About the Work
Work Differently wants to show that autistic folks are successful – to reimagine the idea of success through an autistic lense. The statistics around autistic employment are abysmal. To fix that, we have to look deeper than just the characteristics of autism. We have to look at systemic ideas around work, work ethic, and success.
Example:
Being autistic is incredibly marginalizing, and that marginalization starts during young childhood. Even without a diagnosis, we lose access to many of the opportunities needed to develop social, and other, soft skills. Our careers are stunted by this years before they’ve even started.
We come to view ourselves as the problem and enter into adulthood without the proper skills needed to advocate for ourselves in most environements. We make lower wages, work fewer hours, and change jobs more often than most folks our age. Social discrimination and burnout become constant threats and realities. It’s hard to develop ourselves in these conditions.
The Mission:
It’s time to add to the efforts for change. While I’m still in the very beggining stages of building, Work Differently hopes to contribute in two significant ways:
- Helping Autistic People Learn Soft Skills – I’ll use a combination of one-on-one coaching and affordable courses, resources, and materials to guide you through planning the next move of your career. You’ll deepen your understanding of your neurotype and create a plan that builds towards a sustainable path. You’ll find help with understanding many soft skills, including customer service, negotiation, conflict resolution, and self-advocacy.
- Create Opportunities for Autistic People – Work Differently will be funded in a few ways: grants, proceeds from individual coaching, and proceeds from Whimsigoth Larson. Whimsigoth Larson is an art and (eventually) decor store that is currently on Etsy. I own and operate this store as well. The goal is to use a portion of these proceeds to pay the bills so I can charge little or nothing for the courses and other materials. I also want to pay writers, designers, artists, and more to help build both the art store and the educational site. Both Work Differently and Whimsigoth Larson will feature these conributors, paying them for their work and allowing them to build portfolios and visibility.
So far, I have already won the Stimpunks Foundation Creator Grant, which is helping me make quicker progress. I’m excited to continue my work and do my part to reshape how society views autism and autistic success.
About Me
My name is Margaret-Michael (Maggie-Michael). I’m a person of many hats: artist, author, advocate, freelancer/entrepreneur. I’m a Jack of all trades and a Jill of all diagnoses, which is definitely a thing people say. Having multiple disabilities, whether diagnosed or not, has made it mandotory for me to find alternative ways to make a living. It’s been a grueling path, and I hope to make it easier for others.
I have spent several years developing career coaching materials for autistic people. You can find most of that content under my former name, Vanessa Blanchard. I’ve written a couple zines and have more in the works. I have a bachelor’s in psychology and experience with tutoring and developing curriculum. My plan is simple and slow. And very text based.
Neurodiversity, Disability, and Work
My neurological profile includes autism, ADHD, PTSD, and possibly OCD. On top of that I have a number of physical disabilities that hinder my ability to work. It’s not possible for me to have a full-time, traditional job. Yet I still need to eat and plan for a future. So, my biggest experience is in learning everything I need to have a sustainable, non-traditional career.
I won’t have all the answers for you because I’m not you. However, the knowledge and insight I have can serve as a jumping off point for you. I won’t be able to solve your problems, but I can help you with the reflection and research necessary to find what does work for you. I combine a neuroaffirming approach with a well-sourced, grounded optimism. I’m a career counselor that also advocates for work reform. I believe that change will come from self-advocacy and collective action. We normalize new ideas by insisting upon what we know to be true.
We didn’t ask for the world we were born into, but we do still have agency. There’s more than one way to exist in this world.
