Autism Valued Inc upcoming events

Job Seeker Network — Roadmap Module 02 - Understanding Your Strengths (24 Apr 2026)

Fri, 24 Apr 2026 05:30:00 GMT

Module 02 - Understanding Your Strengths

What if the way you've been told to think about yourself at work has been completely wrong?

This April, the AV Job Seeker Network continues the JobSeeker Roadmap with a session dedicated to one of the most powerful — and most misunderstood — parts of career development: understanding your genuine strengths.

Most of us have spent far more time cataloguing what we struggle with than exploring what we excel at. This session flips that entirely — drawing on strengths-based research, Advantaged Thinking, and tools including CliftonStrengths and VIA Character Strengths to help you identify your natural talents, build your personal brand, and articulate your unique value proposition.

Meeting Details

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

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.

About This Session

Strengths-based thinking isn't a feel-good exercise — it is a research-backed approach that consistently produces better career outcomes. This session introduces the concept of Advantaged Thinking: the understanding that individual strengths exist within a structural context, and that identifying both is essential to building a career that actually works for you.

We explore how to identify natural talents versus learned skills, how to translate those into work-relevant language, and how to build a personal brand and value proposition — even without a traditional employment history. Importantly, this session addresses the reality that autistic and neurodiverse people often bring significant strengths that conventional hiring processes fail to recognise — and gives you the tools to change that.

What’s Included

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:

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.

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

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 08:00:00 GMT

About this session

Recruitment isn’t just about getting a job — it shapes confidence, direction, and long-term outcomes.

When the process is misaligned, people are filtered out before they’ve had a fair chance to show what they can actually do.

This session helps us surface real insights from lived experience — not to complain about the system, but to rethink it.

What we’ll explore

What currently works — and what clearly doesn’t
Where recruitment processes create confusion, pressure, or misalignment
What skills and strengths are often missed or misunderstood
Alternatives to traditional interviews and screening methods
What a more practical, strengths-aligned recruitment pathway could look like

Why this matters

Recruitment isn’t just about getting a job — it shapes confidence, direction, and long-term outcomes.

When the process is misaligned, people are filtered out before they’ve had a fair chance to show what they can actually do.

This session helps us surface real insights from lived experience — not to complain about the system, but to rethink it.

Who should attend

This session is open to all members of our community — whether you are:

Navigating your own job pathway
Supporting someone through theirs
Working within employment, education, or support services
Or simply interested in improving how recruitment works

What to expect

A structured but relaxed group conversation
Space to share perspectives (or simply listen)
Practical insights that feed into our broader World of Work and Job Seeker Network initiatives

The goal

To move beyond “how things are done”
—and start defining what good actually looks like.

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.

What this looks like

60-minute facilitated Zoom discussions
Open to all members — job seekers, professionals, parents, and supporters
Guided prompts linked to key employment themes
Space for both active contribution or simply listening

Why this matters

Conversations shouldn’t end when an episode does.

Touchstones create a space where ideas can be tested, expanded, and grounded in lived experience — recognising that there is no single perspective that defines the community.

They allow us to:

Explore what’s actually happening on the ground
Capture a range of perspectives across different lived experiences
Challenge assumptions and surface what’s missing
Build insight that reflects the community — not just the facilitator

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

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

Autism Valued Inc upcoming events

Job Seeker Network — Roadmap Module 02 - Understanding Your Strengths (24 Apr 2026)

Job Seeker Network

Roadmap Series

Module 02 - Understanding Your Strengths

What’s Included

Cost and Membership Information

AV Membership Benefits

Registration Guidelines

Community Guides

For Assistance or More Information

Policies and Terms

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

If we could redesign recruitment from the ground up — what would we change first?

About this session

What we’ll explore

Why this matters

Who should attend

What to expect

The goal

What Are Touchstone Discussions?

What this looks like

Why this matters

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