Save the autism community support team

A special Amaze program is looking to our supporters to keep it going

Four out of five people in Australia know an autistic person or a family with autistic children. Many of these people are facing tough challenges, without any real support.

Pamela and Miguel

They might: 

• have specific access needs 
• require therapies or medical services 
• find it hard to get and keep work 
• be living in poverty 
• speak English as a second language
• have another disability 
• or simply have no one around to support them.  

Many of these families live in regional Victoria, which makes access to services and supports even harder. Some of these people are dealing with multiple challenges. For them, basic daily life can be a real struggle. And there are so many hurdles to get through to find things like reliable information, government supports or health services and therapies.  

Amaze offers a very special service to the entire autism community in Victoria – and it is critical for people that have other challenges and are doing it tough. The  autism community support team is run by Pamela and Carmel. They are out in the community every day sharing their knowledge and giving people the information they need. Pamela and Carmel do workshops, events, one-on-one consultations, and run peer support programs (mentoring, reflective listening, and counselling in groups of people to form a support network). They teach people about autism, what it is, how the NDIS works, and how to access it. They show people how to find support for so many other things like behaviour, diagnosis, and wellbeing. They build a community for people who need it the most. Many autistic people and their families feel isolated, and alone. Pamela and Carmel drive all over Victoria so they can offer this service to people anywhere, not just in the cities.

But this service relies on donations, and if we don’t raise more money it may stop altogether. 

This program helps families like Miguel’s access much needed support

Recently Pam and Carmel helped Miguel (17) and his parents. Miguel is autistic and lives with his parents Antonio and Kiran. Antonio and Kiran care for Miguel, and provide his daily support needs. They don’t have any other help.  

But then Miguel’s dad, Antonio, had a terrible accident at his work where he repaired trams. He was hospitalised with a critical head injury. Overnight the family’s life was turned upside down. Antonio needed intensive treatment and care to recover. He could no longer work. Suddenly Miguel’s mum Kiran had to support the family financially and care full-time for two people.  She barely had any support networks and English is her second language.  

Pamela says, “Miguel and his family were getting on with their lives with little support. Yes, they were getting by, but it was a daily struggle. I could see the family needed so much more support.” 

The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), exists to help people like Miguel, who needs physio and speech therapy, assistance with personal care, and support workers. But Kiran and Antonio simply didn’t know where to begin to get this help.  

Pamela and Carmel showed the family how to access the NDIS, and how the NDIS relates to autism. They guided them through the steps, the forms, the application processes and the meetings. They taught them about the system, and how to get what they so badly need and deserve. They gave them tools to work out the support need for the whole family. They gave them access to community groups and peers support. And they gave them a long list of resources to support autistic people and their families. Pamela and Carmel gave the family support, information, and that human help that people in crisis need more than anything.  

Without this Miguel, Kiran and Antonio – a loving family – were barely getting by because of so many challenges in their life.  

Amaze knows autism. We know the NDIS. Pamela and Carmel reach out to families across Victoria so they can be confident in getting the help they need.

Amaze is in a unique position to help people like Miguel’s- with 50 years’ experience serving autistic people and their families. But the autism community support team relies on donations for funding. 

So, if this story has connected with you and you are in a position to do so, please consider donating today to save this service. 

Please, donate today to save the autism community support team. 

Pamela and Carmel