News

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. 

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.

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

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: 

1. our brief Jobactive survey here by this Wednesday 26th September. 
2. email me here or
3. 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, 

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

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

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!

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. 

Letter to the Editor,  15thJune 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.