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Again......I know I need transportation. But the individuals who were handling my case at Vocrehab think I don't need it. I DO. I KNOW THIS! That's why I got my drivers license! TO DRIVE! Armed with my own vehicle, I can apply for jobs with OPEN AVAILABILITY......to increase my chance of being considered for the job. Vocrehab wanted me to put down limited hours. Doing that gets my application thrown in the shredder!
Can only work monday through thursday 12-4? Trash. I CAN DO BETTER. OPEN AVAILABILITY! NO COMMITMENTS!
As far as the jobs go......I'm applying for everything from fast food, grocery store carts/shelf stocking/ basically the jobs anyone could do. I can do these jobs. I know what I can do.
I've been in retail before. Are you saying I'm not capable of stocking shelves? You are sadly mistaken.
I'm not saying that at all. I'm asking what your limitations are. Why are you disabled? If you can work these types of physical jobs as well as being in a position of customer service, what exactly is your disability? This is just not all adding up for me, that's why I'm asking lots of questions.
Why would you only put down M-R 12-4? Is that the bus schedule or something? Why can't you do public transportation? If you got your driver's license, then why don't you get a car? Is it that you need to work to be able to save up for the car? Then what vocrehab told you was correct...put down limited hours, take public transport or get a ride, and save for the car, and then in a few months or a year you can be more independent. It just sounds like you're not willing to do what it takes to get started, that's all.
Ok, here it is from one Aspie and parent of an Aspie to (you) another one and nothing I've not already told my son.
Voc Rehab will not give you a car. That's just not going to happen no matter how logical you may think it is it's not in the cards so you need to stop obsessing about it. You say you have no marketable skills, that's fine and like I told my son you need to get some and the choices available are 1.Go to a school, either vocational or college. 2. On the job training. Voc rehab will pay for either and sometimes both. Do you have any idea what a leg up on NT people that is? A 4 year degree with virtually no debt at the end? There's people out there that would sell their first born to be in that position. Where I'm baffled is where you got the idea that doing #1 or #2 is a waste of time? It's work and you are getting paid for it and the product you're making is a more marketable version of you, is there a better product to make?
Is it scary? Yep it can be, it was for my son (and to be honest for me as well when I had to do it at 30 odd years old) but I made it through as is my son because there are no other logical options with a good outcome.
My son had it rough for the first year but now he's gotten in the swing of things with the help of the disabilities office at the college AND his Voc Rehab counselor,neither one accepting his excuses or willing to be treated as a "tool". They have made him understand that they will help but won't be manipulated or do it for him.
You want to work? Great! Now start taking the steps needed to make it happen and realize the world will NOT bend to your ideas or logic (sadly as it's usually the correct one) so you have to work inside theirs. If you need more logic to convince you think about this, how long have you been butting heads with "the system"?
How's that worked out for you so far? Exactly!
You've got to remember "Aspergers can be beneficial"!
My Son has Aspergers and is doing just fine and never thought of himself as disabled. Perhaps, it is because I am disabled (wheelchair and totally blind) and he grew up knowing how difficult just getting out of bed and staying out of the hospital was for me.
He is in the Army and has completed his B.S. and is now working toward his Master's. He has never been on SSI/SSDI. Yes, there are times when things are difficult for him. Social interaction is painful but he has a routine that makes things easier for him.
Save up for a car, VR does not owe you one. I do wish you good luck in finding work; you should use VR and go to school. Finding employment is difficult for everyone these days, not just for the disabled.
Ok, here it is from one Aspie and parent of an Aspie to (you) another one and nothing I've not already told my son.
Voc Rehab will not give you a car. That's just not going to happen no matter how logical you may think it is it's not in the cards so you need to stop obsessing about it. You say you have no marketable skills, that's fine and like I told my son you need to get some and the choices available are 1.Go to a school, either vocational or college. 2. On the job training. Voc rehab will pay for either and sometimes both. Do you have any idea what a leg up on NT people that is? A 4 year degree with virtually no debt at the end? There's people out there that would sell their first born to be in that position. Where I'm baffled is where you got the idea that doing #1 or #2 is a waste of time? It's work and you are getting paid for it and the product you're making is a more marketable version of you, is there a better product to make?
Is it scary? Yep it can be, it was for my son (and to be honest for me as well when I had to do it at 30 odd years old) but I made it through as is my son because there are no other logical options with a good outcome.
My son had it rough for the first year but now he's gotten in the swing of things with the help of the disabilities office at the college AND his Voc Rehab counselor,neither one accepting his excuses or willing to be treated as a "tool". They have made him understand that they will help but won't be manipulated or do it for him.
You want to work? Great! Now start taking the steps needed to make it happen and realize the world will NOT bend to your ideas or logic (sadly as it's usually the correct one) so you have to work inside theirs. If you need more logic to convince you think about this, how long have you been butting heads with "the system"?
How's that worked out for you so far? Exactly!
You've got to remember "Aspergers can be beneficial"!
The Vocrehab counselor I had told me they don't pay for any kind of schooling. They could help me sign up for financial aid for community college. Not a 4 year college. They help you with the process, but they actually don't pay for it. This is what I was told by them. It seems there is no option for 4 year colleges. I was never told about 4 year degress being paid for.
Quote:
Originally Posted by andrea3821
I'm not saying that at all. I'm asking what your limitations are. Why are you disabled? If you can work these types of physical jobs as well as being in a position of customer service, what exactly is your disability? This is just not all adding up for me, that's why I'm asking lots of questions.
Why would you only put down M-R 12-4? Is that the bus schedule or something? Why can't you do public transportation? If you got your driver's license, then why don't you get a car? Is it that you need to work to be able to save up for the car? Then what vocrehab told you was correct...put down limited hours, take public transport or get a ride, and save for the car, and then in a few months or a year you can be more independent. It just sounds like you're not willing to do what it takes to get started, that's all.
I am saving for a car. I have quite a bit saved up right now. I add to it slowly because I have to pay rent and other bills. I can't put down limited hours that coincide with public transit. It sounds good in theory, but when there's 50 people an employer can pick from with no commitments MY application goes down the tube. Even retail managers on this forum will confirm that! As far as what disability I have, I said I have aspergers. It's classified as a disability but I've reached a point in my life where it's more of an impairment for me. A social impairment. I can do these jobs because I am high functioning. My brain is wired differently then other people.
Imagine an employer has 2 applications in their hands. Mine says I can work monday through thursday from 12-4. The other person says they can work monday through sunday anytime and overnights.
Sometimes the counselors can be lazy or there's something more to the story. If your case has been closed make an appointment with a supervisor and ask for an explanation of what went on and if you can reopen. It very well could be that it was felt you were uncooperative so they closed you out. Not saying that happened or that it's necessarily your fault, I know that almost happened to my son because he got stuck on HIS point and what HE thought was right which he very well could have been but when they control the purse you've got to play the game THEIR way.
Oh, my son's counselor's first response was "I've never seen VR pay for college". Well, just because you've not seen it doesn't make it so.
With that being said here's what's listed on the state website:
Available Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Services
Following is a list of many (but not all) of the VR services MRC provides. Since every person is unique and will have different goals or needs, individuals will not necessarily receive all of the following services, but will receive those services appropriate to their individual situation.
Diagnostic Evaluations
Interest and Aptitude Testing
College or Vocational Training
Job Placement Assistance
Counseling and Guidance
Supported Work
Skills Training
Job Coaches and Tutors
Vehicle Modifications
Housing Modifications
Injured Worker's Program
Assistive and/or Rehabilitation Technology
Programs for Individuals Turning 22 (Ch. 688)
Consultation to Employers Available Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Services
If you want your job application to be taken seriously, you have to be willing to work long hours and overnights. Otherwise your application goes to the shredder. This is one of the first ways employers eliminate applicants. The vocrehab counselor failed to understand this. I was also not told about 4 year college. They also didn't understand why employers weren't getting back to me. Yeah I wonder why. The best they could offer was to HELP with the process of applying for community college and financial aid. I was under the impression that if you wanted to get a 4 year degree they would be paying for it, but apparently I was wrong. I was told they don't pay for any kind of schooling or training. Here in massachusetts there is no kind of training like this anyway. That's the bulk of the story besides personal details.
Uncooperative because I NEED to stand out by being willing to work as many hours as possible so my job applications will be noticed?
My Son has Aspergers and is doing just fine and never thought of himself as disabled. Perhaps, it is because I am disabled (wheelchair and totally blind) and he grew up knowing how difficult just getting out of bed and staying out of the hospital was for me.
He is in the Army and has completed his B.S. and is now working toward his Master's. He has never been on SSI/SSDI. Yes, there are times when things are difficult for him. Social interaction is painful but he has a routine that makes things easier for him.
Save up for a car, VR does not owe you one. I do wish you good luck in finding work; you should use VR and go to school. Finding employment is difficult for everyone these days, not just for the disabled.
I did use VR. Vocational Rehabilitation doesn't understand what it means to stand out to employers. Course I don't stick up for employers either. VR is more interested in blaming the client and when the client connects the dots they close shop.
Basically I've been on a quest to get off SSI once and for all for ever since I was 18. I started getting it at 17 and then when I was 19 they cut me off because I was working seasonal jobs. Then at 21 (last year) they started it back up for me because I was desperate to survive. My disability (aspergers syndrome) does not hinder me as it once did when I was 14-15 years old. My plan was at 18 to start working but since then it's been a road of dissapointment. Now at 23 I'm stumped. I mean, I've been battling the "no call back" issue for the last 2-3 years off and on. I'm suspecting that have a ged might be deterring me no matter if it's a fast food job or anything else, which kinda depresses me but I can't do anything about it.
Do you think I may have to move out of massachusetts to finally get past this? Maybe a I could find some grocery stores or restaurants in a different state that would hire me. It will take a while for me to do it but I don't know how else I am supposed to transition myself out of this.
The worst thing is my own father would rather see me collecting a check from the government every month then being a productive member of society. My mom understands my outlook on life, but she's too old to do anything to help me.
If only I didn't burn up a year of my time with vocrehab, I could have had enough money saved to make a move by now. They don't help people with disabilities find jobs. They just blame you for everything.
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) so you have to work inside theirs. If you need more logic to convince you think about this, how long have you been butting heads with "the system"? 
