Autism Association 2022 Annual Report

Inclusive Communities

Our Inclusive Communities program is dedicated to ensuring all people with Autism have opportunities to participate in recreational, leisure, and community events. Over the past 12 months, we continued to work with families, community organisations, and venues to promote inclusion and participation in the community. As part of this work, we delivered Autism- specific training to upskill staff in community facilities and supported them to make adaptions to facilitate inclusion and participation in their programs and facilities. On International Day of People with Disability, the RAC Arena launched their Quiet Room. We provided consultation and collaboration in the development and launch of this room. The Quiet Room features bean bags, cuddle chairs and a soothing water feature, providing a safe and peaceful place for those needing a break from the sometimes-overwhelming noise and crowds of live events.

We hosted several sensory events at well-known venues. Latitude welcomed over 100 attendees to explore the climbing walls, trampolines, high ropes course, and ninja course. WA Museum Boola Bardip hosted Quiet Hour sessions and a pop-up exhibition on International Day of People with Disability to increase awareness and knowledge about Autism. Our ‘Underwater Adventure’ with the Aquarium of Western Australia (AQWA) saw over 100 families explore the exhibits in a safe and relaxed environment. We also continued to support the Art Gallery of Western Australia and their Voluntary Gallery Guides to host 2 Quiet Tuesdays this year, where people with Autism enjoyed the gallery in a sensory-friendly environment and participated in art-based activities. 2021 was another successful festive season, co-hosting our sixth consecutive year of Sensitive Santa sessions with metropolitan shopping centres welcoming over 500 individuals to visit Santa. These sessions continue to grow in popularity each year, with many adopting this annual tradition. We are pleased to have received a grant from the Department of Communities to implement the WA State Disability Strategy 2020-2030. We look forward to expanding our Inclusive Communities project to create more partnerships with organisations across Western Australia, as well as a range of evidence-driven resources and information for the community to increase access and inclusion.

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