Katherine Birkett told us she was looking for a way into working in wildlife. Can you identify with this? Can you offer any advice? I was left a little frustrated when I read the article about ‘A Focus on Nature’ (Bird Watching, August 2013). This scheme is exactly what I’m looking for to gain a foothold in my desire to have a career working with wildlife. However, I am nearly six years too old to qualify for the scheme. I want to work with wildlife, especially birds, but I have no clue where to start, what to do, where to go and study, where to go to get support/mentoring, where to get assistance with transport or who to talk to. It seemed perfect; support, training etc. Coming into wildlife appreciation at the rather old age of 29, I had no idea such a scheme was around until I saw the article. Unfortunately, I have whiled away far too much of my lifespan locked away, rather anti-socially, in my own little world. I am autistic, and have virtually no social/emotional understanding or initiative and a reduced ability to understand the motives, actions and behaviours of other people. We can be very difficult to place in employment; indeed, just 12% of working-age autistic people who are capable of work and want to work are in work. Since I left sixth form 17 years ago, I have had meaningful salaried employment for just six weeks. I am not flushed with money and cannot afford my own camera or equipment. Coming into birdwatching as late as I have, I have missed all the schemes aimed at younger people and cannot see any such scheme that caters for people such as myself. I might be wrong in assuming this but, is that it? Our support ends at 30? Once we’re a day over 30, we’re on our own? Where is a scheme that will help bang the drum for us, the latecomers, the disabled who need a lot more help in achieving our wildlife career aspirations and the late bloomers? What is out there for us? Can I make a request that ‘A Focus on Nature’ gives some thought to forming a satellite organisation to help those who are beyond the age of 30 and still on the starting blocks?
Posted on: Thu, 22 Aug 2013 08:33:05 +0000
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