Friday, October 23, 2009

AWA interviewed Dr. Tony Attwood

Listen now to Dr. Tony Attwood in conversation with AWA!

By registering to AWA Radio (International AWA channel on Facebook where AWA hosts the who's-who of Asperger's each week), you can click on the link there and listen to Dr. Tony Attwood's last interview - on the topic of Diagnosing Girls with Asperger's - last week.

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/AspergerWomen/2009/10/17/Dr-Tony-Attwood-Discusses-Unique-Qualities-of-Fema

If you encounter any problems accessing the interview, let me know and I'll help.

ענייני פרנסה

לתרגום לעברית: נא לשלוח לי בקשה באימייל

Finding and keeping jobs - help available

Today I had the honor and pleasure to receive the group of ACI in my home, and present AWA to them. 

ACI: Autistic Community of Israel - see details at: http://awaisrael.blogspot.com/2009/09/important-contact-details-to-keep.html#more)

It was a wonderful opportunity to feel once again the relaxion that comes with spending time with people "on your same wavelength" - which is so rare for us Aspies.  No social pressures, no "what's the matter with you, you're different" stares, no questioning of our values and opinions and preferences.  An atmosphere of shared priorities, and wherever not, tolerance for diversity.

We held a very fruitful discussion on the crucial topic of earning a living in Israel, here and now, as spectrum people.

Which reminded me I ought to list the currently available sources of help on the topic of finding work and counseling about work, so here they are:

BE is a private enterprise with branches in several places in Israel, offering training, workshops and guidance towards employment, as well as matchmaking with regular companies in the free market (usually for practice periods only).  Most suitable for Aspies with little or no prior work experience.  Attention: No assurance of a protected work environment (עבודה מוגנת) or AS-friendly employer at this stage.

2.  Ms. Ester Tzabar

Private enterprise head hunter specializing in finding jobs for Aspies with skills and background appropriate for work in QA (Quality Assurance, בדיקת תוכנה).  At some future stage, Ester intends to widen the scope of her work to include Aspies with diverse computer skills such as those suitable for translation, editing, and others.  Most jobs accessed through Ester require a course, given by Ester's team itself, which lasts about 6 months and the cost is about 5,000 NIS.  Recruitment after the course is not guaranteed.
אסתר צבר
טל: 0526755124
מייל: hr@aqa.co.il
No website at this stage

3.  Legal Clinic at Bar Ilan University

Good resource to contact for advice on employment laws and guidance on the process needed to get special accomodations for an Aspie approved at the workplace, if at all possible.  Help with Social Security (ביטוח לאומי) claims, including representation by lawyer!
הקליניקה המשפטית לזכויות אנשים עם מוגבלויות
Bar Ilan University, Tel.: 03-5318373

4.  In set-up process: Abilities - Manager: Ms. Pnina Vetcher

Private manpower contractor, will be hiring people with disabilities or Asperger's, to do hitech companies' outsourcing work, mostly in software testing and Quality Assurance.  No website yet, contact through Linked-In only at this initial stage. 
פנינה וטשר, אביליטיס
לשילוב אנשים עם מוגבלויות בהייטק
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/pnina-vetcher/10/bb9/507

For any questions, comments or additions you'd like to make, please post a comment to this posting or email me.

Daphna