LIFE WITH FRAGILE X SYNDROME AGE 33

I last wrote a blog post on this when I was 31 so I thought it was time to write an updated one.

Job Hunting

This is frustrating, I've struggled with job hunting since school/college and I've only had 4 paid jobs which were all temporary and led to nothing. I didn't like 3 of them as one was in Chelmsford a Christmas job, the other Christmas job was in Braintree and I had another temp job also in Braintree and my last job was in Halstead which was better but again it was only temp. I've never really had support when it comes to job hunting the jobcentre have been awful when I was on jobseekers I was sanctioned a lot, someone came to my house which was horrible. They don't help people with disabilities at all I was picked on, had some horrible advisors and no help at all. When one of my jobs ended I had to reluctantly go back to the place of doom aka the jobcentre and go on a new benefit which was universal credit and I've been on it since. I am currently getting help from another company which started last year which is going okay and it has been helpful but I am looking into other options as applying for retail is pointless now. I need to try other things and widen my search and see what's out there. Job hunting has been so difficult for me and I don't understand why I can't get a job? It's unfair the way things are, the way I've been treated in the past and lack of support. There needs to be more help and guidance for people with learning disabilities who can work and want to work.

Confidence

I have gained confidence through volunteering and I do feel more confident but I also have the fear of the unknown when it comes to trying new things. I need to work on that and think actually I will try and if I don't like it then I can stop and find something else.

Volunteering

I started volunteering again because I felt at the time I wasn't any nearer to finding a job and I've been there since September last year. It's going well, I've met new people, talk to people and it gets me out the house for a few hours a week.

Making Friends

I don't have any friends and sometimes it's hard because I do wish I had maybe one or two friends. As I've got older it is more difficult to make friends, I don't keep in contact with anyone from school or college. I tried to make friends through a service that helped people with disabilities to meet people and while I did somethings through it, I didn't make friends and I stopped using the service and it's since going to close. I thought if I got a job I'd make friends but that doesn't always happen either.

Thanks for reading.