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Original poster

What do those who are ND do for work?

31 replies

LumpySpaceGoddess · 05/04/2023 13:20

Hello everyone,

I’m currently a carer for my youngest but I really need to get back into work.
I am Neurodivergent and I have debilitating social anxiety. I have tried medication and therapy but yet to find anything that works.

I used to work in retail, the one job I loved and was good at I had to stop as the business closed down, the only over job that I was able to keep long term was when I worked for a family member but I couldn’t continue due to moving across the country.

When I moved I did become more isolated as we now live very rurally, I’ve never managed to make friends with any of the school mums either so it’s just me and my family, I don’t have anyone to help with the kids and we can’t afford a childminder. There’s also no before or after school clubs.

I have two children, both have autism.
My eldest is in secondary but the school is a 30 minute drive away and as she doesn’t have an EHCP she isn’t entitled to transport and there isn’t any public transport from our house to her school so I need to be available for her.
My youngest (primary aged) gets transport.

Due to their disabilities I need to be home for them during holidays and before/after school so I need term time work or work from home.

What jobs are out there that I can fit around school hours that don’t involve too much interaction with others?
I can’t do telephone work at all as that causes a panic attack.
Driving jobs are also a no go.

I have GCSEs A-C but I’ve been out of work for 10 years now.

I feel so lost and like an absolute failure right now. I don’t know what to do, I’ve asked for advice from others who are ND but not had much luck really.

Please no harsh judgement, I know lots of people don’t understand the difficulties faced by those who are neurodivergent.

OP posts:
Smartiepants79 · 05/04/2023 13:33

That’s a very long list of things you can’t do.
What can you do? What are you good at? What skills do you have? If you can give some idea of these things then people might be able to make better suggestions.
I would think that your limited availability might be your biggest obstacle.

Yorkyyorkyork · 05/04/2023 13:35

I'm ND and my main career is in architecture however I also do digital marketing freelance as a hobby. And copywriting.

The jobs I could never do: nursing, retail and hospitality - too much noise

h3ll0o · 05/04/2023 13:38

The post you’ve loved the most did involve interacting with people. Have you considered that your social anxiety will lessen the more you interact with people again? Charity Jobs and Indeed normally contain a number of remote vacancies that can fit around the school run.

Viviennemary · 05/04/2023 13:39

Could you do childminding. Or maybe help with somebodys on- line business. Or do a college course in say book-keeping and you could get a wfh job doing that.

Original poster
LumpySpaceGoddess · 05/04/2023 13:43

Smartiepants79 · 05/04/2023 13:33

That’s a very long list of things you can’t do.
What can you do? What are you good at? What skills do you have? If you can give some idea of these things then people might be able to make better suggestions.
I would think that your limited availability might be your biggest obstacle.

I’m not really good at anything.

I’m an artist but it’s impossible to make a good living out of that, I’ve tried many times but the competition is fierce and it’s hard to get noticed out of thousands of other artists out there.

I’m good with my kids, I’ve been applying for school jobs but they don’t come up often and a large number of people apply for them so I’ve not been successful yet.

I am hoping to do a qualification to be a TA but we don’t have the money for it right now.

I’m good with animals but again I haven’t managed to find a job that is flexible enough to fit around my children.

I can drive so I’m able to travel to and from work but I can’t do a job that requires driving around all day, I also have fibromyalgia and driving for long periods really flares it up which is why delivering jobs wouldn’t be a good fit for me.

OP posts:
Original poster
LumpySpaceGoddess · 05/04/2023 13:46

Viviennemary · 05/04/2023 13:39

Could you do childminding. Or maybe help with somebodys on- line business. Or do a college course in say book-keeping and you could get a wfh job doing that.

Unfortunately numbers are my weakest point academically, it get them mixed up/back to front.

I’m ok with writing/typing though.
All the wfh jobs that I can find amy are telephone work or already require so many years experience/certain qualifications, I have signed up to lots of job sites though and check daily.

OP posts:
Original poster
LumpySpaceGoddess · 05/04/2023 13:50

h3ll0o · 05/04/2023 13:38

The post you’ve loved the most did involve interacting with people. Have you considered that your social anxiety will lessen the more you interact with people again? Charity Jobs and Indeed normally contain a number of remote vacancies that can fit around the school run.

It did but I was much much younger then and I had the full support of my boss, she was the most wonderful lady, she kept me busy away from the customers most of the time as she understood my anxiety so I was rarely on the til.

OP posts:
emmathedilemma · 05/04/2023 14:06

if you've been out of the workplace for 10 years I think most roles are going to require a certain level of training and upskilling.
Web design - might need training but there's often small business owners looking for support on our local facebook pages.
Dog walking / small animal "sitting"
Gardening or floristry
Celebration cake baker

Original poster
LumpySpaceGoddess · 05/04/2023 14:19

emmathedilemma · 05/04/2023 14:06

if you've been out of the workplace for 10 years I think most roles are going to require a certain level of training and upskilling.
Web design - might need training but there's often small business owners looking for support on our local facebook pages.
Dog walking / small animal "sitting"
Gardening or floristry
Celebration cake baker

I did a free course recently and I now have a level 2 qualification in learning disabilities. I refreshed my maths and English a few years back as well but I think my lack of actual experience is a huge set back and the fact I need term time, it really is making it difficult to find anything flexible enough

OP posts:
Applesinmyhouse · 05/04/2023 14:23

Dog walking or child minding sounds your best bet tbh.

PinkBuffalo · 05/04/2023 14:24

Well not sure if this will helps you but I am autism and dyspraxia

I have worked as a civilian in the police for well over 10 years now (I come from a policing family which helped I think)

I have a lot of reasonable adjustments such as not having to use the phone
I can take internal calls from colleagues and we also use teams for calls now everyone is a remote worker

my autism really hates me working from home (blurred lines between work and home really upset me when I tried it) so as everyone else has a wfh contract now my force are sorting out my own office at a station local to me

my work have also previously arranged social stories and various other helps for when I am no coping very well with changes. I do no have to hot-desking like everyone else I have my own office

I really really hate my job I could not tell you what I do it has changed so much I got no idea what I am doing now so I just process as much paperwork as I can with the stuff I do know what I am doing and I guess I am lucky cos on a good day I have high productivity. But if I could afford to leave or to drop my hours I would (I was going to go part time this year but cost of living has ruined that plan)

I have found my work to be very good with me generally BUT I have had some real bad points as well it does massively depend on who you manager is I think and luckily I have an amazing manager and SLT at the moment

Sorry this is long I just wanted to give an overview as to how I actually work cos looking at me most people would no believe I could hold down a job.
Maybe look at police civilian roles? good luck op

Pip1402 · 05/04/2023 14:33

There are online websites like pawshake where you can advertise your services to look after pets while people are on holiday. You're unlikely to make a huge amount of money but you can choose your hours. Some people just feed cats so it's a case of popping to someone's house once or twice a day.

thesandwich · 05/04/2023 14:37

What about volunteering as a way to get experience? In a school if you want to be a ta?

emmathedilemma · 05/04/2023 14:37

other than working in schools or being self-employed I can't think of anything that would be term time only.
what's the qualification in learning disabilities? i.e. what did it train you to do?

thesandwich · 05/04/2023 14:38

You could then get a dbs and perhaps do some free online courses via futurelearn/ openlearn etc?

Original poster
LumpySpaceGoddess · 05/04/2023 14:49

thesandwich · 05/04/2023 14:37

What about volunteering as a way to get experience? In a school if you want to be a ta?

Yes that’s what I would like to do, supporting children who have similar struggles that myself and my own children have.

OP posts:
PollyannaWhittier · 05/04/2023 14:49

I'm a school science technician, and there are lots of ND techs in our forums and discussion groups. I know you said you're not good with numbers, so science probably isn't ideal, but most schools have art techs and home ec techs, that might be something to look at ?

PollyannaWhittier · 05/04/2023 14:54

PollyannaWhittier · 05/04/2023 14:49

I'm a school science technician, and there are lots of ND techs in our forums and discussion groups. I know you said you're not good with numbers, so science probably isn't ideal, but most schools have art techs and home ec techs, that might be something to look at ?

I should have said, secondary schools

Original poster
LumpySpaceGoddess · 05/04/2023 14:56

emmathedilemma · 05/04/2023 14:37

other than working in schools or being self-employed I can't think of anything that would be term time only.
what's the qualification in learning disabilities? i.e. what did it train you to do?

It was a qualification on Autism, ADHD and sensory disorders. I chose it as it is a nice qualification to have along side being a TA but I the original course I was going to do was stopped due to covid and I haven’t found another suitable one yet as the local schools still aren’t accepting volunteers. I had a placement all lined up before covid hit but it’s all fallen to pieces! I’m hoping I can find a similar course again soon at is was one that could be funded.

OP posts:
FeetOnly · 05/04/2023 15:01

Someone I know is employed, not as a TA, but as a helper for a child with autism. Basically stay with them the whole school day, make sure they have the right books papers and remind them to do their work in class but not in a teaching capacity.

Run an art class for retired people/nursing home?
Art therapy?
Do schools still get people in to help with reading? Might help towards a TA qualification and get you known at some schools.

emmathedilemma · 05/04/2023 15:25

if you have to drop off and pick up your eldest would you manage to work a school day?

Original poster
LumpySpaceGoddess · 05/04/2023 15:28

emmathedilemma · 05/04/2023 15:25

if you have to drop off and pick up your eldest would you manage to work a school day?

This is the issue I’m having, I can’t find anything that will work around the school hours and they don’t have any before or after school clubs.

OP posts:
Whu · 05/04/2023 15:32

Schools are crying out for TA’s and you have first hand experience caring for your children and also a qualification in SEN.
I would apply for a few local TA jobs. P

Original poster
LumpySpaceGoddess · 05/04/2023 15:44

Whu · 05/04/2023 15:32

Schools are crying out for TA’s and you have first hand experience caring for your children and also a qualification in SEN.
I would apply for a few local TA jobs. P

Unfortunately no one is hiring where I live, like I said we are super rural so schools are very sparse and the jobs get filled so quick, so far I’ve not been successful but I will keep trying

OP posts:
Yorkyyorkyork · 05/04/2023 16:11

Same here @LumpySpaceGoddess - TA roles are in demand here and get hundreds of applicants from other mums looking for term time only. Definitely no shortage of applicants here.

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