Flash back to 4 years ago and Autism Camp Australia was just a twinkle of an idea in my as-yet-to-be-diagnosed AuDHD brain. Fast forward through bushfire evacuations, a global pandemic and devastating floods and despite all these challenges our charity is now employing over 120 people in four States and improving the health and wellbeing of hundreds of Autistic young people and their families. Never in my wildest dreams, could I have imagined how far reaching and effective our programs would be.
My most important job, as a parent, is to advocate for my children, to support them to grow, become more independent, build on their strengths, celebrate their talents, and ensure they find their place in the world.
I recognised a need for my own family to find our Autistic community and take part in experiential learning programs that we could enjoy and grow from as a family. Somewhere I knew our Autistic daughter would get to hang out with other Autistic young people, enjoy a tailor-made intensive program of capacity building activities and be supported by carers who really understood the lived experience of Autism. A place where she could just be herself.
I also recognised that my allistic (non-Autistic) daughter needed to feel special too. I wanted her to enjoy her own program of activities, and be supported in her role as a sibling to a young person with additional needs.
And lastly, I recognised that as a parent, I needed some educational support and some self-care sometimes. Somewhere I could meet other families like ours.
With all this in mind, I decided to set up Autism Camp Australia.
We asked you what you wanted too, and it seemed there were a few of you who also wanted this. You completed, all up, over 800 surveys telling us what you wanted. Your feedback and comments and emails were, well....seriously, astonishing. Our camps are definitely very much needed.
ACA was launched to fill a critical gap in services to Autistic young people and their families. ACA participants are young people aged 7-14, diagnosed with Autism levels 1, 2 and 3 under the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V) diagnostic criteria, their parents/carers and siblings. Many participants have coexisting disabilities including Intellectual Disability, Global Developmental Delay and ADHD.
The camps are funded by the NDIS (through individual participants plans), Carer organisations, Foundations and grants and a modest out-of-pocket contribution from participants.
Our first location opened in the Tweed/Byron region of NSW in January 2020 … a second location opened on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland in December 2020, a third location in Victoria in December 2021. We plan to open more camp locations in Australia and are designing a new teens and young adults program, before expanding into International programs. Hundreds of Autistic young people and their families are already benefitting from our programs.
ACA’s experiential learning camp program helps form an initial engagement for many isolated Autistic young people and works as a stepping-stone to mainstream inclusive social and community participation. We recognise neurodiversity as a way of thinking that supports our young people to grow into confident and happy adults. Our vision is self-reliance, independence, social connection and community inclusion for Autistic young people and their families.
Our camp program takes an authentic strengths-based approach to the health and wellbeing of Autistic young people and their families. At camp, we celebrate neurodiversity, embrace difference and nurture individuality. We want our young people to develop confidence and independence, increase their social connection, develop new and lasting friendships and celebrate their Autistic identity. We want our parents/carers and siblings to build increased resilience, enhance their social networks and have a greater ability to maintain informal supports for their young people.
Our commitment to embracing neurodivergence is in everything that we do. We are Autistic-led - we pride ourselves on having significant neurodivergent representation at every level of the organisation, are informed by lived experience and engage in positive lived-experience role modelling. We listen, engage and uplift Autistic voices, constantly evaluating and improving to be the best we can be for all Autistic and neurodivergent people. We support, listen to and learn from both individuals representing the global Autism voice, and individuals from marginalised and under-represented intersectional groups within our Autistic community. We partner with like-minded organisations who understand the incredible value of neurodivergence in the workplace.
We are passionate about driving life changing outcomes for Autistic people around mental health and wellbeing, employability, economic participation, education, and ultimately life expectancy.
We are leaders in the evolution of a balanced and respectful relationship between Autistic young people, their families and all Australians.
Read on to find out more and make sure you sign up for our newsletter to be kept in the loop as new dates and locations are released. :)
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