«Learners with ADHD often have enormous resources»
Mr Lulaj, finding an apprenticeship is generally a challenge for young people. What does this mean for young people with ADHD?
The career choice process is like a marathon that requires a lot of stamina and perseverance - which is particularly difficult for young people with ADHD, who tend to do everything at the last minute. What's more, in order to find an apprenticeship, you need to know what really interests you and where your strengths lie. This is an extreme challenge, especially for young people who have often experienced a lot of frustration and rejection during their time at school.
How did you come to coach young people with ADHD in their search for an apprenticeship?
I trained as a special needs teacher and during my time at school I experienced how difficult it is for young people with ADHD - especially when there is no parental support or they don't want to be told what to do by their mum and dad. As a teacher, I was often the only constant. Pupils kept asking me for help, and this gradually developed into the coaching I do today.
How do you go about coaching?
Either the Zurich Social Insurance Institution approaches me with a case. In the canton of Zurich, this organisation supports young people with support needs such as ADHD in vocational training and further education and covers the costs. Or the parents contact me. I then take stock of the situation: where does the young person stand in their career choices? What exactly does he or she need? We then divide the process into small steps and determine which tasks need to be prioritised. This also involves very practical things such as creating an application dossier.
Parents should be careful not to overprotect their children or push them in a certain direction.
What role do parents play?
A very central one! They know their offspring best and can often give valuable advice, for example: «You've always been interested in science - wouldn't being a chemistry lab technician be something for you?» At the same time, parents should be careful not to overprotect their children or push them in a certain direction.
Are the next generation interested in the bakery trade? Let them try it out! Even if it's difficult for parents to understand. Very few people today stay in the same profession for years; there are always opportunities for further development. The most important thing is that young people find something that really interests them.
Should you mention ADHD to potential employers? Or is it better not to mention it?
The diagnosis should never be included in the letter of application. However, if you are convincing in the interview, I would recommend mentioning it - but at the right time and before signing the contract. Don't say «By the way, I have ADHD», but turn it into something positive: «I have ADHD, but if I have this and that at my disposal, I can do this and that particularly well.» In this way, any supposed stigmatisation can be avoided from the outset. You can work on this with a coach.
What specific things can help to make teaching a success?
For example, a car repair shop where one of my former clients was doing his apprenticeship put up a notice board so that the apprentice could see exactly which days he had vocational school and when he was scheduled and how. This helped him to bring structure to his daily routine. Ultimately, all employees benefited from this transparency. Another young person wanted to receive feedback every day at her training company instead of just every few weeks.
If the interest is there, people with ADHD are often very productive and committed.
«I'll get much more out of it,» she said. So we negotiated this together. And I agreed with the line manager of another trainee that she wouldn't have an hour lunch break, but instead 15 minutes in the morning, 15 minutes in the afternoon and only half an hour over lunch. That way, she can regenerate better and stay more focussed.
These all sound like rather minor adjustments.
In fact, there are often only minimal adjustments that need to be made so that trainees with ADHD can work well. I've seen a lot of openness on the part of companies. However, you have to communicate transparently - right from the start. However, young people who have experienced a lot of stigmatisation during their time at school often don't dare to do this. This is where it helps to get support. And right from the start - not just when there are problems.
To what extent do training companies benefit from young people with ADHD?
Their creativity, inventiveness, helpfulness and commitment are often enormous, especially if the relationship is right. If the interest is there, people with ADHD are also often very productive and committed. That's why it's so important that the job really fits. I remember a girl who had a lot of negative experiences at school but really blossomed during her training in food technology. Full of enthusiasm, she completed an additional internship in her free time, which was not planned.
As a coach, do you also provide support at vocational school?
In general, young people should organise their own learning. However, this is often difficult with ADHD - especially as there is then also a working day and you may only see the teacher once or twice a week. In short: organising learning is now even more important. I also provide support with this if required. The same goes for preparing for the Matura. What worries me, however, is truancy among children and young people with ADHD.
How does this manifest itself?
Children no longer go to school because of the many negative experiences they have had there. This starts at an alarmingly early age, as early as second or third grade. I would like to see schools and parents act more quickly here. Children and young people need to be supported immediately in difficult situations and encouraged in their development. Many negative experiences also make it difficult to choose a career later on. Those who have not built up self-confidence with regard to learning and school are often not even aware of their own resources.
