I have a lot of friends but the word 'friend' is very loosely used in today's world.
I discussed the need for funding to Asperger Services Australia and how greater employment support is needed to get adults into work and more importantly how more workplaces need to be accommodating. All I can do is just wait and know that I have done the best I can. I believe that for older adults access to a community worker would greatly assist the person to access the person with a disability or Autism to access the community. A lot needs to happen. I was also informed that software testing was happening and I mentioned my friendship with Chris Mitchell from Autism Works in the UK and Peter MacDonald who also works there. So things seem to be rolling ahead a little bit more!
All I can say in this post is that some progress is being made and hopefully more will happen to fix a broken disability system. I would like to see and I am sure other Australians also disability support that is lifted higher in this country. We have the wealth of talent and experience here but we need the community to understand better also. This I was assured will happen in time. We can only hope.
In the meantime please check out my website www.garryburge.com and http://www.triond.com/users/Garry+Burge
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