Touchstone Discussions are the foundation of our next chapter in employment advocacy.
As we prepare to launch AV: World of Work — a new podcast exploring the realities of neurodivergent employment — we’re taking a different approach: starting with you.
This 3-part community series invites AV members, job seekers, professionals, and allies to come together, reflect, and help shape what’s next. Each session explores a core question:
What do we need to talk about? How should we share it? And who needs to be heard?
These live sessions will directly guide the structure, tone, and guest list of our upcoming podcast. They also inform AV’s broader employment strategy, advocacy priorities, and member offerings for 2026 and beyond.
More info on the podcast and future Touchstone events will be available soon on the Webpage.
This is more than a series. It’s a community in motion.
Thanks for being part of it.
What Are Touchstone Discussions?
As a metaphor, a touchstone is any physical or intellectual measure by which the validity or merit of a concept can be tested. At AV, our Touchstone Discussions are exactly that — a space to test, challenge, and enrich the ideas we aim to explore in the upcoming AV: World of Work podcast.
These are live, guided community conversations that will eventually run two weeks after each episode, but for now — they’re the foundation we’re laying together, before the first episode is even released. Designed for authentic, human-centred reflection, Touchstones help us unpack real-world employment challenges and explore how they play out in our lived experiences.
Facilitated by AV staff and experienced community members, these 60-minute Zoom sessions welcome everyone — whether you’re brand new to the workforce or have years of experience behind you.
The true strength of Touchstones lies in how they feed our advocacy and shape the AV: World of Work platform itself. As host, I share from my lived experience — not to speak for our community, but to speak with it. The questions, reflections, and insights raised in these sessions are captured, thematically reviewed, and help drive:
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Future podcast episode topics
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Community speaker invitations
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AV's employment service design and advocacy priorities
Building Together Toward the 2026 Launch
These three initial Touchstones — in September, October, and November — are not just events. They are an open invitation to co-create the AV: World of Work series, with the first full-length episodes set to launch in December 2025, leading into a 2026 rollout.
We're using this lead-in period to build not only a podcast — but a community-powered ecosystem that is driven by shared insight and grounded in lived experience. Our goal is to establish a sustainable content and events model that generates:
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Cashflow to support member benefits
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New in-house roles for lived-experience facilitators and creatives
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More inclusive, accessible, and engaging offerings for our wider community
Get Involved
We’re actively seeking volunteers, collaborators, and community contributors to help shape, support, and expand this work.
Whether you're an aspiring content creator, a passionate advocate, a policy nerd, or simply someone with ideas to share — there’s a seat at the table for you.
By participating in these Touchstones, you’re not only helping define the podcast — you’re helping AV and our broader community move toward a more inclusive, purpose-driven future of work.
Let’s build it — together.
All AV volunteer facilitators hold a valid Working with Children Check.
Cost and Membership Information
- Cost: $10 for AV members, $15 for non-members.
- Membership Benefits: Becoming an AV member provides discounted tickets, access to members-only programs, and opportunities to support the neurodiverse community.
If cost is a barrier, please contact our AV 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.
- Unregistered attendees may incur an admin fee of up to $15.
Community Guides
We’ve created step-by-step guides to make participation easy:
These guides are designed to ensure that every participant has a smooth and enjoyable experience.
For Assistance or More Information
Contact us:
After-hours support:
- Tech and admin support for after-hours activities is available by phone for an hour before and during the first hour of the activity.
- Please note that our email inbox is not monitored outside business hours.
Policies and Terms
- AV Privacy Policy
- AV Event T&Cs
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