Module 03 - Energy, Capacity & Resilience
Sustainable work starts with understanding your own energy system. In this session, we explore why capacity differs across people, how to identify your personal peaks and limits, and how to design a working week that you can actually repeat — without burning out.
Many autistic adults have spent years trying to meet workplace demands that weren't designed with them in mind. This session shifts the focus. Rather than asking how to push through, we ask: what does a working life look like when it's built around your actual system?
Module 3 introduces the concept of capacity planning — a practical, evidence-based framework for understanding your energy, identifying what drains it, and designing conditions that support your best and most sustainable work.
In this session we explore:
- Why capacity differences are neurological, not a reflection of effort or character
- The four key energy drains that affect many autistic workers in neurotypical workplaces
- How to identify your personal energy peaks and low-capacity periods
- The difference between your sustainable capacity and your maximum — and why that distinction matters
- Workplace adjustments as professional tools, not special treatment
- The ongoing cost of masking, and strategies to reduce it over time
- How to design a working week you can sustain across months and years
Meeting Details
Our meetings are currently held online via Zoom on the last Friday of every month.
Participants gain access to a 09 module self-paced learning series, alongside monthly Job Seeker Meetings that provide space for reflection, questions, and connection regardless of which module someone is currently engaging with.
The new program introduces a clearer structure with monthly modules, practical worksheets, and a dedicated facilitator who is an Careers Practitioner Specialising in Neurodiversity and Disability Employment Supports.
This means the program now combines two things that matter deeply to Autism Valued:
- Professional career development expertise
Lived experience leadership from within our community
In this session we explore:
- Why capacity differences are neurological, not a reflection of effort or character
- The four key energy drains that affect many autistic workers in neurotypical workplaces
- How to identify your personal energy peaks and low-capacity periods
- The difference between your sustainable capacity and your maximum — and why that distinction matters
- Workplace adjustments as professional tools, not special treatment
- The ongoing cost of masking, and strategies to reduce it over time
- How to design a working week you can sustain across months and years
What you'll walk away with:
A completed Capacity Plan — Portfolio Section 3 — including your energy profile, accommodation list, masking inventory, and sustainable week summary. This section feeds directly into the modules that follow, including workplace navigation and your application kit.
Who this is for: Autistic adults exploring, preparing for, or returning to employment. No formal diagnosis is required to attend or participate.
Part of the 9-module Job-Seeker Roadmap. Builds on Module 2: Strengths and Values.
All AV facilitators and volunteers are peers of their group participants and hold a valid Working with Children Check. If you know a child whom could benefit from our sessions, they must be registered by the parents membership, and/ or accompanied by an adult.
Cost and Membership Information
Registered job seekers may be eligible to have their AV membership reimbursed or covered by job-seeking support programs, such as those offered through Disability Employment Services (DES) or NDIS providers. To check eligibility and request support:
- Contact your job-seeking program provider or NDIS plan manager.
- Explain that AV membership provides access to employment support programs designed for neurodiverse individuals.
- Provide them with AV’s details and a description of the AV Job Seeker Network (available upon request from our admin team).
If you need further assistance, please reach out to our Facilitator directly.
AV Membership Benefits
- Access to free tickets for activities, including the AV Job Seeker Network.
- Exclusive access to members-only programs and interest groups.
- Opportunities to support the work AV does for the neurodiverse community.
If cost is a barrier; and you would like to join AV, please contact our admin team for support.
Registration Guidelines
- Registration is required for all AV activities.
- For online events, you must register to receive the Zoom meeting link.
Community Guides
We’ve created step-by-step guides to make participation easy:
These guides are designed to ensure that every participant has a smooth and enjoyable experience.
For Assistance or More Information
Get in Touch
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Office Hours
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Monday to Friday, 9am – 5pm
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After-Hours Support
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Phone support available 1 hour before and during
the first hour of each event
Please note emails may not be attended to afterhours
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Policies and Terms
Join the AV Job Seeker Network and take the first step toward meaningful employment, supported by a community that values your unique strengths and potential.
