Altogether Autism

10/11/2025

Our friends at Your Way l Kia Roha are hosting a free workshop to help you understand your tenancy rights and responsibilities.
Details below:

📣 Free online workshop | Know your tenancy rights and responsibilities

We’re excited to be partnering with the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) to host a free Zoom workshop to help you understand your tenancy rights and responsibilities. We want to make sure this workshop is relevant and useful for you, so we encourage you to complete the short SurveyMonkey linked below to help shape the content around your interests and questions.

🗓️ Tuesday, 16 December
🕐 10am-11:30am
🔗 Register here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/LNKKNKW

You’ll learn about:
✔️ Tenancy rights and responsibilities (understanding your entitlements).
✔️ Bond services - where your tenancy bond is kept.
✔️ Dispute resolution - where to get help for tenancy relationship issues.
✔️ The work of the Tenancy Compliance and Investigations Team.
✔️ Free help and support available to you.

07/11/2025

Calling Pacific Autistic adults, parents, and professionals! 🌺

Researchers Dr Rochelle Nafatali, Dr Hannah Waddington and Sophie Coffey from Victoria University of Wellington want to hear from you.
They’re exploring what successful outcomes look like for Pacific Autistic children, their families in Aotearoa and how autism supports can better meet Pacific communities’ needs.

Who can take part?
•Pacific Autistic adults (18+).
•Family members of Pacific Autistic children (aged 0–21).
•Pacific professionals working with Pacific Autistic children.

For more information and to take the survey: https://vuw.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_1FCYR4XT6sL8dSe

For more information, contact:
📧 Dr Rochelle Nafatali - rochelle.nafatali@vuw.ac.nz
📧 Dr Hannah Waddington - hannah.waddington@vuw.ac.nz
📧 Sophie Coffey - sophie.coffey@vuw.ac.nz

05/11/2025

Our friends at Your Way l Kia Roha are hosting a free workshop to help you understand your employment rights and responsibilities.

Details below:

📣 Free online workshop | Know your employment rights and responsibilities

We’re excited to be partnering with the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) to host a free Zoom workshop to help you understand your employment rights and responsibilities. We want to make sure this workshop is relevant and useful for you, so we encourage you to complete the short SurveyMonkey linked below to help shape the content around your interests and questions.

🗓️ Thursday, 27 November
🕐 10am-11:30am
🔗 Register here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/2RFMWRV

You’ll learn about:
✔️ Minimum employment rights and responsibilities (understanding your entitlements).
✔️ Dispute resolution - where to get help for employment relationship issues.
✔️ Free help and support available to you.

04/11/2025

Today we hosted a powerful session on decolonising autism and education: culturally and neurodiversity affirming approaches in education.

It was a privilege to engage in rich kōrero with members of our community as we explored how education can better honour both culture and neurodiversity.

A heartfelt thank you to our wonderful hosts, Dr. Patty Douglas and Dr. Vijaya Dharan, for leading such meaningful discussions.

We’d also like to express our appreciation to our friends at CCS Disability Action for generously providing the venue.

31/10/2025

Today, the government has announced the opening of two charter schools in Wellington and Auckland for Autistic and neurodivergent learners from years 9-13.

Read more below:

The government has announced the Autism NZ Education Hub will start in Term 3 for neurodivergent secondary students who are struggling with traditional schooling.

23/10/2025

Update (24th October): The researchers have advised that the Māori and Pacific cohorts are nearly complete but they are still looking to connect with iwi taketake (Indigenous from other lands and waters) communities who now call Aotearoa home). Thank you to everyone who has already responded!

Community-based research opportunity: Indigenous perspectives of autism 🌿

Dr. Sandra Yellowhorse from the University of Auckland is looking for Indigenous Autistic adults who have received an autism diagnosis, as well as Indigenous parents, guardians, or caregivers to take part in a project. The project aims to advance Indigenous perspectives of autism and create a book celebrating cultural knowledge and stories of love.

📩 Contact
Dr. Sandra Yellowhorse
📧 s.yellowhorse@auckland.ac.nz
👇 Read below for details.

22/10/2025

Are you passionate about accessibility? ♿✨

Whaikaha is looking for 10 people from the disability community, tangata whaikaha Māori, and their whānau to join their Accessibility Advisory Group and help guide their work.

Are you a creative and strategic thinker with experience in finding solutions to accessibility barriers?

We are looking for 10 people from the disability community, tangata whaikaha Māori and their whānau and families who have a deep understanding of accessibility. You’ll be part of an Advisory Group to help guide our Accessibility Work Programme.

Expressions of Interest are open now and close on 3 November 2025.

For more information, including how to apply and alternate formats, check out the link in the comments below ⬇️

Image description: a purple background with white text that says, "Expressions of Interest: Accessibility Advisory Group". The top left corner has a faded tohu design, a series of parallel lines with intersecting curved elements.

21/10/2025

It’s Invisible Disabilities Week 🌻 Around 80–85% of people with disabilities have one that isn’t visible. Let’s keep building awareness, empathy, and inclusion - because understanding makes our communities stronger.

💭 Everyone’s experience is different. What’s one thing you wish others knew about invisible disabilities?

It’s Invisible Disabilities Week (19–25 October)! 🌻

Around 80–85% of people with a disability have one that isn’t visible. These include neurological, cognitive, sensory, mental health, and chronic conditions that aren’t always immediately apparent.

Not all disabilities are visible — but a little understanding and kindness can go a long way in making everyone feel seen and supported.

Image description: A green graphic with sunflower design promoting Invisible Disabilities Week, 19th–25th October. It features a Sunflower lanyard, a person icon with a sunflower, and the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower logo.

17/10/2025

🌿 New Article: Autistic and navigating chronic health challenges 🌿

Many Autistic people experience ongoing or chronic health issues but it’s a topic that often doesn’t get the attention it deserves.
In this reflective article, Luella Wheeler shares her journey through chronic illness and recovery - from days of severe fatigue and pain to rediscovering balance, energy, and self-understanding.

She explores the deep connections between autism, chronic health, and burnout, and how recognising her Autistic identity helped make sense of her body’s needs and responses.

✨ A thoughtful read for those with lived experience of chronic health challenges or anyone supporting Autistic people.

🔗 Read Luella’s story here:

Chronic illness and co-occurring health conditions are a common part of Autistic experience. In this article, author Luella Wheeler shares major health challenges and explains how identifying underlying health and wellbeingneeds led to a significant improvement in quality of life.