Some of Our Parts

Following the success of our student night for Melbourne Winter Masterpieces, we are pleased to offer an exclusive student night for Jean Paul Gaultier in the first week of the school term. An opportunity for senior secondary students and tertiary students to see this inspiring exhibition before it closes on 8 February.

The program will include pop up talks, fashion drawing with an artist, Auslan and audio describing tours, and a pre-event lecture at 5pm for VCE Studio Arts students (bookings essential).

Tickets at a special student price of $13. Individual tickets available for purchase on the evening (student ID required for student price) Bookings for groups of ten or more now open.

A first stage development presentation by The Delta Project of Under My Skin’; a new dance work exploring the layers in which we shroud ourselves to present to the worlds in which we exist, to reveal /or not reveal what lies beneath.

The Delta Project is a new Melbourne based dance theatre company of deaf and hearing performers, exploring the technical and physical manifestations of bringing two worlds together through visual and sound and creating a performance accessible for both a hearing and deaf audience.

This event will have Auslan interpreters and a Q and A forum after each session.

FREE Showings@ Sylvia Staelhi Theatre, Dancehouse, 150 Princes Street, Carlton North, VIC 3054

Dates: 24 – 25 October (With Q and A sessions on the working processes of this development on both nights.)
Time: 7pm
Cost: Free (bookings are essential)
Bookings: click here
For further info contact Fiona Cook: 03 86406006

Each year Aspergers Victoria hosts a panel evening where members of the Adult Group present on a theme, followed by a Q&A session with the audience. These evenings are popular with parents anticipating the future for their children, and adults seeking to benefit from the experiences of others.

There are many reasons why a young adult might want or need to move out of their parent’s home: to be closer to work, to set your own schedule, to develop a relationship, to avoid conflict with other family members, to share with a housemate, or because ageing parents wish to retire.

However there are also many issues and skills to be learnt: domestic chores including shopping, cooking and laundry, managing financial commitments, looking after the property, possible loneliness, coping with unexpected issues, feeling overwhelmed by new demands and the possibility of being exploited.

Our four guest speakers James Fahey, Nik Nikoliev, Penny Robinson and Chris Varney have successfully faced the independence issue, or are facing it now, and will present short segments about their experiences, before answering questions from the audience.

This is a great opportunity, whether you are a young adult Aspie considering becoming independent, or a parent wondering how to assist your family member with this major milestone.

Wednesday October 29, 2014
7.30—9.30 pm, followed by a light supper. Doors open at 7pm
The Nerve Centre, 54 Railway Rd, Blackburn VIC 3130
Aspergers Vic members: $ 15 Non-members: $ 30*
Book and pay online at www.trybooking.com/FWRK

Dear friends,

We are so proud to share with you that I CAN Network has turned one year old! We have YOU to thank for all your support helping us spread the ‘I CAN’ attitude and promote the fruits of AWEtism.

In a little over a fortnight we run our first-ever I CAN Teens Camp (17-19 October, Doxa Youth Camp, Malmsbury) in partnership with Doxa Youth Foundation and UN Youth Australia. This camp is all about connecting 15-18-year-olds with Asperger’s or high-functioning Autism and giving them opportunities to have fun, make new friends and build their social confidence.

The camp will be run by a team of mentors from I CAN Network who are either young adults on the Autism Spectrum or who work with/ are family to a teenager on the Spectrum. All mentors have Working With Children Checks, have been trained in duty of care and several have been trained in first aid. We will have a registered psychologist available for all participants during the entire camp.

This camp is the perfect opportunity for any Aspie or high-functioning teens out there who want to share their interests, talents and quirks from being on the Autism Spectrum and also empower themselves with the ‘I CAN’ attitude.

Here’s a snapshot of what teenagers will get up to on the I CAN Camp (flyer also attached):

• Games, fun and making new friends
• Team building activities
• Outdoor activities
• Expressing ‘I CAN’ workshop – show what an ‘I CAN’ belief means to you through writing, drawing, music, performance and construction
• ‘Dress to Obsess’ – dress up on Saturday night in your favourite obsession
• ‘I CAN’ talks from speakers including Chris Varney (I CAN Founder) and Tim Chan (19-year-old I CAN Advocate)

This camp will be an awesome experience for Aspie or high-functioning teens. We only have 10 spots left so get in quick! We cannot take any more registrations after Friday 10 October.

We have a simple two-step process to register:

1. Register your interest here and one of our Camp Organisers will give you a call

2. After the call, you can send in the attached registration form and pay the $100 camp fee via http://www.trybooking.com/99628. Note the password is TeensCamp (no space between ‘Teens’ and ‘Camp’)

Your booking will be confirmed once you have returned the registration form electronically and provided a copy of the receipt of payment. Please retain a hard copy of the registration form for the participant to bring to the camp.

For more detail on what’s happening with the Teens Camp, check out this video made by Penny (All Round I CAN Guru) and see the attached info sheet. If you’ve got any queries, please contact Jackie Chanzi (Camp Organiser) on 0403-067-533.

To give you some inspiration, see our #AWEtismRethink video made at our I CAN Camp in April. This is what participant Daniel Giles had to say:

‘The I Can Camp gave people on the Autism Spectrum an opportunity to learn about their strengths and realise that Autism can be used as a strength. The camp also enabled people on the Autism Spectrum to enable others to say ‘I Can’ to life’s opportunities, all from the horse’s mouth!’

Thanks for your support!

I CAN’s Core Enabler’s

It’s Mental Health Week!

There are a bunch of activities on all campuses, from physical activities, seminars, meditation and relaxation programs, presentations to exhibitions. It is open to Monash staff and students.

The ABC are also celebrating Mental Health week by screening documentaries and raising funds for mental health research.

For this year’s Mental Health Week, the ABC’s Q and A program will broadcast live from the Pilbeam Theatre in Rockhampton, Queensland and will feature:

• Mental Health Advocate, Patrick McGorry
• Comedian and Actor, Josh Thomas
• Lived Experience Practitioner, Louise Byrne
• Rural and Remote Mental Health Centre, Jennifer Bowers
• Rural Queensland MP, Bob Katter

Please register for the audience now or submit a video question by 9am Friday.

Watch Q&A Monday 9.35pm on ABC, live 9.35pm AEDT on ABC News 24 or stream it on our website http://www.abc.net.au/tv/qanda/

Quippings: Freaktastic Fringe will give you a crip tease under the lights. We will bend your mind, warp your perspective, make you hot and flustered, twist your ideas and ramp you up with our moves. Freaks, queers, poets, musicians and performers who are delightfully, unashamedly different and subversive, we are an experience not to be missed!

Auslan Interpreted Performance, Friday 3rd Oct & Saturday 4th Oct.
Companion Card bookings accepted (please phone the Fringe ticketing number).

See the Quippings Facebook page and Fringe Festival event page for more information.

Monash Mental Health Week marks World Mental Health Day and National Mental Health Week. The program includes physical activities, seminars, meditation and relaxation programs, presentations and exhibitions and is open to Monash staff and students.

Go to the Mental Health Week website to register for an event at your campus.

Hear from employers and gain knowledge to assist you making the transition from study to employment. This half day forum is open to students from all Victorian universities with diverse background or needs. The 2014 forum will be hosted by Australian Catholic University (Melbourne) and will focus on diversity in the work place.

The event aims to empower students from a cross section of our society, including those with chronic health conditions (mental or physical); or from an Indigenous or migrant background.

Key objectives

• Facilitate engagement between students from diverse backgrounds, employers and community support services.
• Raise awareness of employment programs available
• Opportunity to hear key employability messages from prospective employers who are committed to diversity in the workplace
• Inspire you to embrace the future and how you can add value to the workplace

For full program information please go to: Careers Access Through Diversity

The event will be held at Australian Catholic University, Christ Lecture Theatre, 115 Victoria Parade, Fitzroy VIC 3065. See Venue Map.
For further information contact Amber Roberts on 9953 3373 or via email:amber.roberts@acu.edu.au
To book your place go the event page.

Experience the Fringe Furniture exhibition with a guide who will provide audio description of works and lead tactile interactions with the installations. Tactile Tours are designed to introduce blind and low vision visitors to new ways of experiencing and enjoying the exhibition. Led by an experienced accessibility guide, participants will be encouraged to engage with the works through informed discussion and touch.

The works selected for the tour have been chosen specifically by the Associate Producer and the accessibility guide. There will also be the opportunity for participants to meet an exhibiting artist and discuss their work.

Sunday 28 September, 2pm – 3pm.
Places limited.
Bookings essential, please phone 9660 9600.