Step with us towards a brighter future.
Your support makes a difference!
Aspect (Autism Spectrum Australia) is Australia’s largest autism-specific service provider and charity.
By walking 7k steps a day this May, you’ll be helping build an autism-friendly world that supports Autistic Australians and their families at all stages of life. The funds you raise could go towards:
 |
Helping Autistic people and their families access earlier diagnosis so they grow up with the support and understanding that comes from an autism diagnosis. |
|
Providing resources and information that empower Autistic people and their families following an autism diagnosis. |
|
Creating inclusive, autism-friendly environments where Autistic people feel comfortable and free to be themselves. |
|
Funding critical research to further explore mental health issues experience by Autistic people and what support is needed to improve their wellbeing. |
|
Providing specialist schooling for children on the autism spectrum in an environment that allows them to embrace their different brilliant.® |
Meet Tom - Diagnosed at age 14.
When Tom was diagnosed at 14 years of age, it was already too late to help him get the support he needed to make the most of his school years. He was different from his friends, and that made him a target. Anxiety made his teachers think he was lazy, and shyness made him misunderstood. He had to mask who he truly was to try and fit in. The exhaustion he felt trying to fit in pushed him to the edge. He gave up on school and gave up on himself.
It wasn’t until Tom started attending Aspect’s Adult Community Services, that he found friends, became confident and began forging the path ahead.
Accessing an early diagnosis can transform the experiences of an Autistic child and put them on the path to a more fulfilled life. Understanding how autism affects a child is key to delivering the tailored educational and social supports that can help them create the best possible outcomes for their future.
Quote from Sam* - Diagnosed at age 35.
"Life was tough as a young person without a diagnosis. I didn’t behave like all the other kids, so my parents were always trying to change me to be like everyone else. I always felt like I was a disappointment to them, like I was doing everything wrong. It made me feel a huge sense of shame about who I was. I do think they loved me and meant well, but they didn’t have the information they needed. I would like to think that if they had known I was Autistic and understood what that meant, they wouldn’t have picked at every last thing or tried to change me. Maybe we’d have had a better relationship, and maybe I wouldn’t have struggled with my mental health and self-confidence my whole life. After failing at school and floundering for a long time, I was able to get myself through university and find stable employment. A lot of my Autistic peers aren’t so fortunate. An early diagnosis could have fast-tracked a lot of this and saved me a lot of trial and error in my life."
For more information visit: www.aspect.org.au or call 1800 277 328
