Autism Valued Inc upcoming events

Topic Spotlight Touchstone Meeting: If You Could Redesign Recruitment — What Changes First? (30 Apr 2026)

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 08:00:00 GMT

This session opens the 2026 Touchstone series by stepping back and asking a more useful question:

What is recruitment actually measuring — and who does that leave out?

Rather than assuming one shared experience, this conversation is grounded in variation.

Different people experience hiring differently.
Different roles demand different strengths.
And what works for one person often fails another.

That’s exactly why this conversation matters.

This month's podcast anchor

This Touchstone is built around the AV World of Work episode Rethinking Recruitment. Listening before attending enriches the conversation significantly.

Listen on Apple Podcasts or search AV World of Work on Spotify, YouTube, Amazon Music or your preferred podcast app.

This month's guests

Jennifer Spoor — Research Director, Vocational Engagement · OTARC · Associate Professor, La Trobe Business School
Lyndel Kennedy — PhD candidate, OTARC · Psychology Tutor · Author · AV Young Adult Group Facilitator

Discussion focus

This session is guided by three core questions:

What part of recruitment screened you out unfairly — or nearly did?
Which strengths never show up on a CV but matter most on the job?
If you could redesign one part of the hiring process — what changes first?

These questions are a starting point — not a limit.

Participants are encouraged to bring their own reflections, questions, and lived experience into the space.

There will be opportunities to:

Share thoughts in the conversation
Contribute questions or perspectives through the chat
Raise ideas that may be explored live, or carried forward into future discussions and community platforms

How the session runs

5:45 PM — Room opens early. Settle in, cameras optional. Unrecorded.
6:00 – 6:10 PM — Formal welcome, Acknowledgement of Country, Group Mindsets. Unrecorded.
6:10 – 7:00 PM — Facilitated conversation with Xavier Gunn. AI capture begins after the formal welcome.
7:00 – 7:10 PM — Soft close. Open floor, one contribution each. Unrecorded.

This session uses AI-assisted capture — not a video recording. AI capture is not published as footage. Jacob Alan Kness (Programs Manager, Autism Valued) will name the capture window clearly when it starts and stops.

Your facilitators

Xavier Gunn — AI Enablement Lead, Minikai · Session facilitator
Jacob Alan Kness — Programs Manager, Autism Valued Inc. · Session host & room manager · programs@autismvalued.org.au

Continue the conversation

The conversation doesn't stop when the Zoom call ends. Join our AV Career Network LinkedIn group to keep reflecting, share resources, and expand on what was discussed each month.

Acknowledgement of Country

Autism Valued acknowledges the Traditional Owners and Custodians of the land on which we meet — the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung People of the mighty Kulin Nation. We pay our respects to Elders past and present. Always was, always will be, Aboriginal land.

Questions? Contact programs@autismvalued.org.au and we'll make sure your voice is in the room.

What Are Touchstone Discussions?

A touchstone is a measure — something used to test the strength and validity of an idea.

At AV, our Touchstone Discussions are exactly that.

They are a space where ideas around work, employment, and inclusion are explored in real time — shaped by lived experience, not assumption.

These are live, guided community conversations designed to sit alongside the AV: World of Work platform and podcast.

While the podcast is still being prepared for release, these sessions are helping shape the direction of those conversations. Moving forward, each Touchstone will reflect on a specific podcast episode and topic — creating space to unpack what was shared, challenge it, and explore how it shows up in real-world experience.

How this connects forward

As the AV: World of Work podcast launches, these discussions will directly align with each episode — forming a continuous loop between:

Episode → Community Reflection → Insight → Action

THE GROUP MINDSETS

Touchstone Meetings operate under six shared mindsets, agreed by the community. Facilitators are encouraged to name these briefly at the start of each session.

Mindset	Value	What it means in practice
Positive	We see possibilities, strengths, and talents.	Lead with what people can do, not what they can't.
Growth	We pursue goals through learning and share that knowledge — without judgement.	It's okay not to have answers. It's okay to change your mind.
Empowerment	We listen, support, and encourage others to grow.	Your role is to open doors, not tell people which one to choose.
Empathy	We try to understand another's situation and help, if asked.	You don't need to have lived it to honour it.
Trust	We value the privacy and confidentiality of others.	What's shared in the room stays in the room.
Respect	We acknowledge the wishes and rights of others.	Including respecting someone's need for space or silence.
Inclusion	We make all peers feel welcome and understood.	Actively, not just passively.

CODES OF CONDUCT

These apply to all online Touchstone sessions. Facilitators name them briefly at the start, and can return to them if needed during the session.

CODE	DETAIL
Brevity	Keep answers under 2 minutes. Succinct communication is a professional skill— and it creates space for others.
Attentiveness	Wait your turn. Avoid interrupting. When not speaking, be present for whoever is.
Language	Use appropriate, professional language throughout.
Focus	Keep discussion on topic. Refrain from oversharing. This is a professional networking group.
Respect	Be inclusive and respectful to all members at all times.
Comfort	Turn your camera or mic on or off as feels comfortable. Consider others' sensory needs.
Accessibility	The Zoom chat function is always available for those who prefer written participation.

The intent

Not to speak about the community
—but to think with it

And to ensure what we build reflects real experience, not assumptions.

What happens with the insights

The reflections, patterns, and themes raised in these sessions are captured and reviewed to help inform:

Future podcast episodes and direction
Job Seeker Network and program design
Advocacy and sector conversations
Practical tools and resources for the community

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:

How to register for an AV activity: View registration details or cancel a registration.
How to pay for an AV activity registration: Includes details for PayPal, credit card, and bank transfer options.
How to access an AV Zoom Activity: Tips on Zoom etiquette and troubleshooting common issues.
AV Zoom Guide: Detailed instructions on using in-Zoom features and settings.

These guides are designed to ensure that every participant has a smooth and enjoyable experience.

For Assistance or More Information

Get in Touch

Programs / Network Manager

Jacob Alan Kness
programs@autismvalued.org.au
0427 553 077

General Admin

Admin@autismvalued.org.au | 0480 385 710

Office Hours

Monday to Friday, 9am – 5pm

After-Hours Support

Phone support available 1 hour before and during
the first hour of each event

Please note emails may not be attended to afterhours

Policies and Terms

Job Seeker Network — Roadmap Module 03 - Energy, Capacity & Resilience (29 May 2026)

Fri, 29 May 2026 05:30:00 GMT

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

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:

How to register for an AV activity: View registration details or cancel a registration.
How to pay for an AV activity registration: Includes details for PayPal, credit card, and bank transfer options.
How to access an AV Zoom Activity: Tips on Zoom etiquette and troubleshooting common issues.
AV Zoom Guide: Detailed instructions on using in-Zoom features and settings.

These guides are designed to ensure that every participant has a smooth and enjoyable experience.

For Assistance or More Information

Get in Touch

Facilitator (JSN)

Sarah Ballard
jsmoderator@autismvalued.org.au

Programs / Network Manager

Jacob Alan Kness
programs@autismvalued.org.au
0427 553 077

General Admin

Admin@autismvalued.org.au | 0480 385 710

Office Hours

Monday to Friday, 9am – 5pm

After-Hours Support

Phone support available 1 hour before and during
the first hour of each event

Please note emails may not be attended to afterhours

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.

Autism Valued Inc upcoming events

Topic Spotlight Touchstone Meeting: If You Could Redesign Recruitment — What Changes First? (30 Apr 2026)

This month's podcast anchor

This month's guests

Discussion focus

How the session runs

Your facilitators

Continue the conversation

Acknowledgement of Country

What Are Touchstone Discussions?

How this connects forward

THE GROUP MINDSETS

CODES OF CONDUCT

The intent

What happens with the insights

Cost and Membership Information

AV Membership Benefits

Registration Guidelines

Community Guides

For Assistance or More Information

Policies and Terms

Job Seeker Network — Roadmap Module 03 - Energy, Capacity & Resilience (29 May 2026)

Job Seeker Network

Roadmap Series

Module 03 - Energy, Capacity & Resilience

Energy, Capacity & Resilience

Meeting Details

What you'll walk away with:

Cost and Membership Information

AV Membership Benefits

Registration Guidelines

Community Guides

For Assistance or More Information

Policies and Terms