Are you a young person aged 12 to 18 years who has Aspergers, is autistic, or who has another similar neurodivergent profile, who is currently enrolled at secondary school?

Are you looking for a group of peers to hang out with, to chat about interests and passions over board games and activities, and generally have fun?

Then our Teens Group may be what you're looking for!

Who is this group for?

Our Teens Group is for young people aged 12 to 18 years, currently enrolled in secondary education, who have Aspergers, are autistic, or who have another similar neurodivergent profile. We welcome teens of all genders, at all stages of the diagnostic journey, including self-identified. If your teen is aged 18 or older and is no longer enrolled in secondary education, the Young Adults Group may be more suitable.

When and where does this group meet?

The Teens Group meets on the first Friday of each month.

Our in-person meetings take place at a range of venues. Usually, we meet at a community centre in Ashwood in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne, however we also go bowling, rock climbing, or meet at a restaurant to share a meal together.

When we meet online, our Teens group uses Discord to chat with each other.

As COVID is continuing to affect all of AV's group meetings, please check the calendar below to find out if our next meeting is online or in person.

What are group meetings like?

In-person Teens Group meetings: these meetings are split into two parts. In one room, the teens meet with our Teens Mentors, young adults volunteering in a mentor role. The Teens Mentors welcome new attendees, facilitate conversation, and provide supervision.
In a separate room at the same venue, our Teens Parents Group Leaders welcome the teens' parents and carers and facilitate conversation amongst the group. This is setup allows teens to build independence, to meet peers, and develop social connections without pressure, while their parents and carers can also catch up with their peers. Each teen must be accompanied by a parent or carer at each meeting: the parent or carer must stay on-site for the duration of the event and is responsible for the supervision of their teen.

Online Teens Group meetings: these meetings take place via a private, moderated Discord server. The Teens Mentors provide several Discord rooms for the teens to interact, chat, or play online games, and they welcome new participants, facilitate chat and interactions, and provide supervision. Teens are welcome to join in the discussion or to listen to others as they feel comfortable. Each teen must be supervised by a parent or carer while they are accessing the Discord server.

How can I register for the next group meeting?

The next group meeting is listed in the calendar below. If you would like to attend, please click “Register” on the left side and enter your details. If you are joining an AV group meeting for the first time, we invite you to register for a free first-time attendee ticket: please contact our AV admin team to request access code.

If the next meeting date is not yet visible below, we invite you to add your name to the AV mailing list by following the steps below and we will contact you when registrations open. 

Join the AV Mailing List

If you're interested in receiving emails from AV about this group including upcoming meeting announcements, please add your name to our AV mailing list. Visit the Join our AV Mailing List page, enter your first name and your email address, and make sure you tick "Peer Support Groups - Teens" as an area of interest, as well as any other topics you're interested in, and we'll include you in future emails.

If you would like more information about this group, please contact the Teens Group Leader.