Work experience for ASD/dyspraxia ds?

[basildonbond]

Ds will need to do two weeks of work experience next year after his GCSEs (currently nearing the end of Y10).

He has ASD and dyspraxia, is v bright but cripplingly shy and socially awkward, not helped by a massive growth spurt which shows no signs of slowing down (6'2" at the moment but with a 24" waist so nothing fits properly and he looks v gangly)

He's exceptionally good at computer science but not great at anything which requires writing (his handwriting is illegible).

There's no way he could cope with an interview or any kind of placement where he'd have to talk to people so I realise that cuts down his options hence thinking about it now

Can anyone with a similar child who's already gone through this let me know what worked for them please?

Ime lots of pupils struggle to find work experience placements - do the school arrange it or do they have to sort it out themselves? I wouldn't worry too much about finding something in the area he eventually wants to work in, I'd say it's more important that he has a positive experience overall.
I would suggest seeing if his old primary school would take him on - most will around here. It would have the advantage of being a familiar environment & possibly some of the staff will be the same too.

Why not ask the school if he can work with the it people in school (not the teachers but the fixers!). We have done that with some pupils.
Or his primary. Somewhere familiar

My younger brother had the same problems when finding a placement due to ASD. He is also fab at computers, this was a while ago as he is now come so far he's starting university for computer science! Anyway, the school found one for him and another boy in the police forensics room. They met up with the man they were working with before and they absolutely loved it. There wasn't much socialising to be done in that room was usually just them together.

Quite often students like this will be accompanied by a LA on Work experience . Ask the school what they are planning to offer him.

My DS with ADHD and dyspraxia did his w/e on a dairy farm. He absolutely loved it. Not something I'd have ever considered.

Thanks - I'll ask the SENCO if she has any thoughts

As far as I know they are supposed to arrange work experience themselves, which will be no problem for dd when it's her turn but would be like asking ds suddenly to speak in fluent Russian

Unfortunately he had a really miserable time for the last couple of years at his primary (constant floods of tears, v tricky to get him to go at all in Y6, had to go in late as he couldn't cope with the playground or the lunch hall, refused to go in for 'special' days and we took him out completely for the last 3 weeks of the summer term as it was all off-timetable) so I'm not sure that would be a particularly positive experience...

Try getting in touch with the National Autistic Society they have an employment service

My DS2 with ASD and 20 hour statement worked in a charity that supplies refurbished computers to schools in Africa. Lots of pulling the insides out of computers and wiping hard drives etc. TBH, his school arranged this for us as I had no idea who would be willing to have my slightly unpredictable boy. I went with him to his introduction/interview and a TA accompanied him on the first morning to settle him in.

The school I work in has a list of placements that have previously taken pupils, perhaps your DS's school has a similar list? DS1 had to arrange his own WEX but I 'borrowed' my school's list to find out who to ring.