Autism Valued Inc Blog

An update on our Name Change

Tue, 24 Jun 2025 06:03:28 GMT

Aspergers Victoria was founded in 1991 by a group of families with lived experience, with a vision to inspire, empower, and support Aspergers-identifying autistic individuals. Since then, we’ve grown into an organisation supporting a diverse community of autistic and neurodivergent people, their families, peers, and supporters across social, professional and systemic environments. Over time, our purpose has evolved: from a small peer-led group to a recognised, national organisation advocating for autistic strengths, fostering inclusion, and supporting self-determination. We recognise that our name no longer reflects all that we are and seek to be.

Why Change Our Name?

In recent years, language, diagnosis, and community preferences have shifted significantly. In 2013, the DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders), widely used in Australia, removed Asperger’s Syndrome as a separate diagnosis, incorporating it into the broader autism spectrum. At the same time, the neurodiversity movement has gained momentum—advocating for greater recognition, inclusion and celebration of a wide range of neurodivergent experiences including autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and more.

While the term Aspergers still holds personal significance for some in our community, others find it increasingly outdated, exclusionary, or problematic—particularly in relation to historical concerns about Hans Asperger. The term may also create confusion in professional and workplace contexts, as it no longer reflects current diagnostic frameworks used in Australia.

The Journey So Far

This is not a change we are making lightly. Through extensive efforts, we have:

Hosted multiple member forums and consultations, receiving thoughtful feedback from across our diverse community.
Reviewed over 100 potential names, drawing on suggestions from members, staff, Board, branding specialists, and sector experts.
Refined these to a dozen strong options, and now, following extensive engagement and evaluation, we’ve arrived at a final shortlist of three names:

→ Autism Voices
→ Autism Valued
→ Autism View

These names were chosen based on specific feedback and criteria developed through community and expert input. Most importantly, they reflect:

A strong preference from members for retaining a diagnostic reference (such as “autism” or “autistic”) in the name, to clearly reflect who we support.
A preference not to include a geographic reference like “Victoria”, in recognition of our growing reach and aspiration for national impact.
The mission of our organisation: to create a world where the strengths of autistic people are recognised, realised, and celebrated.
Alignment with current diagnostic standards such as the DSM-5.
Continuity with our identity: including the familiar acronym “AV”, our visual branding (colours and brain icon), and existing member recognition.
Legal and practical considerations: all shortlisted names are protectable under Australian trademark law, and are available for business and domain name registration without conflict with other organisations in the autism sector, nationally or globally.

What’s Next?

We’re entering the final stage of our name change process. Community consultation remains central to this journey, and we are grateful for the insight and support many of you have already shared.

We invited Members to continue being part of this transition. We want our new name to reflect who we are—and who we’re becoming—as an organisation deeply committed to peer connection, inclusion, and neuro-affirming practice.

Together, we are building a future that values every autistic voice, perspective, and contribution.

Update: Responding to Community Feedback on Our Name Change

We would like to thank everyone who has taken the time to share their thoughts and feedback throughout the name change process. Your input has been vital in guiding our decisions and ensuring the new name reflects the identity, values, and aspirations of our community.

Through the latest stage of consultation, we received a broad range of views on the shortlisted names. Two important themes emerged:

A preference from some community members for the use of “Autistic” rather than “Autism” in the name
Concerns raised about one of the naming options potentially being associated with an international organisation and other local services, whose messaging and content may not align with our neuro-affirming values and inclusive mission.

We deeply appreciate the thoughtfulness of this feedback. In response:

While we recognise and respect that many prefer identity-first language “Autistic”, we have chosen to use the term Autism in the new name. This reflects the broader consultation findings and our goal of accessibility and clarity for our diverse community.

The Autistic community refers specifically to the community of Autistic people, centring their lived experiences and perspectives. The Autism community, by contrast, is a broader term encompassing individuals and organisations connected to autism in various ways — including Autistic people, families, professionals, and allies.

We aim to be inclusive of this wider group while continuing to centre Autistic voices in our work, services, and leadership.

We have de-prioritised the name that was found to have potentially problematic associations, as brought to our attention through community input. This feedback was received after our legal review process, and we are grateful to the community for raising it. Ensuring our name reflects our values of respect, safety, and neuro-affirming practice remains a top priority.

Why are we changing our name?

Wed, 19 Apr 2023 02:36:12 GMT

Aspergers Victoria was founded in 1991 by a group of peer families with the driving purpose of inspiring, empowering and supporting Aspergers autistic individuals to be themselves and realise their ambitions through a feeling of belonging and being understood across their lives, while also empowering their allies and supporters.

Our purpose has evolved to provide individuals, families, businesses and professionals with opportunities to connect, feel part of communities, grow self determination, and share knowhow, with a focus on autistic inclusion, strengths and respect in both the social space as well as in their employment.

In 2013, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), the standard used by mental health professionals in the United States, was updated to the DSM-5, and “Aspergers syndrome” was reclassified and removed as a separate diagnosis to instead become part of the autism spectrum. The reason behind this change was Aspergers’ similarity to autism which is regarded as a spectrum condition. Aspergers continues in use as a term but not a diagnosis under the World Health Organisation’s ICD-11 which is used elsewhere in Europe and Asia. For some time diagnosticians have continued to use the term to clarify the resources an individual could access.

Over the last 10 years we’ve seen a further change with the emergence of the term ‘neurodiversity’, which refers to the diversity of all people, but it is often used in the context of autism spectrum conditions as well as other neurological or developmental conditions such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) or learning disabilities. The neurodiversity movement emerged following work by Judy Singer during the 1990s, aiming to increase acceptance and inclusion of all people while embracing neurological differences and has become an umbrella term to cover people with autism spectrum conditions, dyspraxia, dyslexia, ADHD, dyscalculia, Tourette syndrome and is expanding to include other differences.At AV we are driven by inclusivity and focusing on neuro-affirming practices, and following evolution in community feedback we believe that our current name ‘Aspergers Victoria’, no longer fully encompasses our community.Changing our name is not something that we are doing lightly; it has been a discussion topic at Board level for several years since the DSM change. Our primary purpose for making this important change includes the desire to:

Better reflect the views of the community we support
Reduce misunderstandings and unfavourable reactions in the workplace when using the term aspie / Aspergers
Ensure our name and brand no longer refers to a diagnosis that does not exist under the DSM-5 which clinicians in Australia tend to favour.
Move away from a name that is becoming regarded as not as inclusive for our autistic individuals, and which, for some, is considered a functioning descriptor. not having regard for the spectrum of autistic strengths or abilities Further information: Autism Awareness Australia
Ensure our name is no longer associated with Hans Asperger, after whom “Aspergers Syndrome” was named by Uta Frith. There has been recent research about the activities of Hans Asperger, an Austrian paediatrician, who has more recently been regarded as associated with Nazi activities during that era in his country, giving the use of this name a negative connotation for some people. Further reading: Scientific American. Further reading: The Guardian

We believe that our name needs to acknowledge more broadly that our membership is not only diagnosed autistic and are likely living with co-occurring conditions. Further reading: Very Well Mind

As AV is dedicated to community codesign and involvement in our way forward, as well as representing our members’ needs, we want to hear your thoughts. Share your suggestions for our new name with us! Some of the name options we’ve been discussing in our team include:

Neurodivergent Australia
Neurodiversity Australia
Diverse Minds
Different Minds
Autistic Minds
Autism Inclusion Australia
Aspire Australia

This is not an exhaustive list. We know that our community is extraordinarily diverse and creative and we’d love to hear your suggestions for our new name. There have been suggestions that no diagnostic type of term should be in our name whereas others have suggested it should be specific as it is key to clarify which part of our community we support. It’s interesting to note that most other autism organisations don’t include a diagnostic term (‘autism’ or ‘autistic’) in their names, and that there may also be future changes to the DSM.

We are on our continuing journey of change with our key mission to best empower and support our community and this will have several stages of community consultation involved.

If you would like to share your feedback on this topic including name suggestions, we invite you to send an email to the dedicated email address we have set up for this project:

namechange@aspergersvic.org.au

We welcome your support, thoughts and feedback as we go through this critical process for our future sustainability.

iGap NDIS Reform update - by Denton

Thu, 17 Nov 2022 10:28:43 GMT

The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS)provides supports for those who live with permanent disability to enable their economic social participation, as well as to close the gap between those with a disability and those typically developing. The demand for this life changing support through the NDIS has been unprecedented, and happened far more quickly than expected.

The NDIS has close to 530,000 active participants with around 180,000 or about one third having a diagnosis of Autism. The average first support plan for those living with Autism is around $15,000 for 'low need’, $35,000 for ‘moderate need’ and $60,000 for ‘high need’. Some supports approach$100,000. Government estimates the NDIS budget is approaching $40 Billion, which passes funds allocated to Medicare and aged care.

The NDIS scheme continues to face the problem of how it will pay for these essential supports, whilst adequately and appropriately meeting the needs of people with disability. Research suggests that Australian’s are proud of their efforts in supporting the scheme and that cost of the scheme is fair. The need for disability support is consistently identified as highthis is an investment into the lives of Australian’s who deserve a fair go. For this reason, amongst others, the NDIS needs to be high quality and effective. The government had an idea that independent assessments would help this process, yet this was rejected by Australian’s in 2021.

The rejection of independent assessments taught the government a lesson. It needs to listen to those people who are living with disability and theyknow the best ways support their disability. This new way of listening to the people is called ‘codesign ’ and was made law with regard toNDIS processes in 2022. In March 2022, the NDIS ‘Information Gathering for Access and Planning Committee ’ (IGAP) began work making the NDIS better. The IGAP was the start of this new way of doing business by including the voice of disability in the NDIS. Aspergers Victoria (AV) has a voice through this committee and speaks about Autistic needs.

The IGAP committee began listening to everyone involved in the NDIS, especially those living with disability. The IGAP requested AV to be involved. AV had their own focus group called a listening session. AV members were asked about how they tried to access NDIS supports. AV members also spoke about how good (helpful, effective, affirming, useful?) it was when they received help from the NDIS.

The IGAP heard the voices of AV members and also the voices of many others living with a disability around Australia. Most of those voices said the same thing. They found the NDIS was important to them and can change their lives for the better. They said it was very hard to talk to the NDIS. They found it hard to tell their story about how disability makes their life difficult. This strongly suggests that the current structure of the NDIS is not effective in seeing them and their life clearly and can make mistakes when seeking to help them with supports. It has been reported that many people living with Autism havefound the way they must talk to government traumatic and caused significant distress. This is a common occurrence for those living with Autism, navigating a neurotypical society with neurodivergence can cause a lot of difficulties, which typically developing individuals never have to experience.

The IGAP also heard the voices of the NDIS workers, including those whocare for and support people with disability. Some became troubled that they cannot help as much as they would like. These workers found they had problems really understanding the stories of how disability affects people ’s life. Many of the forms and tools used to learn these the stories and gain understanding need to be improved and slow everything down. Likewise, workers must follow the rules about how the NDIS can help, yet some of those rules could be more helpful. If the workers don ’t understand how disability affects the person ’s life, and have trouble using the rules, then the help they offer may be misguided and unhelpful. They stated that they know that much the work they do has complaints about……??… They reported that it is often very difficult to get the job done in under the four hours available for them to complete a NDIS plan. There is a huge amount of pressure as that plan needs to support a persons living with a disability for at minimum a whole year.

The IGAP is now hearing the voices of doctors. The doctor ’s say they would like to tell the story of how disability affects their patient ’s life. They find the way they must talk to the NDIS hard, just like people living with disability find it hard. They have a difficult task because the NDIS needs them to tell their story t using their medical skills. This means they need better access to tools and methods to give the NDIS what they need from them, the first time they provide information. There are ideas how to make the medical information needed simpler, to the point, more affordable and trusted by the NDIS planners. One of the biggest challenge for Autism diagnoses is that the information to tell this story needs to come from many professionals.

The IGAP is now hearing the voices of Allied Health professionals like Occupational Therapists, who the Autistic community know so well. They would also like to tell the story of how disability affects their patient ’s life. They are actually very good at understanding how a person with disability functions with and without support. Doctors tell a medical story and Allied Health show how that medical story affects a person ’s life. They say it is hard to tell that story to the NDIS and have similar problems like the Doctors. Some think that the story would be better told if they could tell it together with everyone. These allied health also commented that they feel frustrated when NDIS supports, which are needed and have been discovered through lengthy assessment processes, are rejected by the NDIS. This often means more work for the people working with the Autistic community as they need to continue communicating with the NDIS until patient's get what they need. The cost of this process is mostly seen in patient’s showing worse symptoms then leading to poor outcomes, in the money the NDIS needs to provide to pay for the time of the allied health workforce, and overloading a workforce that is already past capacity. All of these issues contribute to poor outcomes for people living with disability.

The NDIS needs to keep up with the needs of people with disability in a modern and developing society.

Mostly, the news about the NDIS is good andthe government is listening to people living with life long disabilies like Autism. In October 2022, the NDIS review started and will go for a year, ending in ????. Change is needed and just like in our personal lives, we must face change and build resilie.ce The NDIS is evolving into a stronger and more understanding organisation.

The NDIS is a social scheme that needs to hear each person ’s story and support them. It is not about a client number and what can be given. Such a complicated scheme will take time to review. It requires the efforts of many people, including organisations like AV, who believe in people with disability. They want people with disability to have a fair go and a good life. This story about the IGAP continues because it includes AV ’s members stories and their relationship with the people of Australia through supports from the NDIS.

By Denton as an opinion piece for AV Members

[END]

Autism@Parliament week: 20.6-25.6

Mon, 20 Jun 2022 23:58:49 GMT

Autism@Parliament week: this week Parliament is celebrating FIVE years since we held the Inquiry into Autism Services which started a new collaborative approach across our community organisations towards some key goals towards change.

At AV our key drivers are delivering community peer-designed & delivered programs & support to:

- continue to grow autistic social inclusion & belonging using our 32 years of peer group expertise

- improve autistic employment to change the >40% unemployment pathways: with peer job coaching & supported work experience with employer educational support

Please donate to support change for our niche autistics here: www.aspergersvic.org.au/donate

Events Coordinator - please volunteer!

Fri, 13 May 2022 09:20:11 GMT

We need you to put your hand up to help support our community events. This role is great experience for your CV or as a way to contribute to a better world for our autistics. Our Volunteers receive a bundle of benefits as well as that essential feel-good factor from supporting for-purpose charity activities. For more details please email admin@aspergersvic.org.au

Apply for AV's Coaching Roles

Fri, 13 May 2022 09:16:45 GMT

Career Coaching Role: we need a part-time Coach to dedicate the ongoing growth and expanding impacts of our Neurodivergent Career Coaching Program. Someone with autistic lived experience preferred. Please email gm@aspergersvic.org.au

AV's Child Safety & Wellbeing approach

Fri, 13 May 2022 09:02:42 GMT

We are updating our existing Child Safety approaches each month and our team are working towards the wonderful new National Guidelines coming out this July. Our commitment is that: Keeping children safe & respecting diversity is everyone's responsibility.

We welcome your feedback in whatever way you wish to provide it including from our teens and under 18s in how we support their safety, inclusion and wellbeing. This includes our neurodivergent participant's needs, as well as the needs of our various gender identities and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.

So you know AV is committed to child safety, wellbeing, participation and empowermentin all we do. This extends to cultural respect and acceptance of diverse needs including autistic, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and LGBTQIA.

AV has zero tolerance for child abuse;.
AV supports and respects the right of all children to feel valued and to be safe;.
AV seeks to promote, respect and protect the rights of all children attending our activities and prevent abuse from occurring by fostering a child safe culture;.
AV has systems and measures in place to try and ensure the respect, wellbeing and safety of children; and.
AV is committed to promoting and protecting the safety and wellbeing of all children using our services and to fair, effective and efficient safety processes
AV welcomes ALL feedback about our approaches including from children: please email Jenni,or call or speak to one of our team or please message us on our social media .

Please let us know if you can assist us with ensuring we can meet our vision for child safety and wellbeing in our community.

Supports for Vaccination of children

Wed, 09 Feb 2022 21:09:22 GMT

From our Department of Education team:

Dear parents and carers

The return to school and face-to-face learning for 2022 has been a fantastic milestone for children, families, and schools across Victoria.

The Department of Education and Training has worked closely with the Department of Health to ensure schools are as safe as possible, providing air purifiers for improved classroom ventilation and supporting vital COVIDSafe steps, including regular rapid antigen testing, mask wearing and physical distancing.

Aspergers Victoria is joining the call to encourage as many families as possible to vaccinate children aged 5 to 11.

Even though COVID-19 is mild in most children, vaccination is important to prevent longer term complications and serious illness that can still occur for some children.

Helping your child get vaccinated is an important step we can all take to give children direct protection against COVID-19 and even more so for children with underlying health conditions.

Bookings for children aged 5 to 11 to receive their Pfizer vaccine are now open and, as of 9 February, just over 50 per cent of 5- to 11-year-olds have been vaccinated.

This is a great start, and we want to see as many of our primary school students as possible achieve the protection that vaccination offers.

Along with improved individual protection, high rates of vaccination mean there is less chance of school closures – meaning less disruption to face-to-face learning and more time for children to be with their friends. This is particularly important as we move into Autumn and the Winter months.

How it works

Vaccinations for children aged 5 to 11 are delivered at two appointments, usually 8 weeks apart. For children with disability and pre-existing underlying health conditions, they may be able to get their second dose after 3 weeks so that these children can be fully protected sooner.

The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) has advised that this includes children with:
· Down syndrome
· Cerebral palsy
· Muscular Dystrophy
· Severe disability that requires frequent assistance with daily living, which includes some autistic children and children with rare genetic disorders
· Heart disease and chronic lung disease, including those regularly hospitalised for asthma
· Cancer and survivors of childhood cancer

Parents and carers can determine if their child is medically at risk and book a second dose if their child requires full protection sooner.

For further information please review the full list of disability and medical conditions.

Children aged 5 years and over who are severely immunocompromised can also receive three primary doses of a COVID-19 vaccine. This third dose can be provided 2 to 6 months after the second dose.

To book an appointment

You can book an appointment now for your children at a doctor’s clinic or any pharmacy on the Australian Government’s Clinic Finder website, visit healthdirect.gov.au).

You can also book at a family-friendly vaccination centre by calling the Coronavirus Hotline on 1800 675 398 or by booking online: https://portal.cvms.vic.gov.au/

Appointments are also available at Aboriginal Controlled Community Health Organisations.

Support for students with disability or special requirements

There is extra support for students with disability and specialist requirements to access COVID-19 vaccinations.

The Victorian Government is supporting people with disability to access COVID-19 vaccinations through the Disability Liaison Officers (DLO). The Disability Liaison Officers provide free specialised support to children and adults across Victoria with a disability or special requirements, as well as their families and carers.

They can help you with:

· Longer appointments

· Strategies for needle phobia

· Bookings at low sensory and disability accessible centres

· Vaccination at home

You can contact a Disability Liaison Officer by:

completing this online form: Request for Disability Liaison Officer support
emailing DLOcoordinator@dhhs.vic.gov.au
phoning the Coronavirus Hotline on 1800 675 398

More information

These resources are available to help you, and your child or children, prepare for vaccinations:
· ATAGI recommendations on Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine use in children aged 5 to 11 years | Australian Government Department of Health
· Royal Children’s Hospital podcast
· COVID-19 vaccination social scripts - Amaze - Autism resource
· VaxFACTS – Frequently asked questions about COVID-19 vaccination
· Vaccination information for children and teenagers | Coronavirus Victoria
· Mental health resources for parents and families | Coronavirus Victoria
· Needle phobia - The Melbourne Vaccine Education Centre (MVEC) (mcri.edu.au)
· Tips to help a child afraid of needles and stop it becoming a phobia - ABC Everyday
· Sesame Street ABC of COVID vaccines

The Victorian Government’s coronavirus.vic.gov.au website also has information about COVID-19 vaccines in many community languages.

Save the Date - Aspergers Victoria's 2021 Annual General Meeting

Tue, 17 Aug 2021 04:15:03 GMT

Our Annual General Meeting will be held on Monday 15 November at 7.30pm via Zoom. Please mark this in your calendars now. More details (including registration links) will be shared closer to the day.

Melbourne Special Children's Christmas Party - for Aspergers Victoria members

Tue, 03 Aug 2021 06:27:38 GMT

Aspergers Victoria has once again been invited to apply for invitations on behalf of our members to the very popular Melbourne Special Children's Christmas Party. This years event is planned to be held on Saturday 4 December 2021 from 10.30am - 1pm at the Melbourne Showgrounds.

Pending government COVID-19 regulations, a three hour stage show is planned to entertain the children and parents. There will be activities such as merry go-rounds, jumping castles, face painting, food, drinks, and ice creams. Of course, no Christmas party is complete without Santa and presents!

To be eligible to request an invitation you need:

a current membership with Aspergers Victoria
your child must be 12 years or under and have an Aspergers/autism diagnosis.

For more information and to register your interest please complete the Expression of Interest form before Friday 20 August.

COVIDSafe Plan Updated in line with DHHS restrictions

Tue, 03 Aug 2021 05:45:00 GMT

AV is closely following the Victorian government COVID-19 requirements. We have developed and are regularly updating our COVID-Safe Plan to help keep our staff, volunteers and members safe and minimise the risk of spreading COVID-19. These guidelines apply to all of our in-person gatherings, including group meetings, workshops, interest groups, and AV speaker events.

AV’s COVIDSafe plan includes information about:

what you can expect at an AV COVIDSafe gathering
what you need to bring with you to a gathering
registering for in person gatherings
refreshments at AV gatherings
checking in at venues with the venue's QR code

We encourage you to read our AV COVIDSafe Plan - July 2021 before you attend in-person events at AV in 2021.

Please note that Victorian government advice may change at short notice.

COVID-19 Requirements

Sat, 13 Mar 2021 11:55:12 GMT

In line with our current funding guidelines our activities are all COVID safe. Watch this space as we have started our return to Face2face supports including peer groups, interest groups, mentor meets and events - and more across 2021...

Congratulations to our Raffle Winners!

Thu, 04 Mar 2021 09:58:53 GMT

Congratulations to our 30th Birthday Raffle winners!

1st PRIZE
Kloudsac Urban
C White
Ticket Number: #464

2nd PRIZE
$250 worth of Menulog vouchers
H Wood
Ticket Number: #595

3rd PRIZE
$200 worth of Bayside dinners - Bang Bang and Mama Franca's
M Craig
Ticket Number: #202

4th PRIZE
Scienceworks Family Pass and 9 month ABC Reading Eggs access
M Walters
Ticket Number: #140

5th PRIZE
Spectrum Women Book Pack - Walking to the Beat of Autism and Autism and Parenting
K Grist
Ticket Number: #101

6th PRIZE
Spectrum Women Book Pack - Walking to the Beat of Autism and Autism and Parenting
M Nelson
Ticket Number: #252

7th PRIZE
Spectrum Women Book Pack - Walking to the Beat of Autism and Autism and Parenting
A Todd
Ticket Number: #244

8th PRIZE
Gewürzhaus Gift Pack – 30 Minute Marvels
E Cookson
Ticket Number: #388

Thank you to our amazing sponsors who so generously donated all of our raffle prizes.

Thank you to everyone who bought a few raffle tickets. Your support allows Aspergers Victoria (AV) to continue to provide a wide range of community inclusion services to support Aspergers - from kids to adults, parents/carers, professionals and employers - to connect, share stories and advice, listen, learn, laugh, have fun, gain employment, discover their strengths and empower them to thrive. Thank you!

Aspergers Victoria 30th Birthday raffle

Mon, 01 Feb 2021 02:07:47 GMT

Aspergers Victoria is turning 30! That's right! We’ve been supporting Aspergers, their families and supporters for 30 years!

By buying a few raffle tickets you'll not only have a chance to win some fabulous prizes, you'll also be supporting Aspergers Victoria (AV) to continue to provide a wide range of community inclusion services to support Aspergers- from kids to adults, parents/carers, professionals and employers - to connect, share stories and advice, listen, learn, laugh, have fun, gain employment, discover their strengths and empower them to thrive.

1st Prize valued at $550.05 - Kloudsac Urban
2nd Prize valued at $250 - $250 worth of Menulog vouchers
3rd Prize valued at $200 - $100 voucher to Bang Bang and $100 voucher to Mama Franca's Pizza Hall
4th Prize valued at $117.85 - Scienceworks Family Pass and 9 month ABC Reading Eggs access
5th Prize valued at $66 - Spectrum Women Book Pack - Walking to the Beat of Autism and Autism and Parenting
6th Prize valued at $66 - Spectrum Women Book Pack - Walking to the Beat of Autism and Autism and Parenting
7th Prize valued at $66 - Spectrum Women Book Pack - Walking to the Beat of Autism and Autism and Parenting
8th Prize valued at $50 - Gewürzhaus Gift Pack – 30 Minute Marvels

Tickets are priced at $2 each, 5 tickets for $10, 8 tickets for $15, 12 tickets for $20, 20 tickets for $30, 35 tickets for $50.

You can purchase tickets online via our Aspergers Victoria RaffleLink page quickly, safely and securely.

Thank you for supporting us!

An extra big thank you to our sponsors who have kindly donated our prizes - Kloudsac, Menulog, Bang Bang, Mama Francas Pizza Hall, ABC Reading Eggs, Scienceworks, Spectrum Women and Gewürzhaus.

AV's Submission to the Inquiry into Disability Support in TAFE Victoria: 29 Recommendations

Mon, 16 Nov 2020 09:37:34 GMT

Aspergers Victoria has prepared another submission to government this month. This time we have prepared a submission with 29 recommendations to the Inquiry into Disability Supports in TAFE.

This submission here on our Advocacy page was prepared by Tamsin and Carla following:

- consultation with our student advocacy peer group

- zoom discussions with TAFE teachers with autistic lived experience

- zoom discussions with TAFE disability support managers

- research into the best global supports in tertiary education for autistic students

- participation in the Autistic community member survey with Amaze, YLB, I Can Network and Different Journeys

Thank you to everyone who assisted in the preparation of this extensive submission. Our hearing is set for December 8th - please come and support the AV Team.

Variety Special Children's Christmas Party - FREE tickets for AV Members

Tue, 18 Aug 2020 01:06:26 GMT

Aspergers Victoria has once again been invited to apply for invitations to the very popular Special Children's Christmas Party. We are grateful to Variety for including a free ticket allocation for our Members every year for at least the last eight years, with many loving the experience. This years event is planned to be held:

When: Saturday 5 December 2020
Time: 9.30am - 1pm
Where: Melbourne Showgrounds

Pending Government COVID-19 regulations, a four hour stage show featuring many local and national celebrities is planned to entertain the children, and parents. There will be activities such as merry go-rounds, jumping castles, face painting, food, drinks, lollies and ice creams. Of course no Christmas party is complete without Santa and after greeting the children from the stage he will go off to his toy room. There he will meet with all the children individually as they come to collect 2 or 3 brand new presents to take home and call their own.

This is a completely free day, unique because it will be all inclusive just for children who have additional needs. Variety have advised us that they plan for the event to go ahead in some way if COVID-19 restrictions are still in place. Such celebrations will be so important for our children this year.

To be eligible to request an invitation you need:

a current membership with Aspergers Victoria. Not a member? You can join now; and
Your child must be 12 years or under and have Aspergers/Autism.

Your child must be accompanied by a Parent or Caregiver as no child minding facilities will be available. Siblings are welcome to attend and go on rides, however they won’t be able to receive presents from Santa. If you would like tickets for your child please email Paige by Thursday 27 August with:

your name and email,
your child’s name and
your child’s age (for the Santa gift) and gender preference

If you have any further questions about the event, you can visit www.sccpau.com.au/faqparents.

Please remember, this is only a request for an invitation, not a guarantee that you will receive one. Each year, the organisers have over 6,000 requests for children to attend and it’s not possible to accommodate that many children with Special Needs. We are very lucky to have our dedicated allocation each year and appreciate the support from Variety to Aspergers Victoria’s members!

We hope you and your families are safe and stay well. We look forward to seeing you at one of our online community activities during COVID-19. Please email us if you need any support at this time.

Welcome to our New GM and Employment Project Manager

Thu, 30 Jul 2020 07:44:46 GMT

New General Manager and Employment Project Manager join Aspergers Victoria
(Carla left and Sofia right)
Our Press release is as follows:

Victorian peak body for the Asperger community, Aspergers Victoria (AV), today announced the appointment of Carla Tatulaschwili as its new General Manager and Sofia Neale as its new Employment Project Manager.

AV President, Tamsin Jowett said both Carla and Sofia come to our organisation with that requisite passion we have for empowering our community. Like our Board, volunteers and small staff team, our new team additions have Aspergers lived experience. This perspective combined with the skills they have grown throughout their impressive careers, and their desire to make positive social change will help AV to continue to focus on delivering community supports through specific skills growth, peer gatherings, advocacy and employment pathways for our Aspergers and their supporters, throughout their life journey.

"Carla's considerable background in communications, fundraising, people and culture will fit well for general management and Sofia's background in research, accounting, finance and project management adds to the depth of our experience and expertise, contributing fresh perspectives and drive to deliver our vision for a sustainable not for profit. We have plans to impact the social isolation and unemployment statistics of our Aspergers members with some exciting new programs, supported by new funding from the ILC and DHHS, as well as the insightful knowledge and support of Social Venture Partners. ” Tamsin commented.

“I'm really going to enjoy working for an organisation that helps to create a world where differences like Autism, Aspergers and Neurodiveristy are accepted and appreciated. I'm looking forward to returning to my not for profit roots and continuing and evolving the fabulous work Aspergers Victoria already does for Aspergers people and their families," said Carla.

Sofia agreed, "Being part of an organisation that has worked tirelessly for almost 30 years to empower Aspergers to discover and celebrate their talent is a dream job."

For almost 30 years, Aspergers Victoria Incorporated (AV) has provided lived experience community support to Aspergers (now diagnosed as 'Autism level 1') and their families in Victoria and across Australia. We focus on creating an inclusive and empowering community for all our Asperger stakeholders whatever the age or gender through a strengths-building mindset. We are the only for purpose organisation dedicated to supporting the estimated 30,000 Victorians with neurology that our community still prefer to call ‘Aspergers’ (currently), as well as their parents/carers/families and professionals who support them. Our primary goal is making a difference through empowerment through building a strengths mindset and delivering key supports through our peer meet-ups for various ages, as well as parents/ carers and partners, Skill building workshops and events, Helpline, and a range of employment supports such as job coaching and work-readiness.
We would like to warmly welcome our two new team members Carla and Sofia - it is very exciting to get them onboard ! The team have put together some video outlines for you - press on their name for that : Carla

For more information please contact Carla Tatulaschwil at gm@aspergersvic.org.au

(Carla is working Monday, Tuesday and Thursday and Sofia is working Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursdays)

Submission on Inclusive Education & COVID supports 2020: 23 Recommendations

Fri, 24 Jul 2020 06:08:34 GMT

We are very pleased to have been invited to submit our community's views to Tim Richardson MP as part of his review of inclusion in education, as well as suitable COVID supports required for our ASD students.

We have 8 Recommendations for COVID education supports and 15 Recommendation about inclusive education compiled from our community feedback on social media surveys, emails and verbal feedback. Thank you to everyone who contributed their views and supported our submission.

We hope you are pleased with this and please send us your feedback if you have more to add. This is only the start of this process of education advocacy for our Aspergers students' future. We could have kept adding more and more but our volunteer time is limited by other demands for advocacy and inclusion.

Here is the link to our document: AV DET Inclusive Education submission July 2020 FINAL 1.pdf

AV Submission to the Senate Select Committee on Autism

Fri, 17 Jul 2020 06:15:42 GMT

Today we submitted an extensive submission with 21 recommendations to the National Senate Committee.

These were compiled from community feedback gathered from:

your surveys
face to face feedback to our teams
social media comments
our experiences with supporting our community

This took many volunteer hours of work by our President Tamsin Jowett supported by our new GM Carla and Board member Miranda Harris. We hope that our Community approve of our suggestions though as usual we have a diversity of opinion which is good. We welcome your feedback as we will get a chance to talk to our submission and improve on our approach. To provide feedback or comments please email president@aspergersvic.org.au.

Our submission is on this link: AV'sSelect Committee on Autism submission FINAL July 2020.pdf

Education Advocacy - C-19 Transition Department of Education Meeting

Thu, 21 May 2020 04:16:45 GMT

Education Advocacy in the time of COVID-19 Return to School

Miranda and I from the AV Board met online with Sharon and Allan and their inclusive Education Division team at the Department of Education (DET) yesterday about our community’s concerns about education during COVID-19 times and its impact on our Aspergers students. Miranda and I both have lived experience with our own Asperger students.

They outlined how they have been focused on getting schools ready to support students with additional needs throughout this COVID-19 period and how they recognise many of our cohort’s challenges with change, the system, as well as mental health. Their team are keen for feedback and keeping the discussion open about how to improve.

The team outlined some key pointers they thought would support our student community including:

Ensure your school has your Student Support Group (SSG) ready for the student to help with their transition back into the next stage of iso-schooling: more details about your SSG how-tos arehere. A key part of this as a parent is being co-operative and yet determined so the school will listen and you can gain traction for your student’s needs. Being aware of what helps your VCE child will be critical.
Hold SSG meetings soon and then weekly: the school should do this as part of transition, though they may be time-poor try so try and schedule these in.
Critical here is building your students feeling of capability and strengths as well as an understanding that many students have got behind, they are not the only one and that it is ok. Many of our students have a greater fear of failure which is amplified especially in VCE
Reasonable adjustments will be critical for our students in this period of transition. Refer to the Autistic Inclusive educationsection of the DET website with information about reasonable adjustments – it also has suggestions for parents with at home learning.

How schools go about the level of ongoing online learning vs at school learning will be an individual school decision depending on their resources. Maybe this can be a transitional phased approach for your student. You need to ask your school for what you think will best suit your student and see what they are able to deliver for them. Again use your SSG to support your child back into the learning approach that suits them. For some this may be graduated.

Sharon and her team confirmed they realise that for some of our students there will be a struggle to re-engage with at school learning. We talked about how this COVID-19 period has caused such change and stress about their future learning, especially for Aspergers/ASD students. It will be important to track your student’s mental health through this and be ready to ask for additional support from the school as needed, as well as your students ancillary health team such as psychologists and therapists.

We discussed our community's concern that some students may want to drop out or refuse to attend now, and Sharon & Allan's team are open to ways to help support our students to remain in school – and find ways that work to keep them engaged in some way. Sharon emphasised they welcome feedback, tips and dialogue about our students. Please contact them if you are facing school refusal and your school can't help.

Sharon outlined that for some students they saw the period from 26^thMay when the first students return until 9^thJune is a time that can be used as a period of transition in some way for the students if needed. You need to discuss options around this with your school.

We specifically covered the issue of VCE for our Aspergersat length which is already a time of stress and anxiety without such enormous change to their schooling. The team had included Karen Underwood, previously a VCAA team member, who is now with the DET who advised a few things:
The SSGs are even more critical for our VCE students: and weekly would not be unreasonable for transition time
VCAA are likely aware many of the broader students cohort have dropped behind for Unit 3 this year: to get any special consideration from here with your SEAS and other applications you need to be tracking the mental health impacts and have evidence of negative effects where possible for your application. This could include additional psychology supports you required, issues with completing SACs, whatever is unexpected and beyond what an average VCE student is dealing with for COVID times.
VCAA has advised schools that the date for entering Unit 3 school-based assessment scores has been extended to October. The extension of this due date for Unit 3 SAT and SAC scores until October is to provide schools with as much flexibility as possible to deliver on their learning and assessment programs. You can use this information as parents to support your students needs.
Where possible encourage the student to talk to the school student mentors or wellbeing support team about which aspects they can’t manage. This is so difficult for many of our cohort who are reluctant to express their difficulties or cant capture the words about their feelings and stress, but if there is someone there who they trust and discuss it with that may open doors. See if you can find someone for this role if not already. (Also their therapists or counsellors could support this)
Possibly keep a parent journal or list of events that have impacted your students’ mental health now so you can refer to it when you need later in the year (this may help all students) for their SEAS application.

Sharon confirmed the DET policy that schools should be a safe, happy and healthy workplace for everyone, including teachers. Also their key objective is that school needs to be a positive experience with a nurturingenvironment to build student confidence. Sharon reminded us that if you are having issues they have made sure Parentline is ready to support parents at this time. This is a phone service for parents and carers of children from birth to 18 years old that offers confidential and anonymous counselling and support on parenting issues.

Sharon also reminded us about the new DET Regional Inclusion Consultants to support autistic and other additional need students with their health and wellbeing in regional & rural areas. There are two in each of the four educational regions of the State and they have been liaising with and supporting school staff and leaders in best practice for autistic students. Sharon has made sure the schools are linked in with their Consultant.

We also touched on the issue of therapists going into schools and opened that conversation. As well as helping the students in their environment, therapist support directly can improve teacher knowledge and school capability. The NDIS has changed the landscape for this considerably for students and the DET are working with schools around how to approach this with some guidance. However COVID-19 will limit access to schools for external visitors for the interim.

It was a very positive call with Sharon, Allan, Karen and team all being very willing to offer support and welcome feedback. They understand the schooling system can be overwhelming for parents with kids that needs supports and we will keep the conversation and our feedback flowing. Thank you to Sharon, Allan, Karen and team for listening to our community needs with such keen ears and willingness to help with a readiness to offer support.

As always with your student our community sees the best way to engage students with education is to empower them in their education choices where you can. It is about using a coaching approach, not a deficit-fix them mindset. Give them a direct voice where you can depending on their age- with you or their support team to help them advocate their needs. Even with little ones, they often know what helps them learn so empower those abilities if you can.

We see how you are doing a wonderful job as parents in these tough and uncertain times - please make sure you get time to look after your needs as well so you can continue to support your loved ones. Please email us if you need support here or attend one of our Parent & Carer groups with 3 running this month. Thank you to Roo for helping with this advocacy meeting.

Tamsin Jowett - President Aspergers Victoria

UPDATE: THIS ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CAME FROM THE DET: 28th May 2020

You will have heard that the Premier announced the revised dates for 2020 VCE external assessments. The General Achievement Test (GAT) will be held on 9 September, and VCE written examinations will be held from 9 November to 2 December. Hopefully this confirmation of dates will provide relief for some students and families, and give them something more concrete to work towards.

DET followed up with VCAA to pass on the concerns raised by members of your community, and see if there was any additional information to add to our discussion from last week.

The VCAA expressed that educational disadvantage from the impacts of COVID-19 was at the forefront of their thinking and planning around analysing and finalising results, and that they are working closely with VTAC to ensure a fair approach for all Victorian students. VCAA’s immediate response in addressing the impact of COVID-19 on VCE students has been the review of VCE Study Designs, in particular Unit 4 learning requirements, which has led to reductions to learning and assessment requirements for the majority of VCE studies. These changes either have been or are in the process of being communicated to schools.

The DET would encourage all families to work with their student’s schools to establish student support groups (if they are not already in place), to support the transition back to face-to-face learning, and address any fears that students have about their capacity to continue with their studies. The VCAA outlined that there are a range of existing strategies that schools can apply in relation to supporting students in their classroom learning and school-based assessment, which include:

rescheduling classroom activities and/or an assessment tasks
allowing the student extra time to complete work or an assessment task
setting a substitute task of the same type
replacing a task with a different type
using a planned task to assess more outcomes, or aspects of outcomes, than originally intended
using assistive technology, aides or other special arrangements to complete classroom learning and/or undertake assessment tasks
deriving satisfactory completion of outcomes from other assessments or work completed by the student
deriving scores from other assessments or work completed by the student

I hope that this information is helpful to you in supporting your community in the transition back to face-to-face learning.

AFDO NEWSLETTER #11- Centrelink, NDIS information & more

Wed, 01 Apr 2020 00:13:42 GMT

THIS IS AN EXCERPT FROM THE AFDO NEWSLETTER FROM THE AFDO CEO 31ST MARCH 2020 - by Ross Joyce. (AV ARE MEMBERS OF AFDO).

'In this newsletter, we have included links to reliable information and resources on COVID-19, including information and resources on how we can look after our mental health when we are being flooded with so much negative news on a daily basis.

It's important that we give ourselves permission to switch off from the "noise" around COVID-19 and continue doing things we enjoy each day, such as reading books, listening to music, chatting to friends, and doing meditation. It is also essential that we stay connected with our friends, families, colleagues, and our community during this time, whether it's by connecting with them online, by text, or simply picking up our phones and calling someone.

I hope you enjoy reading this edition of AFDO eNews.

CoronaVirus information and resources

NDIS information and updates

CoronaVirus information on the NDIS website has moved to a new Coronavirus (COVID-19) information and support section, with lots of new questions and answers about recent changes.

Below are some key changes from the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA). Please remember that new information is updated regularly and we encourage you to check the NDIS website often.

A few key changes of interest:

To ensure participant plans don’t end, on the day a plan is due to expire, it will be automatically be extended by 365 days.
If a participant has a scheduled plan review, the NDIA will contact them by phone or email to undertake their review.
As part of this plan review process, a participant can discuss having a new plan in place for up to 24 months.

Updated Price Guide and Support Catalogue
To help providers continue to deliver supports to participants through this time, the NDIA is introducing a number of changes. Below are some links for more information on the NDIS website about the following:

an advance payment to registered providers
a temporary 10 per cent increase to the price limit of some Core and Capacity Building supports
changes to the cancellation rules
introducing three new support coordination items under Core Supports

The NDIS website has been updated with Frequently Asked Questions

Reminder on how to contacts the NDIS
If participants would like to continue to visit an NDIS office, they can do so. All NDIA offices remain open. For Local Area Coordinators and Early Childhood Partners, check the Partner office operations page for the latest office operations.

Participants can call 1800 800 110 if they need to talk to a planner, make changes to their plan or if they are having trouble getting services due to COVID-19 (CoronaVirus).

You can also contact the NDIS by:

email – enquiries@ndis.gov.au
webchat – on the NDIS Website contact page.

Government information and resources

The Australian Government has created a new website with all the latest COVID-19 information and resources from government agencies across Australia. This new website includes topics such as government directions, health, travel information, and financial support for individuals and businesses. You can visit this new website at www.australia.gov.au
The Australian Government is also publishing information and resources about COVID-19 on the Department of Health website. This website includes daily updates, health information, factsheets, and other resources.
You can also gain access to a new messaging service on WhatsApp by typing oz.gov.au/whatsapp. You can get up-to-date information from the Federal Government’s CoronaVirus Australia app, available on the App Store and Google Play store.

AFDO information and resources

We have developed a webpage with links to the latest news, information, and resources for people with disability and their families. We are regularly updating this webpage to make sure it has the latest information. You can visit the webpage at https://www.afdo.org.au/coronavirus-covid-19-information/

This webpage includes links to accessible information such as Auslan and Easy Read information.

Mental Health resources

The outbreak of COVID-19 has impacted people in varying ways on an international scale.

It is understandable that during times like this, people might feel afraid, worried, anxious and overwhelmed, especially with the constantly changing alerts and media coverage regarding the spread of COVID-19.

While it is important to stay informed, Lifeline has put together some mental health and wellbeing tips to help us all look after ourselves during these difficult times. They have also included some strategies to cope with social distancing, self-isolation, and quarantine.

Isolation and stress can make it harder to take care of your mental health. Beyond Blue has some tips on looking after your mental health during the coronavirus outbreak.

Contact
If you are feeling overwhelmed, stressed or sad, please reach out for support - talking to someone can help. If you would like to talk to someone, you can contact:

Lifeline: Call 13 11 14, or Lifeline Chat or you can text Lifeline on 0477 13 11 14 between 6pm to Midnight (AEDST) 7 days a week - more information on the text service is available at https://www.lifeline.org.au/projects/lifeline-text.
Beyond Blue: Call 1300 22 4636 or Chat online between 3:00 PM to Midnight (AEDST)

If you are Deaf, or have a speech impairment, you can talk to Lifeline and Beyond Blue through the National Relay Service (NRS)..

Here are some options:

TTY (teletypewriter) users phone 133 677 then ask for Lifeline or Beyond Blue
Speak and Listen users phone 1300 555 727 then ask for Lifeline or Beyond Blue
Internet relay users connect to the NRS by clicking here then ask for Lifeline or Beyond Blue

Centrelink news and information

Support Payment

The Government is providing two separate $750 payments to people who receive the Disability Support Pension, Sickness Allowance, Age Pension, Newstart Allowance, Jobseeker Payment, Carer Allowance and other income support recipients and eligible concession card holders.

The first payment will be made from 31 March 2020 and the second payment will be made from 13 July 2020. The Government has produced a Fact Sheet on $750 payment,

Over the next six months, the Government is temporarily expanding eligibility to income support payments and establishing a new, time-limited Coronavirus supplement to be paid at a rate of $550 per fortnight. This will be paid to both existing and new recipients of:

JobSeeker Payment
Youth Allowance Jobseeker
Parenting Payment
Farm Household Allowance
Special Benefit.

The $550 fortnightly supplement does not extend to people currently receiving the Disability Support Pension. AFDO and other disability organisations are asking the Government to extend the CoronaVirus supplement to people receiving the Disability Support Pension.

Mutual obligation requirements for job seekers

Due to the high demand for government services, job seekers have experienced difficulty in reporting their mutual obligations.

During this challenging time, the Australian Government is lifting all mutual obligations for JobSeeker Payment, Youth Allowance as a job seeker, and Parenting Payment until 27th April 2020.

This means that your payment cannot be suspended and you cannot receive any demerit points or have your payment reduced or cancelled for not meeting your mutual obligations.

If mutual obligations are reinstated after 27 April 2020, you may still be able to obtain an exemption. If you are receiving a Centrelink payment that requires you to complete mutual obligations and you’re affected by COVID-19, Centrelink may grant you a Major Personal Crisis exemption for a period of 14 days.

This will mean you will not have to complete your mutual obligations, including:

attending appointments
looking for work
doing any of the activities in your Job Plan.

You can apply for a Major Personal Crisis exemptions by calling Centrelink on your regular payment line and telling them why you are isolated.

Centrelink Payments

With the long queues for Centrelink recently, as well as MyGov crashing due to so many people trying to access it, below is some information from the Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS) about contacting Centrelink at the moment.

If you already receive Newstart or another payment, you do not need to contact Centrelink to receive the extra support payment announced. The extra payments will come through automatically.
If you are still working and have an income coming in - try to wait a day or two to connect with Centrelink or MyGov, if you don't need payments urgently.

However, for people who have lost their jobs and need to apply for a payment urgently:

Please tell Centrelink you "intend to claim". Because of long queues for Centrelink at the moment, you can tell them your "intent to claim" by logging on to MyGov or by contacting 132 850. If you decide to attend a Centrelink office and need to line up, please practice social distancing.

You will be back paid to the day you lodged your "intent to claim".

COVID-19 and Centrelink Fact Sheet

Economic Justice Australia (formerly the National Social Security Rights Network NSSRN) has published a COVID-19 and Centrelink Fact Sheet. The Fact Sheet provides information on what Centrelink can do if you have been affected by COVID-19. You can download the Fact Sheet here, and you can visit the new website for Economic Justice Australia here.

Disability Royal Commission

The Disability Royal Commission has suspended all public hearings, community engagements, and face-to-face private sessions due to concerns about the spread of COVID-19 CoronaVirus.

However, you can still tell your story by making a public submission to the Royal Commission. There is a page on our website with more information on how to make a public submission. You can visit the page at https://www.afdo.org.au/royal-commission/making-a-submission/

Please be aware that your story will be public. If you would like to make a private submission, you will need to wait until the Disability Royal Commission can hold face-to-face private sessions again."

THANK YOU TO AFDO FOR COLLATING THIS INFORMATION -

More at the ADFO website link: https://www.afdo.org.au/news/current-news/ AND https://mailchi.mp/afdo.org.au/afdo-enews-5031101?e=54bc5ee4fd

Share this issue of ADO eNews

Visit AFDO online

MENTAL HEALTH WELLNESS TIPS FOR C-19 QUARANTINE by Eileen Feliciano,

Thu, 26 Mar 2020 23:10:01 GMT

Eileen Feliciano is a doctoral level Psychologist in NYS with a Psy.D. in the specialities of School and Clinical Psychology. Eileen shared this on her Facebook on 21^stMarch 2020:

After having thirty-one sessions this week with patients where the singular focus was COVID-19 and how to cope, I decided to consolidate my advice and make a list that I hope is helpful to all. I can't control a lot of what is going on right now, but I can contribute this. I will share a mental health tip of the day until quarantine is over! I will also be posting useful mental health articles related to the pandemic, as well as general mental health.

1. Stick to a routine. Go to sleep and wake up at a reasonable time, write a schedule that is varied and includes time for work as well as self-care.

2. Dress for the social life you want,not the social life you have. Get showered and dressed in comfortable clothes, wash your face, brush your teeth. Take the time to do a bath or a facial. Put on some bright colors. It is amazing how our dress can impact our mood.

3. Get out at least once a day, for at least thirty minutes. If you are concerned of contact, try first thing in the morning, or later in the evening, and try less traveled streets and avenues. If you are high risk or living with those who are high risk, open the windows and blast the fan. It is amazing how much fresh air can do for spirits.

4. Find some time to move each day, again daily for at least thirty minutes. If you don’t feel comfortable going outside, there are many YouTube videos that offer free movement classes, and if all else fails, turn on the music and have a dance party!

5. Reach out to others, you guessed it, at least once daily for thirty minutes. Try to do FaceTime, Skype, phone calls, texting—connect with other people to seek and provide support. Don’t forget to do this for your children as well. Set up virtual playdates with friends daily via FaceTime, Facebook Messenger Kids, Zoom, etc—your kids miss their friends, too!

6. Stay hydrated and eat well. This one may seem obvious, but stress and eating often don’t mix well, and we find ourselves over-indulging, forgetting to eat, and avoiding food. Drink plenty of water, eat some good and nutritious foods, and challenge yourself to learn how to cook something new!

7. Develop a self-care toolkit.This can look different for everyone. A lot of successful self-care strategies involve a sensory component (seven senses: touch, taste, sight, hearing, smell, vestibular (movement) and proprioceptive (comforting pressure). An idea for each: a soft blanket or stuffed animal, a hot chocolate, photos of vacations, comforting music, lavender or eucalyptus oil, a small swing or rocking chair, a weighted blanket. A journal, an inspirational book, or a mandala coloring book is wonderful, bubbles to blow or blowing watercolor on paper through a straw are visually appealing as well as work on controlled breath. Mint gum, Listerine strips, ginger ale, frozen Starburst, ice packs, and cold are also good for anxiety regulation. For children, it is great to help them create a self-regulation comfort box (often a shoe-box or bin they can decorate) that they can use on the ready for first-aid when overwhelmed.

8. Spend extra time playing with children (with right distance).Children will rarely communicate how they are feeling, but will often make a bid for attention and communication through play. Don’t be surprised to see therapeutic themes of illness, doctor visits, and isolation play through. Understand that play is cathartic and helpful for children—it is how they process their world and problem solve, and there’s a lot they are seeing and experiencing in the now.

9. Give everyone the benefit of the doubt, and a wide berth.A lot of cooped up time can bring out the worst in everyone. Each person will have moments when they will not be at their best. It is important to move with grace through blowups, to not show up to every argument you are invited to, and to not hold grudges and continue disagreements. Everyone is doing the best they can to make it through this.

10. Everyone find their own retreat space.Space is at a premium, particularly with city living. It is important that people think through their own separate space for work and for relaxation. For children, help them identify a place where they can go to retreat when stressed. You can make this place cozy by using blankets, pillows, cushions, scarves, beanbags, tents, and “forts”. It is good to know that even when we are on top of each other, we have our own special place to go to be alone.

11. Expect behavioural issues in children, and respond gently. We are all struggling with disruption in routine, none more than children, who rely on routines constructed by others to make them feel safe and to know what comes next. Expect increased anxiety, worries and fears, nightmares, difficulty separating or sleeping, testing limits, and meltdowns. Do not introduce major behavioral plans or consequences at this time—hold stable and focus on emotional connection.

12. Focus on safety and attachment.We are going to be living for a bit with the unprecedented demand of meeting all work deadlines, homeschooling children, running a sterile household, and making a whole lot of entertainment in confinement. We can get wrapped up in meeting expectations in all domains, but we must remember that these are scary and unpredictable times for children. Focus on strengthening the connection through time spent following their lead, through physical touch, through play, through therapeutic books, and via verbal reassurances that you will be there for them in this time.

13. Lower expectations and practice radical self-acceptance. This idea is connected with #12. We are doing too many things in this moment, under fear and stress. This does not make a formula for excellence. Instead, give yourself what psychologists call “radical self acceptance”: accepting everything about yourself, your current situation, and your life without question, blame, or pushback. You cannot fail at this—there is no roadmap, no precedent for this, and we are all truly doing the best we can in an impossible situation.

14. Limit social media and COVID conversation, especially around children. One can find tons of information on COVID-19 to consume, and it changes minute to minute. The information is often sensationalized, negatively skewed, and alarmist. Find a few trusted sources that you can check in with consistently, limit it to a few times a day, and set a time limit for yourself on how much you consume (again 30 minutes tops, 2-3 times daily). Keep news and alarming conversations out of earshot from children—they see and hear everything, and can become very frightened by what they hear.

15. Notice the good in the world, the helpers. There is a lot of scary, negative, and overwhelming information to take in regarding this pandemic. There are also a ton of stories of people sacrificing, donating, and supporting one another in miraculous ways. It is important to counter-balance the heavy information with the hopeful information.

16. Help others. Find ways, big and small, to give back to others. Support restaurants, offer to grocery shop, check in with elderly neighbors, write psychological wellness tips for others—helping others gives us a sense of agency when things seem out of control.

17. Find something you can control, (and control the heck out of it).In moments of big uncertainty and overwhelm, control your little corner of the world. Organize your bookshelf, purge your closet, put together that furniture, group your toys. It helps to anchor and ground us when the bigger things are chaotic.

18. Find a long-term project to dive into. Now is the time to learn how to play the keyboard, put together a huge jigsaw puzzle, start a 15 hour game of Risk, paint a picture, read the Harry Potter series, binge watch an 8-season show, crochet a blanket, solve a Rubix cube, or develop a new town in Animal Crossing. Find something that will keep you busy, distracted, and engaged to take breaks from what is going on in the outside world.

19. Engage in repetitive movements and left-right movements. Research has shown that repetitive movement (knitting, coloring, painting, clay sculpting, jump roping etc) especially left-right movement (running, drumming, skating, hopping) can be effective at self-soothing and maintaining self-regulation in moments of distress.

20. Find an expressive art and go for it.Our emotional brain is very receptive to the creative arts, and it is a direct portal for release of feeling. Find something that is creative (sculpting, drawing, dancing, music, singing, playing) and give it your all. See how relieved you can feel. It is a very effective way of helping kids to emote and communicate as well!

21. Find lightness and humour in each day. There is a lot to be worried about, and with good reason. Counterbalance this heaviness with something funny each day: cat videos on YouTube, a stand-up show on Netflix, a funny movie—we all need a little comedic relief in our day, every day.

22. Reach out for help—your team is there for you. (AV is here too) If you have a therapist or psychiatrist, they are available to you, even at a distance. Keep up your medications and your therapy sessions the best you can. If you are having difficulty coping, seek out help for the first time. There are mental health people on the ready to help you through this crisis. Your children’s teachers and related service providers will do anything within their power to help, especially for those parents tasked with the difficult task of being a whole treatment team to their child with special challenges. Seek support groups of fellow home-schoolers, parents, and neighbors to feel connected. There is help and support out there, any time of the day—although we are physically distant, we can always connect virtually.

23. “Chunk” your quarantine, take it moment by moment. We have no road map for this. We don’t know what this will look like in 1 day, 1 week, or 1 month from now. Often, when I work with patients who have anxiety around overwhelming issues, I suggest that they engage in a strategy called “chunking”—focusing on whatever bite-sized piece of a challenge that feels manageable. Whether that be 5 minutes, a day, or a week at a time—find what feels doable for you, and set a time stamp for how far ahead in the future you will let yourself worry. Take each chunk one at a time, and move through stress in pieces.

24. Remind yourself daily that this is temporary. It seems in the midst of this quarantine that it will never end. It is terrifying to think of the road stretching ahead of us. Please take time to remind yourself that although this is very scary and difficult, and will go on for an undetermined amount of time, it is a season of life and it will pass. We will return to feeing free, safe, busy, and connected in the days ahead.

25. Find the lesson.This whole crisis can seem sad, senseless, and at times, avoidable. When psychologists work with trauma, a key feature to helping someone work through said trauma is to help them find their agency, the potential positive outcomes they can effect, the meaning and construction that can come out of destruction. What can each of us learn here, in big and small ways, from this crisis? What needs to change in ourselves, our homes, our communities, our nation, and our world?

You can follow the author on her Facebook.

AV's Coronavirus Outline 14th March 2020

Fri, 13 Mar 2020 21:14:16 GMT

Dear Community Members,

Aspergers Victoria Coronavirus Outline

The safety and health of our community are our number one priority at Aspergers Victoria. We are monitoring closely the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak and have attended the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) briefing for organisations and so we are following some common-sense measures that are consistent with current guidelines issued by the DHHS.

At this moment we have had no reported cases of any of our staff, volunteers, members or related family members being exposed to the virus. All of our activities have been running as usual with more hygiene awareness.

With DHHS we recommend we all focus on personal hygiene management and social distancing. Regular hand washing is currently the best hygiene approach with alcohol-based sanitisers as an alternative, avoiding touching your face unnecessarily, and using a tissue or your elbow for coughing or sneezing. Shaking hands is a part of life and is optional with clean hands - or use feet/elbows.
In line with the DHHS guidelines we ask that anyone not feeling well, experiencing flu, cold and/or cough symptoms, do NOT attend groups, meetings and events, even if it is known not to be COVID-19. If you are taking pain medications such as panadol these can mask illness.
We also ask you If you or your child has been exposed to this virus or if someone you live with is required to self-isolate, you must also self-isolate for 14 days. If you attend a group and later develop COVID-19 please let us know.
If you have travelled recently we request you follow the government guidelines for travellers:

Country:	Upon arriving back from international travel:
Higher Risk Countries	We ask that you do not attend any AV groups or events for 14 days following arrival back into Australia for the countries classified as High Risk by both the Australian Government and World Health Organisation (WHO).(Based on the Australian Government list of countries of concern (www.health.gov.au/covid19-countries). This list will be updated periodically.
All other countries	We ask that you do not attend any AV groups or events for 7 days following arrival back into Australia for all other international travel

Some of our Group Leaders, who are volunteers, may decide not to run their Group, and we will notify you if you have registered or on that Group email list. Some volunteers may also decide to hold other meetings online instead. We do have technology options we are investigating for our Groups and other meetings as an interim measure during any group closure but that may depend on suitability for our Leader and the Group.
At this stage Power Neighbourhood House and other groups venues are open with the DHHS additional hygiene measures in place but may get a DHHS directive at some stage to close for a period of time and in that case our activities held there will be cancelled.

We also recommend avoiding reading or listening to news that causes you to feel anxious or distressed. It is also important to gather information from reliable sources such as the DHHS to help you distinguish facts from rumours. Continue healthy habits by engaging in physical exercise, keeping hydrated, eating healthy foods, getting adequate and consolidated sleep. DHHS has a thorough website outline of how to manage your hygiene plus virus information at: https://www.dhhs.vic.gov.au/victorian-public-coronavirus-disease-covid-19.

The situation is evolving and our position may change at short notice from DHHS. A significant change in position will be communicated to current members.

Thank you for respecting our imperative to minimise the risks within our community,. Please email me if you have any feedback about this. Here is one article about helping children manage the anxiety around this virus : How to talk to your child about coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and one from Harvard Business Review for adults: Coping with coronavirus anxiety - Harvard Health Blog. Please stay well.

Tamsin Jowett, President Dated 13^th March 2020

Here is the DHHS hygiene approaches poster:Ten ways to reduce your risk of coronavirus

Disclosure - Thoughts from Panel Member Penny

Sun, 16 Feb 2020 20:57:10 GMT

When I was first diagnosed with "mild Aspergers syndrome" in Year 9, at the age of 14, I told people on a "need to know" basis. After getting panic attacks in the school assembly hall in Year 12 (2000 & 2001), I recognised that lecture theatres at uni would be a similar environment. By the end of 1st year uni, my panic attacks were common knowledge among my fellow students - thanks to it being relevant to learning about "fight or flight"...

After studying at uni for 8 years (Bachelor of Biomedical Science, Honours, and Masters of Biostatistics), I started working in April 2010. I'd always planned to tell my immediate supervisor Robin... Approx 7 weeks later, I was in her office in tears, mid-anxiety meltdown. I realised I had to tell her - RIGHT NOW!! A month or so later, I told the "big boss" of my research unit - she'd already figured it out!

Later that year, my Gma gave me the book "All Cats have Aspergers Syndrome" by Kathy Hoopmann for my birthday. That book lived in my bag for 6+ months, and was a great disclosure tool. There are lots of cute pictures of cats, and the words ring true - I showed many friends, cycling mates and work colleagues and told them as they were reading it that I was diagnosed at age 14.

My work calls for items in eNews - by the end of 2013, I'd written a few articles about the talks I'd given for Aspergers Victoria and the start of the I CAN Network. So my autism was "common knowledge" at work. In August 2014, I attended my first autism conference - as Chris Varney was giving the closing keynote. At the Victorian Autism Conference, I was asked if I was happy to be interviewed and photographed by The Age. (They wanted a personal story to go with A/Prof Amanda Richdale from OTARC's research on students disclosing to their university.) I said "Yes" straight away.

https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/students-with-autism-worried-about-discrimination-at-university-20140810-102e1n.html

When the article came out on the Tuesday, I barely got any work done - cos work colleagues kept on coming past my desk to tell me they'd seen me in the paper. I wondered how the students would perceive it - I didn't need to be worried, cos the 2nd student who arrived at my first tute on the Thursday bounded into class and excitedly told me "Penny, I saw you in the paper!!!"

Several months later, I Googled "Penny Robinson Monash" - the second item in the search (at the time) was my article in The Age. I decided to add my autism - and all the autism advocacy I do - to my CV at that point, as otherwise it might look like I was trying to hide it. In fact, last year, Robin asked me to send her my complete CV - research (30+ publications), teaching (900 + 300 students in Semester 2) and autism advocacy.

The advantage of my autism being "common knowledge" at work is that my quirks are embraced - I'm well known for my live tweeting of seminars, wearing my (Monash Uni) cap. I've been able to adjust my start & finish times to avoid peak-hour crowded trains in the morning. Often its the simple adjustments that make a huge difference.

This resource by Amaze on 8 things to help in the workplace may also be useful: http://www.onethingforautism.com.au/8-workplace-things/

Note: Thank you to Penny for joining our AV lived experience Panel on Tuesday 18th February.. For more go to @PennyRobaus on Twitter and Penny Robinson - speaker on FB

Thank you!

Sat, 16 Nov 2019 07:29:26 GMT

In writing up my AGM report for tomorrow’s event I am just reflecting on the wonderful contributors we have had this year. I want to say thank you for all you have done.

Thank you to Gayle Vermont who has dedicated herself to crafting programs and support that our Members need and cannot get elsewhere, especially in employment. Also to her sidekick Kathryn and Tim who are quietly delivering employment support. Elisa volunteering her expertise for our surveys towards measuring outcomes and Elena with our support systems.

Our Events team who have provided six major events across the year seamlessly as volunteers. Anna and her team who have contributed the lovely and conveniently located Bayview Eden Hotel for our events and tomorrow.Emma who supports everyone with no fuss. Our Group Leaders who spend time each month leading our peer groups and social fun. Our calm Help team who share their knowledge of lived experience with those needing guidance and support.

Thank you to our supporters such as those who provide grants to our social change organisation. This includes the free tickets from the Arts Centre’s First Call Fund to some amazing events, and Variety for their Children’s Christmas Party which is such a highlight for our Primary kids. Also Tim and his team at DHHS supporting us and the Autism Advisory Group to help deliver change in our sector. Thank you to AFDO as well for their support and guidance.

Then there are those who provided bequests and donations– you know who you are and we appreciate your thoughtful contribution to our resource-stretched not for profit. Thank you.

Almost finally our Board who drive our not for profit with such passion and determination to empower our members, contributing time when they have none. You have all delivered the changes we were seeking and provided thoughtful and impactful hours of dedication.

Finally our Members who are why we exist. Our community give us the energy and collaboration to help change our world for the better in our small way. Thank you for being you with all the strengths you have and your challenges. We try hard to see and hear you. Thank you to anyone I have missed! Aspergers Victoria is such a community effort.

I look forward to seeing you all tomorrow to celebrate this past year and what is to come. Tamsin

"Sometimes" Poem by Carol

Tue, 27 Aug 2019 09:09:25 GMT

Carol Owen : I wanted to send you a little poem I wrote, hope that is ok?

Sometimes :

Sometimes I want you to see All the love, inside of me Sometimes I want you to see Inside my soul, inside of me Today as thoughts twist and twirl I wander through a foggy swirl As I travel through daily mist Fighting each turn, feeling each twist Sometimes I just want you to see What my life was meant to be Sometimes I need a helping hand Sometimes I need you to understand That what I really need from thee Is to really see, to really see me Sometimes I want you to see What my soul fights hard to be Sometimes I want you to hear All the thoughts, confusion and fear Sometimes I want you to see How different my life could really be Sometimes I want you to see But now you turn and run from me Now it is too dark too see As I run from life, not meant for me Now you cannot possibly see I simply can’t bear the thought of me I close my eyes to what could be As hurt grows strong inside of me I close my eyes, don’t want to see How cruel and cold the world can be Sometimes I don’t want to see The loneliness inside of me All I want to do is rest Life moves on, it’s for the best Leave me be in this place This life is cruel I cannot face Who is this species, the human race Where life is easy to replace Wrap my soul inside of lead Quiet my brain, the heart is dead Once I wanted you to see Really see, simply me

VARIETY CHILDREN’S CHRISTMAS PARTY - APPLY NOW!

Sun, 18 Aug 2019 22:11:11 GMT

ASPERGERS VICTORIA have again been invited to submit a request for invitations to attend this year’s SPECIAL CHILDREN’S CHRISTMAS PARTY at the Melbourne Showgrounds on Saturday 7^th December between 9:30am until 1:00pm.

The event is in its 24th year and is a completely FREE Christmas Party just for children with special needs. A 3.5hr stage show featuring many artists will keep the children entertained as well as activities such as merry go-rounds, jumping castles, face painting, free food and drinks and much more! Of course no Christmas party is complete without Santa and after his arrival the toy room will be open and each special needs child will receive two beautiful presents.

The basic eligibility to submit a request for an invitation are:-

You have a current membership with Aspergers Victoria. Not a member? Click here to join now; and

The child must be 12 years or under and have Aspergers

Please also consider the following criteria from the event organisers before submitting a request:

Entry to the Melbourne Showgrounds to attend the event is for invite holders only. No Invite, No Entry. No Child, No Entry.
Only one child can attend on each invitation and must be accompanied by a responsible adult. Each child’s invite entitles one adult entry.
The child must be accompanied by a parent/carer at all times – there are no child minding facilities.
Catering will be provided to children only. Parents/carers may purchase refreshments or bring a picnic lunch.
Siblings (under 12 years) are also welcome to attend and join in on the fun of the day, go on rides and enjoy the food but they won’t be allowed to go through to the Toy Room to receive a present.
This is an alcohol free event and smoking is in outside designated areas only.
Each year the organisers receive more requests than they can supply. Therefore requesting an invitation is NOT a guarantee of receiving an invitation and is subject to the number of invitations issued to Aspergers Victoria by the organisers.

To request an invitation, please email the secretary@aspergersvic.org.auby Sunday 25^th August with the following details:-

Child’s age (must be 12 years or under)
Age appropriate gift for child’s ability. (Eg. a 10 year old may be suited to a gift for a 6-8 age group
Child’s gender: (Male / Female)
Name of Parent(s)/Carer(s) attending:
Currently an Aspergers Victoria member? (Yes / No) Requests can only be submitted for current AV members.
Parent/Carers email
Parent/Carers phone
Postal address for invites to be sent to (if successful).

On behalf of Aspergers Victoria, good luck!

AGM Creative Celebration 17 Nov & Board Secretary Role

Sat, 10 Aug 2019 05:11:51 GMT

Our AGM date has been agreed to be Sunday 17th November. We are planning a creative celebration for our members and community. This means we welcome you to submit your art, sculpture, perform, entertain or maybe even display your best LEGO creations. Whatever your creative desire may be we want to showcase our Aspergers community talents and celebrate them. More details coming about how to book your spot for your creative contribution.

Also our wonderful Board secretary Amanda is leaving our Board so this Board position will be vacant and we need someone with Board level skills. You can look at details of this role at the ACNC website here

We look forward to celebration our year and your talents!

Entertainment Book Fundraiser

Mon, 08 Apr 2019 05:27:44 GMT

Please go to this link here to buy your Entertainbook Book that will support Aspergers Victoria's team. Thank you for your support of our volunteer services.

Neurodiversity improves our world

Thu, 14 Mar 2019 00:55:02 GMT

By Tamsin Jowett 13^thMarch 2019 (speech given about neurodiversity)

Aspergers to me and AV is simply a different neurology, part of the autism spectrum. We see how this different mind offers so many strengths, sometimes with communication and cultural differences.

So I am the President of Aspergers Victoria (AV). This is a small volunteer run not for profit of 18 years, run by passionate people with Aspergers lived experience to empower our Aspergers community.

I believe I have grown up with Aspergers around me without realising I was within that interesting culture, so I continue to learn more as I try empower the membership community at Aspergers Victoria.

AV’s key focus now is on the growing employment issue with the majority of our Aspergers facing unemployment when they are intelligent, creative and dedicated specialist expert staff – but have struggles with the social and communication aspects of life. It is a silent crisis that's looming.

I have seen the amazing potential of Aspergers minds with many professionals such a surgeons, accountants, engineers, artists, CEOs and more having this high intellect neurology. To name a few that are mentioned online like few Bill Gates, Nicola Tesla, Jane Austen, Anthony Hopkins, Mozart, Abraham Lincoln, Marilyn Munroe, Einstein who all found their creative call and had differences accepted and celebrated – but not without their challenges.

In the USA they have approximately 1 in 50 or so with autism they say and Australia where we have had few autism measures we’re saying 1 in 100 but we know it’s more with many undiagnosed or not disclosing. As Amaze research says over 80% know an autistic but only 20+% understand what that means.

No serious discussion about the topic of business innovation, learning, and collaboration can afford to ignore neurodiversity. Neurodiversity is key to innovation. In particular people with Aspergers minds who think and work differently – who simply require some basic adjustments to flourish and contribute. Who after a short period can change and improve your systems, contribute ideas, and dedicate all hours to solving issues beyond others’ capacity.

Each individual is different – and this concept that there is a “normal” is misleading and a myth. My father, a GP, always told me "there is no normal!". The concept of Neurodiversity recognises this – as the term’s creator Judy Singer says 'neurodiversity relates to all beings – all humans' and how neuro-difference is part of humanity. Its part of our culture mix.

Aspergers is part of the basket of recognised neurological differences of neurodiversity which can include ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia and tics. These are NOT mental health conditions but simply brain differences.

This involves a major shift away from the medical pathologising paradigm of Aspergers, autism and other neurodiverse minds as disabled with the value dismissed.

Instead of continuing to categorise our Aspergers specialists so difference is disability, Im talking about a shift in cultural values, in particular a proper appreciation of the value of human diversity in our social and employment norms.

This means a shift in our approach to valuing Aspergers' specialties in knowledge, process and innovation – and a shift to inclusive work environments. To valuing their amazing productivity, loyalty and focus at work. Not dismissing autistics due to any social quirks or differences.

This inclusive approach requires a cultural shift, moving from the unconscious bias in recruitment where you recruit “people like us” and from systems that encourage employees to be the same - to appreciating the business benefits of having different minds who can see your work, your approaches and your service in a new light. It also means changing your culture so Aspergers and other neurodiverse staff can work at their best. I am so pleased many Melbourne companies and departments are embarking on this important journey such as ANZ, NAB, PTV and DHHS. Jobs Victoria are also working hard at encouraging change.

Your work culture, environment and approaches for our diverse individuals can either facilitate or inhibit their contribution. Approaches to consider include :

- how you recruit: interviews only test how good people are at interviews, not role suitability. Aspie strengths wont show here - maybe you can walk and talk instead of sitting face to face or do a trial week?

- how you assess performance: what about dedication to results, instead of team communication style

- how you brief your team: not just verbal but clear written instructions that suits literal thinkers

- It may be letting people come to the office later so they don't have the sensory overload of public transport at peak hour, which can mean an hour recovering before they’re productive

- Realising your office environment has sensory impacts such as downlights, sounds of equipment or talking, and open plan: I know of one Asperger that built a 3 sided cubicle for themselves near a window

- Even scheduling in daily plans to allow more movement breaks such as walks outside

Aspergers Victoria now has work coaches who help companies adapt their systems, environments and manage cultural and communication adaptations that a neurodiverse individual requires so their potential is not limited by allistic systems of work.

As many diversity and inclusion teams know, this needs to extends beyond recruitment to an inclusive culture that impacts how you design, deliver and manage your products and especially services for the end user. You will have neurodiverse customers as well you should consider.

For transport, this means when an inspector checks a ticket , he knows not to make the wrong assumptions when the person can't look them in the eye. It means looking at train design for lightings, sound dampening and layouts so they can be more autistic friendly. Maybe offer one or two quiet train carriages per train with no mobile use. It means lots of warning about transport schedule changes which lead to anxiety for neurodiverse Aspies who can’t manage change. Have customer service trained to assist anxious Aspie commuters who can’t manage such change – or crowds.

I love discovering more neurodiverse people every day in my life. I am so lucky to rub shoulders with such interesting thinkers and creators with wonderful strengths to offer, and who are here to help improve our world. We all just need to accept and understand them and welcome differences into our world.

Celebrate Aspergers - International Aspergers Day 18th February

Fri, 18 Jan 2019 00:25:44 GMT

Help us celebrate the world of Aspergers and International Aspergers Day on 18th February 2019 when we can highlight the contributions our Aspergers make across our community.

The 18th of February is International Aspergers Day and we have many reasons to celebrate. It also will be our 28th birthday as a for purpose organisation empowering our Aspergers to reach their inspiration.

We will celebrate with an event which is in final stages of planning so please put a hold the date for 18th February in your diary with details to be confirmed soon.

For more about our reasons for celebration browse some of of pages about the strengths of Aspergers people in our website and social media.

More details coming soon...

Celebration of our year!

Wed, 21 Nov 2018 21:23:52 GMT

Last night we enjoyed a community celebration of the past year at our annual AGM.

It was a night to consider where we came from a year ago and how much has been achieved by our volunteers and Emma this year. So much change and support to empower our members and their supporters.

The finale were the performances by some of our members including poems, songs, jokes and dance moves.

Come join us to celebrate at our AGM: 21st November

Fri, 02 Nov 2018 05:25:34 GMT

Members are invited to join us at the Aspergers Victoria AGM on the 21st November 7pm at the Nerve Centre Blackburn.

Our AGM's short formal section will be followed by a celebration of our achievements over the year and a showcase of some of our member’s talents*, while Members share some food and drinks.

This is a free event to celebrate and thank our members for their support this year, however we ask that you register for catering purposes. Donations to support our activities will also be welcome on the night.

To attend the AGM you need to be a member of AV and register by: Wed 7th November

Register here. View the full Notice of AGM and Agenda (pdf)

*We are looking for more volunteers who would be happy to do a short (2-3 minute) performance on the night. Examples could be singing a song, playing an instrument, performing a comedy/ magic/drama performance, or your own unique talent. If you have an idea, suggest it via email to events@aspergersvic.org.au or include it in your event registration form.

We look forward to seeing you to catch up.

State Election Forum - come support change for Aspergers and autism!

Fri, 02 Nov 2018 05:13:34 GMT

Please join Amaze, Aspergers Victoria, Different Journeys, I CAN Network and Yellow Ladybugs for a special Victorian State Election Forum on 12 November 2018 at the State Library Victoria.

On 12 November, we are bringing together representatives from the Victorian Labor, Liberal, Greens and Reason parties to share with the autism community how their parties will act for autism. Book now at link below.

On the panel:

Gabrielle Williams MP Parliamentary Secretary for Carers and Volunteers
Bernie Finn MP Shadow Assistant Minister for Autism Spectrum Disorder
Samantha Ratnam MP Leader of the Victorian Greens
Fiona Patten MP Leader of Fiona Patten’s Reason Party

Our confirmed moderator is ABC Investigative Journalist and 4 Corners Reporter Louise Milligan (Louise has an autistic son).

Since 2015, lengthy inquiries and reviews into services for autistic people have resulted in hundreds of recommendations for improving supports, but not enough is being done. 55,000 autistic Victorians and their families are still waiting for change. It’s time to act for autism.

BOOK HERE: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/act-for-autism-victorian-state-election-forum-presented-by-amaze-tickets-51848969664?fbclid=IwAR06nkTFUKlUFnBDCjyXHdDVqGx2EYYMQxpmT4pbjDR5_1ZqAqwJgVtnzIw

Jobactive Inquiry Submission

Mon, 24 Sep 2018 23:16:18 GMT

To all our community: please send your Jobactive feedback,

The Senate has referred the inquiry into "the appropriateness and effectiveness of the objectives, design, implementation and evaluation of jobactive" to the Education and Employment References Committee.

Aspergers Victoria is preparing a submission to go in this Friday highlighting our community's various Jobactive and employment issues. We need your help to advocate for change - by giving us your Jobactive feedback.

Your specific Jobactive experiences can give our submission more impact.

Please respond either through:

our brief Jobactive survey here by this Wednesday 26th September.
email me here or
submit your own submission directly to the Government here

The closing date for submissions is 28 September 2018 and our volunteers need to finalise our final submission this Thursday so we are short on time but we can work fast - with your help.

We appreciate this is a short time frame and don't expect everyone to be able to respond in time. We will use this information for our employment advocacy on other issues as well.

Thank you to our volunteers Gayle, Mark and Patrick for preparing this submission!

Thank you,

Partnership with PEM Drama from Germany

Tue, 24 Jul 2018 21:45:05 GMT

We are so excited to announce our partnership with Perdekamp Emotional Method (PEM) with our first funded PEM Emotion Training Program for those with Aspergers in Australia! Program starts on the 12th of August. See more at http://pem-acting.com about this method of learning to manage your own emotions.

Aspergers Victoria and the team at Perdekamp Emotional Regulation (PEM) are offering a special eight week workshop for our members. This workshop starts 12 August from 3pm to 6pm at the Nerve Centre and you need to attend the whole series. This innovative emotion management workshop follows on from our very successful pilot workshop conducted in April this year.

PEM is an innovative methodology which provides direct, effortless and guideable access to authentic emotions on a purely physical basis, without recourse to personal experiences or emotional memory. It's an organic and fast approach which grants security, flexibiliity and reliability, and works with an unheard-of simplicity and effectiveness in creating emotional understanding and expression. Professor Tony Attwood has wholeheartedly endorsed PEM workshops and commented that this course “is essential for those with an autism spectrum condition who have great difficulty perceiving and regulating and expressing emotions”.

We are offering this Workshop series for FREE to Aspergers members 17-35 years as part of funding we have received. There are limited spaces so you will need to register your interest quickly to secure a place.

You can book online here

Photo - the PEM team and our AV team. For more info email us on groups@aspergersvic.org.au

Wonderful video about benefits of neurodiversity

Sat, 14 Jul 2018 00:16:02 GMT

We recommend you watch this video about the benefits of neurodiversity. It is this approach that drives our empowerment model for our community.

Dr MacEachron summarises the power of neurodiversity for you here - enjoy watching:

https://nowthisnews.com/videos/news/what-you-need-to-know-about-neurodiversity

CHRISTMAS PARTY EVENT : Apply now or you may MISS OUT

Fri, 13 Jul 2018 04:12:41 GMT

ASPERGERS VICTORIA again have been invited to submit a request for invitations to attend the very POPULAR Special Children’s Christmas Party at the Melbourne Showgrounds on Saturday 15th December!

The event, now in its 23rd year is a FREE Christmas Party for Special Children. It will run from 9.30am until 1.00pm in the Grand Pavilion of Melbourne Showgrounds. However it is by invitation only from approved organisations.

This exciting event includes a three-and-a-half-hour (3.5hr) stage show featuring many artists who will keepthe children entertained. There will be activities such as merry go-rounds, jumping castles, face painting and much more. With all this fun to be had, they will need food, drinks, and ice creams, which will all be provided for FREE. Of course no Christmas party is complete without Santa and after his arrival the toy room will be open and each child will receive two beautiful presents.

The basic requirements to receive an invitation to this amazing event via Aspergers Victoria include:

• The child must have Aspergers and their parent/family is a member AND the child is under 12 years old

• You have received an invitation through our secretary (see below)

• Children must be accompanied by parents or caregivers. There will be no child minding facilities available.

To request an INVITATION to this wonderful event please email to receive an application form. This form needs to be returned back to Aspergers Victoria via email before Tuesday 31st July 2018 to go in the ballot.

Please consider the following from the event organisers before requesting an invitation:

• Entry to the Melbourne Showgrounds to attend the event is for invite holders only; NO Invite - NO Entry. NO Child - NO Entry.

• Invites are strictly for children under 12 years. Only ONE child can attend on each invitation and must be accompanied by a responsible adult. Each child’s invite entitles ONE adult entry.

• Catering will be provided for the child only. Parents and carers may purchase refreshments or bring a picnic lunch.

• This is an alcohol free event and smoking is only permitted in designated areas.

• This invitation is for members of Aspergers Victoria only. You can become a member now.

• Siblings may also request an invite. Siblings are more than welcome to join in on the fun of the day, go on the rides and enjoy the food, however, they won't be allowed to go through the Toy Room to receive any presents.

• Each year sadly organisers have more requests for invitations than they are able to supply. Therefore requesting an invitation is NOT a guarantee of receiving an invitation and is subject to the number of invites issued to ASPERGERS VICTORIA by The Christmas Party for Special Children. Email now!

World of Work stage 1 Launch

Fri, 22 Jun 2018 07:06:01 GMT

We are excited to announce that after months of research and design, we are now starting with our World of Work program. This ranges from providing supported work experience opportunities through to career coaching.

We are initially focused on Teens from 14 years 9 months through to Young Adults aged 24 but will have programs beyond.

We are running our pilot programs in coming weeks. For queries please email here.

The Age published our Letter to the Editor

Thu, 21 Jun 2018 07:25:42 GMT

LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Murder of Eurydice

Fri, 15 Jun 2018 11:51:19 GMT

Letter to the Editor, 15^thJune 2018

Dear Sir,

Aspergers Victoria, like all Victorians, is shocked to hear about the murder of Eurydice Dixon in Melbourne this week.

However, we are very disappointed with the media’s reporting that suggests that the alleged perpetrator has Autism, alluding that this is related to his abhorrent behaviour. We urge the media to take care in highlighting or sensationalising the alleged perpetrators possible Autism as a sole cause of this. This case is also still sub-judice and we do not have the full facts.

Furthermore the references to Autism being a mental illness is incorrect and so disappointing given Autism is estimated to be evident in at least 1 in 100 in our population and 1:45 in USA.

Autistics are at an increased risk of misunderstanding, exclusion and social isolation due to misunderstanding and intolerance of difference. This reporting further damages community understanding of Autism.

Autism is simply a neurological difference, which creates challenges for the individual but also contributes significant strengths that should be appreciated.

The crime is not to do with the alleged offender possibly being autistic of itself. In fact, conversely, autistic people are far more likely to be the victims of crime and violence. In addition Autistic people have a proven lower likelihood of committing violent crime.

The members and Board of Aspergers Victoria express their sincerest condolences to Eurydice Dixon's family and friends.

Tamsin Jowett

President,

Aspergers Victoria Inc.

DET Website Focus Group - Participants needed

Wed, 13 Jun 2018 12:25:54 GMT

Vision Australia are running research to help the Department of Education and Training (DET) with redeveloping and enhancing its public facing website, particularly sections on the education and support of students with disabilities and additional needs.

If you are a parent of a child who has a disability or if you are a student over the age of 14 who has a 'disability', we would like to invite you to take part.

A bit of background to the research:
There will be two sessions that will take place on separate days. The focus group will last approximately 2 hours and the user testing session will last 1 hour. As a way of appreciation participants are compensated $150 for their time for the focus group and $100 for their time for the usability session.

If you are a parent, we plan to conduct the focus group on the 27th June from 10am to 12noon. User testing sessions will be conducted from the 4th to the 6th of July. Please feel free to contact me and nominate a time that suits you.

If you are a student, we plan to conduct the focus group on the 28th June from 4pm to 6pm. User testing sessions will be conducted from the 4th to the 6th of July. Please feel free to contact me and nominate a time that suits you.

Both events will be held at Vision Australia’s Kooyong office: 454 Glenferrie Road, Kooyong VIC 3144.

If you are interested in taking part please let me know. You can contact Deb on 02 9334 3456, or by email: digitalaccess@visionaustralia.org

Is Your Future Feeling Out of Reach?

Thu, 05 Apr 2018 10:34:45 GMT

You’ve done the Morrisby Test, as well as maybe a Myers Briggs but your work options feel limiting?

You may be aware that the current career system will become defunct. Yes the Foundation for Young Australians (FYA) has put an eye glass to our future through extensive research about what the Future of Work will look like in coming years. The changes are starting already.

It is a very different world our neurodiverse kids will be moving into and our older population will also need to be ready. Already there is already a gap in the skillset our neurodiverse community will need.

Instead of ticking boxes this world of work will be about discovering strengths. Not linear careers but a portfolio of enterprise skills and capabilities.

Instead of University study and a career for life you may be micro skilling as your life evolves through a “cluster” of roles.

Most importantly future careers will need you to know your “WHY” (see Simon Sinek) with a self awareness previous generations would envy, just to navigate the new workforce.

Neurodiversity be ready - that future you spy may be within your fingertips if you are ready. Critical thinking, creativity and innovative mindsets will be needed. You are our economy's "out of the box" thinkers.

Aspergers Victoria is getting ready to try and support you to thrive in this future. We are working to find approaches to shift our readiness. However all of us need to move to embrace and be ready to adapt to this new work mindset - parents, employers, educators - you.

We can all work towards this transition - we welcome your support whether by donation, introduction to employers, supporting our communications, or JOIN our team to make this happen.

More at www.fya.org.au/

Autism in the Workforce by Adam Walton

Fri, 16 Mar 2018 04:03:59 GMT

Posted on March 16, 2018 by adamster82

I think things have come a long way for the rights of neurodiverse people since the time I was a mere school kid. Really, I do. I was not even aware of my status amongst this tribe of atypical individuals back in the 90s. But I think we have a long way still to go as a society.

I don’t have a great deal to complain about at the moment. I am currently employed. I was a successful applicant in the first recruitment drive for autistic people in the Victorian state government. I have been lucky, and I have a lot to thank my lucky stars for. But I am aware that many people like myself have not been so blessed with good fortune, and I realise things desperately need to change. I hope the programme I participated in sets a precedent. I hope it is the first of many such initiatives in this country. And around the world. It should set an example to other departments in the Victorian government , and to the departments in other states , also.

These programmes are fantastic, and necessary, but they should have happened a long time ago. I believe serious social reform is in order. We need to reshape the way companies hire, and to help them rethink the way they consider applicants. I want the workforce to be more considerate towards those on the neurodivergent spectrum, basically. This is my goal.

I wasn’t always so fortunate. I finally had a good run of luck, after a decade or more of career dead ends, fruitless job interviews, unsympathetic and ill informed workplaces, and frustration. I know what it’s like from the other side. I want to be right there on the frontline making the workforce a much friendlier place for the atypicals of the world

This is not the end, this is just the beginning.

More from Adam at https://domester82.wordpress.com/2018/03/16/autism-in-the-workforce/

Telstra Graduate Program - Applications open early for Aspergers candidates

Wed, 21 Feb 2018 10:13:14 GMT

Telstra's graduate program for 2018 is taking advance applications for students in their final year of university who identify as having Aspergers or ASD.

The Telstra Graduate Program offers 18 months of challenging, hands-on and rewarding work that will give participants the confidence and know-how to achieve their goals. It's an amazing opportunity to get the inside scoop on one of Australia's most iconic brands.

If this sounds like something you'd be interested in, then we encourage you to get started on the online application and get it in early - Telstra have opened this early for our community to give you more time to complete the application.

Visit Online Application

Applications close 26 March 2018.

The Graduate Recruitment team have done a great job of supporting people from various backgrounds where the applicants have disclosed their specific diagnosis or condition. A young lady with Aspergers was successful in securing a placement last year and was supported throughout the assessment process.

Epic TestAbility Academy Launch

Wed, 21 Feb 2018 10:06:59 GMT

Epic Assist is launching their IT training academy specifically for people on the spectrum.

For full details and registration, go to their page here

The course starts in March 2018, so get your registration in!

Happy International Aspergers Day - from our Ambassador Jeremy Samson

Sun, 18 Feb 2018 01:24:19 GMT

Happy International Aspergers Day! (from Jeremy Samson at Time2Train, Ambassador for AV)

Hans Asperger was a Viennese child psychologist who published the first definition of Asperger syndrome in 1944. In four boys, he identified a pattern of behavior and abilities that he called "autistic psychopathy", meaning autism (self) and psychopathy (personality disease).

The pattern included "a lack of empathy, little ability to form friendships, one-sided conversation, intense absorption in a special interest, and clumsy movements." Asperger called children with AS "little professors" because of their ability to talk about their favorite subject in great detail. It is commonly said that the paper was based on only four boys.

Asperger was convinced that many of the children he identified as having autistic symptoms would use their special talents in adulthood. He followed one child, Fritz V., into adulthood. Fritz V. became a professor of astronomy and solved an error in Newton’s work he originally noticed as a child.

Interestingly, as a child, Hans Asperger appears to have exhibited features of the very condition named after him. He was described as a remote and lonely child, who had difficulty making friends.

He was talented in language; in particular he was interested in the Austrian poet Franz Grillparzer, whose poetry he would frequently quote to his uninterested classmates. He also liked to quote himself and often referred to himself from a third-person perspective.

Hans Asperger's findings were ignored and disregarded in the English-speaking world in his lifetime. Finally, from the early 1990s, his findings began to gain notice, and nowadays Asperger's Syndrome is recognized as a condition in a large part of the world.

Hans Asperger died in Vienna on Tuesday 21st October 1980, at the age of 74, not living to see his work either acknowledged or recognised in the English speaking world.

" It seems that for success in science and art, a dash of autism is essential ... the necessary ingredient may be an ability to turn away from the everyday world, from the simply practical, an ability to rethink a subject with originality so as to create in new untrodden ways."

Hans Aspergers

He was born on Sunday 18th February 1906.

Source: Jeremy's Facebook www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1614939891876009&set=a.214903071879705.48601.100000800424044&type=3&theater

State Autism Plan - workshops coming up

Sat, 10 Feb 2018 09:44:42 GMT

Since our submission and presentation to the Victorian Inquiry into Autism Services we have been advocating to government about our members' needs.

The State government formed The Victorian Autism Plan Advisory Group and Aspergers Victoria has been a part of that since last October. We have attended monthly meetings, viewed suggestions and given a lot of feedback and suggestions and towards implementing the Inquiry recommendations.

Now the government would like your feedback on aspects of the Plan and has organised some workshops on various key topics including education, employment and mental health. Please see the attached outline if you’d like to be involved in these workshops. There was also mention of a survey for those who cannot attend.

Please let us know any other feedback at president@aspergersvic.org.au.

February 2018 Victorian Autism Plan

2018 Dandelion STEMLab Program - Applications Closing Soon!

Thu, 08 Feb 2018 00:12:56 GMT

A very exciting opportunity exists for Victorians on the autism spectrum to participate in a 3 week training program aimed to help improve their chances of finding employment.

If you're interested in information technology, programming or solving problems with technology then this could be a great stepping stone to becoming work ready.

Applications close Friday 9 February, so if you've not already expressed interest, please do so now.

There are 4 places reserved for AV members, so email our team so that can get you in touch ASAP!

Copy of the Specialisterne flyer can be found here.