NDCOTas - Aspergers - Rudy Simone

>> The National Disability Coordination Office's program is federally funded.
There's 31 of us around Australia.
Ultimately, we facilitate and support people into further education and
on to subsequent employment, and that includes people on the spectrum.
We do things like bring workshops, we also work with individuals
and we work closely with colleges, the polytech and university and those pathways,
and the disability employment sector.
So it's been really exciting today to have so many people in the room
and so much energy and enthusiasm to hear Rudy speak.
Thank you for giving up your time.
It's a diverse crowd and I think Rudy is covering a whole range of stuff that I think
will be of interest to each and every one of you.
>> There are a lot of different programs for understanding emotions.
There's so many fun ones out there online and there are some games you can buy.
Sometimes at conferences like this, there are games you can buy.
So a toolkit for employers and employees and job coaches,
and a lot of people are using it to good effect.
If you have a job coach, if you get one, have them work with you using that book
because they need to understand autism spectrum issues.
They can't just send you out, you know, like a sheep into the wolf's den.
When I was 18, I would never have believed I had Aspergers. No way.
I would have been far too proud. I think it's taken a lot of falling down.
So, in addition to the social groups, I think perhaps Tasmania
or some of the communities in it could use something like this
a place to apply our scientific abilities, our creative abilities, our artistic abilities
because I don't know what your school systems are like
but in America there's not a lot of outlet for that.
So if any of you are in the arts or in the sciences, get together and create a place
where kids can apply their abilities, instead of just reading, writing, arithmetic.
So I'm done talking. I need to find a better way to end my sessions!
Every single one of them has been, "Oh, my God, I'm so sick of talking!".
Thank you so very much for your participation and for being here and for having me.
>> Thank you, Rudy. That's very inspirational.
I know that last line was funny but the line you said before, it is certainly there,
and there is a lot to take away from today.
It's been fantastic to hear the conversations that have happened at lunch and at morning tea.
>> Well, I really think this discussion has really helped in my life
in understanding what I have and that it's not a disability.
It is something that I can use to improve my life
and I think it's absolutely essential for anybody that wants to understand about it more.
I think dealing with relationships and love has probably been a really big thing
and also the little things that I guess us people with Aspergers struggle with from day to day
and we have to find better ways to manage it.
But, yeah, it's been really valuable today.
>> Yeah, pretty interesting speaker.
It's the first time I've seen a woman with Aspergers speak in public like that.
I've seen a few men with Aspergers. So it was a very interesting perspective.
The idea of the sensory toolkit I thought was pretty interesting,
the noise cancelling headphones and stuff having music,
so an iPod with the music and stuff, and the different squishy toys
and things like that that you have all the time,
and not being embarrassed or worried to use them in public.
So she spoke for a while with the headphones on and it didn't matter.
It's way better than her actually melting down.
So just things like that, but in the workplace and thinking how that will happen.
I've worked in a lot of workplaces where they don't allow anyone
to have headphones on and things like that.
>> I thought Rudy was great. So inspirational, so informative, so energetic. We loved it.
So worthwhile, yeah. I hope she comes back
because if she was even back next week, I'd come back.
It's the whole sharing of ideas too, and whether it be listening
to what the other people are saying in the audience and how Rudy responded to that,
her own experience. She was so honest and upfront and genuine.
>> The discussions were great too. The feedback from the others, I thought, was excellent.
>> Wanting to go away and buy her Aspergers On the Job book is first on my list.
Just the optimism. Things may get really bad... >> There's always a positive.
>> But there's a positive, and with support and love, things can be OK.