Coding Autism - Job Training for the ASD Community

[Anonymous]

I recently had the opportunity to engage with one of the leaders of "Coding Autism," and it sparked my interest in posting in this Forum.

Background: Oliver Thornton & Team at Coding Autism are attempting to build an organization that focuses on helping the ASD community obtain job training given the approximately 80% rate of unemployment in the community. Given the remarkable skills of the community, and with a potential large synergy between this community and jobs involving coding, Coding Autism is focusing on training (and job skills efforts) for coding-related tasks.

Recent Publicity:
(1) Yahoo Finance - https://yhoo.it/2odrJSW
(2) Yahoo! Tech - https://yhoo.it/2odmym4
(3) IT Business Edge - http://bit.ly/2qeYQCu
(4) Mashable - http://on.mash.to/2osze3D
(among other coverage)

Call to Action: Coding Autism is currently crowdsourcing, and the deadline for funding is 3 days away (if they do not make the goal, they receive none of the funding). They are so (!) close, and I want to see them succeed. I wanted to make this forum aware of the mission - http://bit.ly/2orKKxd - Thank you for the opportunity to post on this.

[Anonymous]

You know jack sh*t about the "remarkable" skills of this community.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You know jack sh*t about the "remarkable" skills of this community.

Why the hostility toward a group that is trying to increase employment opportunities? My autistic child is many years away from adulthood/employment, but coding is an excellent match for his skills (as I can tell now). I'm sure it won't work for everyone -- nothing is a good fit for everyone -- but it seems like a great idea.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You know jack sh*t about the "remarkable" skills of this community.

I think you're the same person who called someone a ninny in a different thread. Please stop taking your anger out on everyone else.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You know jack sh*t about the "remarkable" skills of this community.

I'm guessing this may be from a parent of a child who is really high functioning or maybe has Asperger's. The gap in the world views between a parent who has a child with Asperger's and one who has a child with more classic autism is pretty huge and I can see how if your child is mainstreamed and doing well and you imagine that all types of job opportunities would be open to your child this could be offensive. PP, try to look at this from the point of view of someone who has a different type of kid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You know jack sh*t about the "remarkable" skills of this community.

Why the hostility toward a group that is trying to increase employment opportunities? My autistic child is many years away from adulthood/employment, but coding is an excellent match for his skills (as I can tell now). I'm sure it won't work for everyone -- nothing is a good fit for everyone -- but it seems like a great idea.

There is nothing inherent in autism that would make them any more suited for coding than the general population or SN population. It's not true that what was fomerly diagnosed as Aspergers means a kid is gifted. I find the description incredibly patronizing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You know jack sh*t about the "remarkable" skills of this community.

Why the hostility toward a group that is trying to increase employment opportunities? My autistic child is many years away from adulthood/employment, but coding is an excellent match for his skills (as I can tell now). I'm sure it won't work for everyone -- nothing is a good fit for everyone -- but it seems like a great idea.

There is nothing inherent in autism that would make them any more suited for coding than the general population or SN population. It's not true that what was fomerly diagnosed as Aspergers means a kid is gifted. I find the description incredibly patronizing.

Who said anything about gifted? But attention to tiny details and a willingness (indeed, enjoyment) of repetitive tasks is common to almost all the autistic kids and adults I know. Plus you can do it well without a lot of reading social cues/making social inferences.

[Anonymous]

Seriously, ease the hostility. I think this is a potentially helpful and inoffensive thread. Get over yourselves

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You know jack sh*t about the "remarkable" skills of this community.

I'm guessing this may be from a parent of a child who is really high functioning or maybe has Asperger's. The gap in the world views between a parent who has a child with Asperger's and one who has a child with more classic autism is pretty huge and I can see how if your child is mainstreamed and doing well and you imagine that all types of job opportunities would be open to your child this could be offensive. PP, try to look at this from the point of view of someone who has a different type of kid.

I have a low functioning son - nonverbal and he still not do something like cross the street at age 20.
He caught something on fire in the microwave the other day despite many lessons. He has a low IQ and is very innocent.

I was chewed out by a casual aquaintance chew me out at a social event because said son was not employed - full time.
Because 'she believes that he can do something repetitive'. Mind you she hasn't spent any time with my son or seen him in 10 years (or, ever really) but she strongly believes this.

If I didn't know exactly what I was talking about I wouldn't say anything to a special needs parent about what they should or should not be doing because we're all tired from both the idiots in this world (ie: other people, not our kids) and the struggles we have eeking out a good life for our kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Seriously, ease the hostility. I think this is a potentially helpful and inoffensive thread. Get over yourselves

Stop speaking when you know nothing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You know jack sh*t about the "remarkable" skills of this community.

Why the hostility toward a group that is trying to increase employment opportunities? My autistic child is many years away from adulthood/employment, but coding is an excellent match for his skills (as I can tell now). I'm sure it won't work for everyone -- nothing is a good fit for everyone -- but it seems like a great idea.

There is nothing inherent in autism that would make them any more suited for coding than the general population or SN population. It's not true that what was fomerly diagnosed as Aspergers means a kid is gifted. I find the description incredibly patronizing.

Who said anything about gifted? But attention to tiny details and a willingness (indeed, enjoyment) of repetitive tasks is common to almost all the autistic kids and adults I know. Plus you can do it well without a lot of reading social cues/making social inferences.

I'm not happy about the hostility either but this comment makes me feel pretty upset. I know quite a few kids with Asperger's and I wouldn't say any of them are interested in tiny details. Nor do they enjoy repetitive tasks. You're portraying kids with autism as little robots which I find offensive and I don't even have a child with ASD.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You know jack sh*t about the "remarkable" skills of this community.

I'm guessing this may be from a parent of a child who is really high functioning or maybe has Asperger's. The gap in the world views between a parent who has a child with Asperger's and one who has a child with more classic autism is pretty huge and I can see how if your child is mainstreamed and doing well and you imagine that all types of job opportunities would be open to your child this could be offensive. PP, try to look at this from the point of view of someone who has a different type of kid.

I have a low functioning son - nonverbal and he still not do something like cross the street at age 20.
He caught something on fire in the microwave the other day despite many lessons. He has a low IQ and is very innocent.

I was chewed out by a casual aquaintance chew me out at a social event because said son was not employed - full time.
Because 'she believes that he can do something repetitive'. Mind you she hasn't spent any time with my son or seen him in 10 years (or, ever really) but she strongly believes this.

If I didn't know exactly what I was talking about I wouldn't say anything to a special needs parent about what they should or should not be doing because we're all tired from both the idiots in this world (ie: other people, not our kids) and the struggles we have eeking out a good life for our kids.

Sorry - that was incoherent. Trying again.

I have a low functioning son - nonverbal and he still cannot do something like cross the street at age 20.
He caught something on fire in the microwave the other day despite many lessons. He has a low IQ and is very innocent.

I was chewed out by a casual aquaintance at a social event because said son was not employed - full time.
Because 'she believes that he can do something repetitive'. Mind you she hasn't spent any time with my son or seen him in 10 years (or, ever really) but she strongly believes this. She went on and on until seriously I wanted to smack her.

If I didn't know exactly what I was talking about I wouldn't say anything to a special needs parent about what they should or should not be doing because we're all tired from both the idiots in this world (ie: other people, not our kids) and the struggles we have eeking out a good life for our kids.

You don't actually know what you are talking about or what life is like for an actual disabled person and their family just because you watched a one minute feel good youtube video of a disabled person performing a job.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Seriously, ease the hostility. I think this is a potentially helpful and inoffensive thread. Get over yourselves

Stop speaking when you know nothing.

I'm an informed SN parent. Step off psycho

[Anonymous]

I dislike both positive and negative stereotypes. One positive stereotype about people on the spectrum is that they are all geniuses who are a NASA resource. That's a lovely thought. It's far fetched. Positive stereotypes do just as much harm as negative ones.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You know jack sh*t about the "remarkable" skills of this community.

Why the hostility toward a group that is trying to increase employment opportunities? My autistic child is many years away from adulthood/employment, but coding is an excellent match for his skills (as I can tell now). I'm sure it won't work for everyone -- nothing is a good fit for everyone -- but it seems like a great idea.

There is nothing inherent in autism that would make them any more suited for coding than the general population or SN population. It's not true that what was fomerly diagnosed as Aspergers means a kid is gifted. I find the description incredibly patronizing.

Who said anything about gifted? But attention to tiny details and a willingness (indeed, enjoyment) of repetitive tasks is common to almost all the autistic kids and adults I know. Plus you can do it well without a lot of reading social cues/making social inferences.

I'm not happy about the hostility either but this comment makes me feel pretty upset. I know quite a few kids with Asperger's and I wouldn't say any of them are interested in tiny details. Nor do they enjoy repetitive tasks. You're portraying kids with autism as little robots which I find offensive and I don't even have a child with ASD.

My child with autism likes repetitive tasks. And coding. And organizing small details. Like you said, you don't have an autistic child.