The Online Discussion Forum for our Community Summit is located in Discourse, a secure, private website available to Summit registrants only until Sunday 09 June. This discussion forum provides an opportunity for you to connect, chat to and share experiences with other Summit registrants.
This forum is for individuals aged 18 years and over only. Autistic young people aged 14-17 are welcome to come to the main presentations and panels with a parent or caregiver who is registered for the Summit – but are not able to be part of the peer groups or this online forum.
Your participation in our Online Discussion Forum is optional, and we appreciate your understanding as we strive to create a supportive and inclusive environment.
We aspire to bring the Autistic and broader autism community together in a supportive space where everyone can listen, learn, reflect, and connect in a nurturing and inclusive environment. There are a wide variety of viewpoints that can be held by people attending the Community Summit so we cannot guarantee that this will always be a “safe space”. Some facilitation will be provided at designated times, but we will not have moderators online on a constant basis throughout the event and may not be able to respond to every issue immediately – and in particular during evenings and on the weekend.
Everyone in this space is still learning and has their own journey and experiences. Even the most well-meaning people may, at times, phrase things in an imperfect way or one that certain individuals may find triggering because of their past experiences. Please also remember that this community is not a crisis service, and moderators and fellow community members are not able to provide emotional support and advice. If you are in need of crisis support, please see our Australia-wide external directory here.
If you completed the “Connecting with your peers” survey (which was available if you registered prior to 21 May), you will have access to the more specialised communities you selected (Autistic parents, regional and remote Autistic people and family members, etc.). If you did not complete this survey but would like to be added to certain communities, please send a message or DM to the Reframing Autism team within Discourse – noting that it may not be possible to action your request until the next business day.
Moderators are not present to get in the way of respectful discussion and disagreement and may not always comment in such cases. If you are unhappy with how a moderation decision has been handled, or how long it has taken to respond to – please do not be disrespectful towards our team or use the discussion forum as a platform for your grievance, instead please contact learning@reframingautism.org.au.
The Reframing Autism team would like to acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the lands on which we have the privilege to learn, work, and grow. Whilst we gather on many different parts of this Country, the RA team walk on the land of the Amangu, Awabakal, Bindjareb, Birpai, Whadjak, Wiradjuri and Yugambeh peoples.
We are committed to honouring the rich culture of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples of this Country, and the diversity and learning opportunities with which they provide us. We extend our gratitude and respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and to all Elders past and present, for their wisdom, their resilience, and for helping this Country to heal.