Our Partners
Empower Autism and amaze collaborate to improve outcomes for autistic people
Empower Autism is delighted to be partnering with amaze as an Autism Connect service partner. amaze have been supporting autistic people for over 50 years and are the peak body for autistic people and their supporters in Victoria. They have done an outstanding job in establishing a much needed service in Autism Connect, a free, national autism helpline. Empower Autism is extremely proud to be asked to partner with amaze to support this initiative, provide local knowledge and experience and assist to ensure the Queensland autistic community has access to this service.
About Autism Connect
Autism Connect is a free, national autism helpline, providing independent and expert information over phone, email, webchat and a searchable information directory. It supports autistic people, their families and carers, health professionals, researchers, teachers, employers and the broader community.
Autism Connect advisors offer expert advice in many areas, including:
- exploring autism and autistic identity
- assessment and diagnosis support
- school and education
- the NDIS
- transition to employment
- behaviour and communication strategies
- referrals to services peer support connections,
- finding autism-friendly places and events, and
- making environments accessible.
You can use the Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS) to speak to an Autism Connect advisor. TIS National provides operator-assisted access to an immediate phone interpreter in over 160 languages. To access this service, call the TIS National Contact Centre on 131 450 and ask to speak to Autism Connect on 1300 308 699.
We’re excited to welcome Carers QLD to the Empower Autism Community
The partnership between Empower Autism and Carers Queensland is a natural fit. As organisations we have similar values combined with a shared mutual respect. Importantly our services and programs are complimentary and this provides unique opportunities for collaboration across a range of areas, with significant benefits to participants of both organisations.
The support and collaboration Carers Queensland have provided to Empower Autism is highly valued and we look forward to a long term partnership which enhances and builds on the support and opportunities provided to the participants and families of both organisations long into the future.
Our Collaborative Programs Include
- Carers Queensland’s ‘Carers Program’ and Empower Autism’s ‘Parent/Carer Support Groups’ – Carers Queensland Community Engagement Officers have attended each of our Parent Support Groups (Capalaba, The Gap & Virginia) and given a presentation in regard to unpaid caring and the support available to unpaid carers. As a result of this our parents now have a greater understanding and a number now receive support from Carers Queensland. They also have an increased awareness of the importance of the role they do as unpaid carers for their children/loved ones. Carers Queensland will also be designing and delivering activities for our parents/carers into the future.
- Carers Queensland’s ‘Your Caring Way’ program and Empower Autism’s ‘Volunteering and employment opportunities’ – The ‘Your Caring Way’ program is designed to assist long term unpaid carers return to the workforce or find volunteering roles (volunteering can play a key role in returning to the workforce). We provide Carers Queensland with details of our opportunities and they circulate these with their participants in this program. A current Empower Autism staff member was involved with this program (and was an ambassador for the program) and is now one of our valued employees. One of our volunteer Peer Group Coordinators has also come through this program.
- Empower Autism’s Life Skills programs – Carers Queensland provide training for their participants, are a registered RTO and have a good Learning Management System. Our collaboration with their Vocational Services team has resulted in our programs being available on-line, and future programs being accredited. Carer’s Queensland trainers have undertaken autism awareness training and will be assisting to facilitate our programs.