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From Awareness to Value
Session 6 of 9 · Thursday 24 September 2026, 6:00–7:00 PM AEST .
Free for AV members · $10 for non-members.
In Short
This month's Touchstone continues the conversation from The World of Work episode "When Autism Is Valued". A community conversation about what makes autistic people feel genuinely valued in work, study, volunteering and community spaces.
What This Session Is About
Awareness means people know autism exists. Inclusion means people are invited in. Value means contribution is trusted, respected and allowed to shape decisions.
This is a community listening space, not a lecture. We want to hear directly from autistic, ADHD and neurodivergent people, families, workers, jobseekers, employers and supporters. What you share may help shape future episodes, workshops, employer education and advocacy work.
What Is a Touchstone Meeting? — and Why We Capture It
A Touchstone meeting is a structured, regularly scheduled check-in designed to foster connection, alignment and communication — a model commonly used in relationships, education and community-building.
At AV, our Touchstone discussions are exactly that, but with a specific purpose: this isn't a companion event to the podcast, it's where the community actually shapes what comes next. Each session exists to capture real, lived-experience discourse around that month's episode topic, so it can directly inform future episodes, workshops, employer education and advocacy work.
That includes hearing from people who listened to the episode beforehand and want to respond directly, as well as anyone coming to the topic fresh — both are equally valuable. If something you say tonight shapes a future episode or a piece of advocacy, that's the point, not a side effect.
We use AI-assisted capture during the facilitated conversation — not a video recording. That means the discussion itself is analysed for themes and insights, but no video or audio of you is published as footage. Jacob will always name the capture window clearly when it starts and stops, so you always know when it's active.
How this connects forward
As the podcast continues, these discussions align directly with each episode, forming a continuous loop: Episode → Community Reflection → Insight → Action.
This Month's Podcast Anchor
This Touchstone is built around the World of Work episode "When Autism Is Valued", with Leslie Clements, General Manager, and Callum Stuart, Community Engagement Lead.
Listening before you attend makes the conversation richer, but it isn't required.
Full episode hub: https://podcast.autismvalued.org.au
Listen on: Apple Podcasts · Spotify · YouTube · Amazon Music · RSS feed
Or search "World of Work" in your preferred podcast app.
Your Facilitators
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Jacob Alan Kness — Programs Manager, Autism Valued Inc. · Session host and room manager
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Xavier Gunn — Founding Data Scientist, Minikai · Session facilitator
Before You Attend
Please read the Participant Guide before the session. It covers the run sheet, our shared group agreements, ways to take part, and this month's discussion questions in full, so we can spend our time together in conversation rather than reading through slides.
Download: AV Touchstone — September Participant Guide (PDF)
Access and Inclusion
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Cameras and microphones are optional throughout the session.
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The Zoom chat is always available for people who prefer to participate in writing.
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Sessions run to a clear structure and time, and stick to it.
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If you have any access needs we should know about before the day, contact us at programs@autismvalued.org.au and we'll make it work.
Who Should Come
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Autistic, ADHD and neurodivergent workers, jobseekers and community members
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Family members and supporters
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Employers, managers, and HR or People & Culture professionals
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Practitioners, educators and disability employment services
Continue the Conversation
The conversation doesn't stop when the Zoom call ends.
Join the AV Career Network LinkedIn group to keep reflecting, share resources, and expand on what's raised in the session.
Questions? Contact programs@autismvalued.org.au and we'll make sure your voice is in the room.
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:
These guides are designed to ensure that every participant has a smooth and enjoyable experience.
For Assistance or More Information
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Office Hours
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Monday to Friday, 9am – 5pm
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After-Hours Support
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Phone support available 1 hour before and during
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