Dear Subscribers,

We are experiencing difficulties with our eSpectrum mailing system, such that links and attachments are not working. Our apologies for this inconvenience. All related information has been uploaded to the News tab of our website, so please cut and paste the provided URLs into your browser for further information. We hope to have this issue resolved shortly and we appreciate you patience.

Victorian Autism Conference Logo Competition Winners

The Victorian Autism Conference (VAC) organising committee had an overwhelming response to our logo competition, with an extraordinarily high standard of entries. We received submissions from a wide cross-section of the community, from individuals and family members of those affected by Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), to students, graphic designers, professionals in education and health sectors, and artists. The competition attracted national and international attention, and it is fantastic to see that that our conference has had such far-reaching effects to draw interest from individuals from such a wide variety of backgrounds.

We are pleased to present the winning logo entries for the 2010 Victorian Autism Conference. Our congratulations go out to our two winners, who have each been awarded a double pass to conference to be held on August 5th and 6th 2010. The winning logo was created by Josh Chan, and is showcased on our website under the News tab. Cut and paste the following link into your browser to see the winning images:

http://www.autismvictoria.org.au/news/media.php

Our theme for this year’s conference is Promoting Positive Practice Across the Spectrum, and an image submitted by Jaime Kelly was selected to represent this year’s theme. Again see the News section of our website for this image, and for other conference news.

A Fair Go For All Letter-Writing Campaign

Help Increase Funding for Disability Support Services in Victoria

A Fair Go For All letter writing campaign. A letter writing campaign has taken off to support the state-wide campaign A Fair Go For All. The letters aim to raise political awareness of the urgent need to increase funding of disability support services. With the State Budget (May) and 2010 State election (November) just around the corner, every letter sent will make a difference.

We are calling on our members, support people, friends and professionals to ‘Sign and Send’ letters to help support better outcomes for people with a disability. Letters to Community Services Minister Lisa Neville and Premier John Brumby aim to increase pressure on the current government to act on the findings of the Price Review Out-of-Home Disability Services and address the ‘true cost’ of providing support services. It also aims to apply pressure to respond to the recommendations of the Parliamentary Inquiry into supported accommodation for people with a disability and/or mental illness. Now is the time to show your support. Current media attention on disability and the government’s own data help the case for increased funding. Your letter, along with the hundreds of others from across Victoria, will make the difference. Examples of the letters can be downloaded from the Autism Victoria website at our News tab, or by copying this URL into your browser:

http://www.autismvictoria.org.au/news/media.php#camp

Campaign for Change - State and Federal Elections

This is an unusual year within a political context with both the Victorian and Federal Governments facing an election. Interestingly, although Labor looks safe at a Federal level the State government is looking somewhat shakier.

This provides us with an opportunity to try to influence the policies of all major parties as they recognise that small shifts may determine the election outcome.

Autism Victoria intends to develop and submit position papers to State and Federal Government. To support this approach and to ensure we develop comprehensive and detailed position papers we invite our members to become involved in the process.

I would like to stress that this work is not for the faint hearted as it requires much effort and commitment if we are to achieve any meaningful outcome. It will also mean the group will need to liaise with and co-ordinate action with other pressure groups at times.

To this end the first stage is to gauge interest from members who may wish to come together and work on specific topics.

I am keen to seek expressions of interest from members in the following areas:

1. Early Childhood services
2. Transition to and through school
3. Current funding models for school support
4. Transition to work and higher education
5. Employment support
6. Housing and Accommodation options
7. Recreation and social networking

Please note, subject to the level of interest, each working group will be required to develop specific program responses and to cost same. This will form the basis of the Autism Victoria election document and then the groups both individually and as a whole will develop a broad promotional campaign around the document.

Please advise your expression of interest by email to ceo@autismvictoria.org.au. Please note the cut off date for expressions of interest will be the 31st of March.

Murray Dawson-Smith , CEO Autism Victoria

Training for Teachers and Educational Support Staff

The Learning and Development team at Autism Victoria is offering a one-day training session in Melbourne to teachers and educational support staff who work with students with Autism Spectrum Disorders (including Autism and Asperger syndrome). For information on the training sessions, please visit the News tab of our website, or cut and paste this link to your browser:

http://www.autismvictoria.org.au/news/media.php#training

Proposed Revision to Diagnostic Criteria for ASDs

The American Psychiatric Association (APA) have released the proposed revisions to the diagnostic criteria for Autism Spectrum Disorders in the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V) due for release in 2013.The proposal is that the discrete diagnoses of Autistic Disorder, Asperger's Disorder, Childhood Disintegrative Disorder, and Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS) be subsumed by the all-encompassing diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder. More information about the proposed revisions, and the rationale behind them is available on the DSM-V website.

Autism Victoria's Comic's Lounge Fundraiser

The Comic's Lounge is the home to Australia's biggest names in comedy including Dave Hughes, Wil Anderson, Jimeoin, Russell Gilbert and Marty Fields to name a few. Over the last two years The Comic's Lounge has opened its doors to help raise funds for Victoria's many schools, sporting clubs and charities with their Wednesday and Thursday night comedy fundraising nights.

Autism Victoria has secured 100 tickets for the show on Thursday 22nd April. Ticket prices are $15 each and proceeds go directly to Autism Victoria. If you are interested in attending and would like a ticket please contact Autism Victoria on 9657 1601 or email Caetlyn on caetlyn.twentyman@autismvictoria.org.au.

Autism Victoria's Events Calendar

Autism Victoria is currently in the process of updating our online Events Calendar. Our Events Calendar is available to all visitors to the Autism Victoria website, and provides information to individuals interested in Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) about upcoming events to be held in Victoria and throughout the country. As Victoria’s peak ASD body, Autism Victoria’s Events Calendar is a primary source of information for individuals in the ASD community.

Autism Victoria has a new policy for individuals wishing to advertise events, and details and instructions are available by pasting this link into your browser:

http://www.autismvictoria.org.au/events/

All events will also be promoted with a link to the calendar listing in our monthly eSpectrum, which goes out to over 8000 subscribers.

For enquiries, email events@autismvictoria.org.au.

Upcoming Events

For a summary of all events listed below, please paste this link into your browser:

http://www.autismvictoria.org.au/events/victoria_events.php#summary