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Kate Halpin, Specialisterne Australia

Specialisterne Australia is a non-for-profit dedicated to helping employers understand, value, and include in their workforce the unique capabilities of people on the autism spectrum. In our presentation we will explore how our patient, innovative recruitment method removes barriers, the steps we take to train and match candidates into meaningful roles and the success we have had working with employers to integrate neurodiversity into the workplace.

Gemma Dodevska, University of Melbourne

Students on the autism spectrum face challenges with their social-communication which can often mask their academic potential and impede their participation in University life, including progression to graduation and transition to employment. The aim of this presentation is to share our experiences of developing low impact sensory friendly study spaces with students on the autism spectrum. Throughout this process we discovered multiple applications across different student cohorts including people with chronic fatigue, people who have experienced trauma and people with a diverse range of physical and mental health challenges.

Panel Facilitator: Debbie Hindle, University of Tasmania

Panel Members: Jasmine McDonald, Curtin University, Katy Lambert, University of Newcastle, Charlotte Brownlow, University of Southern Queensland, and Susan Hancock, Australian National University

There is a growing interest in how peer mentor programs can support students on the autism spectrum in their tertiary studies. This panel session responds to needs identified in a Tertiary Autism Mentoring Community of Practice for information on how to get a program off the ground. The panel features staff from three mentoring programs across Australia who will share their experiences of setting up and sustaining a successful program.

Elaine Hatfield-White, US- Understanding Social Skills

SocialEyes is a resource developed by The National Autistic Society, London in 2010. It was developed with and by people with autism alongside leading professionals in the field to facilitate social skills and social understanding with people on the autism spectrum. The aim of this presentation is to bring the SocialEyes program to a wider audience, increase audience awareness of the difficulties people with autism experience in educational, work and social settings and to celebrate the unique strengths that people can demonstrate given tailored support such as a mentoring program.