Empowering Autistic and LGBTQIA+SB Youth to Navigate the NDIS: an Inclusive Rights-Based Project
Tracks
Jacaranda - In Person Only
| Tuesday, August 12, 2025 |
| 1:55 PM - 2:15 PM |
| Jacaranda Room |
Overview
Berinda Karp - Autism Step Australia & Brendan Chippendale - Achieve Collective
Speaker
Mr Brendan Chippendale
Psychotherapist
Achieve Collective
Empowering Autistic and LGBTQIA+SB Youth to Navigate the NDIS: an Inclusive Rights-Based Project
Presentation Overview
This presentation shares our journey in developing resources to empower autistic and LGBTQIA+SB youth to exercise their rights under the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). Recognising the unique challenges of these intersecting identities, our initiative aims to increase youth knowledge and advocacy skills and improve service providers' capacity to deliver inclusive, respectful services.
Our project focuses on creating accessible educational materials—including guides, videos, and interactive workshops—to help youth understand their rights within the NDIS framework. We are also developing targeted training modules for NDIS providers highlighting legal obligations, best practices, and hands-on exercises to address knowledge gaps and reinforce a rights-based approach to service delivery. Through these resources, we aim to foster a supportive, affirming environment for autistic and LGBTQIA+SB individuals engaging with the NDIS.
We are conducting workshops in Western Sydney and Sydney’s Inner West to provide youth with practical tools for self-advocacy, such as role-playing, peer support, and scenario-based exercises. Our training for providers emphasises skill-building in areas like accommodations for neurodivergence and gender/sexual identity considerations, ensuring they are well-equipped to offer respectful, inclusive services.
As part of our ongoing journey, we monitor progress through pre- and post-workshop assessments, participant feedback, and skill demonstrations to continually evaluate and refine our resources. This presentation will outline key learnings, challenges encountered, and adjustments made to maximise the project's impact. Our initiative aspires to create an NDIS landscape where autistic and LGBTQIA+SB youth can confidently advocate for their rights and receive the support they deserve, building a more inclusive future within disability services. We include and invite people from CALD communities and indigenous communities. We have invited sister and brother boy as part of our training and development team.
Key Learnings:
1. Recognising the unique challenges of these intersections of those who identify as autistic and LGBTQIA+SB
2. Your rights under NDIS framework
3. Self Advocacy
Our project focuses on creating accessible educational materials—including guides, videos, and interactive workshops—to help youth understand their rights within the NDIS framework. We are also developing targeted training modules for NDIS providers highlighting legal obligations, best practices, and hands-on exercises to address knowledge gaps and reinforce a rights-based approach to service delivery. Through these resources, we aim to foster a supportive, affirming environment for autistic and LGBTQIA+SB individuals engaging with the NDIS.
We are conducting workshops in Western Sydney and Sydney’s Inner West to provide youth with practical tools for self-advocacy, such as role-playing, peer support, and scenario-based exercises. Our training for providers emphasises skill-building in areas like accommodations for neurodivergence and gender/sexual identity considerations, ensuring they are well-equipped to offer respectful, inclusive services.
As part of our ongoing journey, we monitor progress through pre- and post-workshop assessments, participant feedback, and skill demonstrations to continually evaluate and refine our resources. This presentation will outline key learnings, challenges encountered, and adjustments made to maximise the project's impact. Our initiative aspires to create an NDIS landscape where autistic and LGBTQIA+SB youth can confidently advocate for their rights and receive the support they deserve, building a more inclusive future within disability services. We include and invite people from CALD communities and indigenous communities. We have invited sister and brother boy as part of our training and development team.
Key Learnings:
1. Recognising the unique challenges of these intersections of those who identify as autistic and LGBTQIA+SB
2. Your rights under NDIS framework
3. Self Advocacy
Biography
Brendan Chippendale is a neurodiversity- and LGBTQIA+SB-affirming psychotherapist, educator, researcher and advocate based on Gadigal land (Sydney, Australia). He is the founder of Achieve Collective, a practice offering accessible, personalised support to neurodivergent individuals across Australia
A gay autistic man with over 30 years' experience in education and mental health, Brendan is deeply embedded in the intersectional communities he supports. His practice is grounded in lived experience, respect for diverse identities, and a commitment to inclusive, rights-based care. Brendan supports neurodivergent and LGBTQIA+SB people to feel seen, build confidence, and move forward on their own terms.
Ms Berinda Karp
Ceo
Autism Step Australia
Empowering Autistic and LGBTQIA+SB Youth to Navigate the NDIS: an Inclusive Rights-Based Project
Presentation Overview
This presentation shares our journey in developing resources to empower autistic and LGBTQIA+SB youth to exercise their rights under the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). Recognising the unique challenges of these intersecting identities, our initiative aims to increase youth knowledge and advocacy skills and improve service providers' capacity to deliver inclusive, respectful services.
Our project focuses on creating accessible educational materials—including guides, videos, and interactive workshops—to help youth understand their rights within the NDIS framework. We are also developing targeted training modules for NDIS providers highlighting legal obligations, best practices, and hands-on exercises to address knowledge gaps and reinforce a rights-based approach to service delivery. Through these resources, we aim to foster a supportive, affirming environment for autistic and LGBTQIA+SB individuals engaging with the NDIS.
We are conducting workshops in Western Sydney and Sydney’s Inner West to provide youth with practical tools for self-advocacy, such as role-playing, peer support, and scenario-based exercises. Our training for providers emphasises skill-building in areas like accommodations for neurodivergence and gender/sexual identity considerations, ensuring they are well-equipped to offer respectful, inclusive services.
As part of our ongoing journey, we monitor progress through pre- and post-workshop assessments, participant feedback, and skill demonstrations to continually evaluate and refine our resources. This presentation will outline key learnings, challenges encountered, and adjustments made to maximise the project's impact. Our initiative aspires to create an NDIS landscape where autistic and LGBTQIA+SB youth can confidently advocate for their rights and receive the support they deserve, building a more inclusive future within disability services. We include and invite people from CALD communities and indigenous communities. We have invited sister and brother boy as part of our training and development team.
Key Learnings:
1. Recognising the unique challenges of these intersections of those who identify as autistic and LGBTQIA+SB
2. Your rights under NDIS framework
3. Self Advocacy
Our project focuses on creating accessible educational materials—including guides, videos, and interactive workshops—to help youth understand their rights within the NDIS framework. We are also developing targeted training modules for NDIS providers highlighting legal obligations, best practices, and hands-on exercises to address knowledge gaps and reinforce a rights-based approach to service delivery. Through these resources, we aim to foster a supportive, affirming environment for autistic and LGBTQIA+SB individuals engaging with the NDIS.
We are conducting workshops in Western Sydney and Sydney’s Inner West to provide youth with practical tools for self-advocacy, such as role-playing, peer support, and scenario-based exercises. Our training for providers emphasises skill-building in areas like accommodations for neurodivergence and gender/sexual identity considerations, ensuring they are well-equipped to offer respectful, inclusive services.
As part of our ongoing journey, we monitor progress through pre- and post-workshop assessments, participant feedback, and skill demonstrations to continually evaluate and refine our resources. This presentation will outline key learnings, challenges encountered, and adjustments made to maximise the project's impact. Our initiative aspires to create an NDIS landscape where autistic and LGBTQIA+SB youth can confidently advocate for their rights and receive the support they deserve, building a more inclusive future within disability services. We include and invite people from CALD communities and indigenous communities. We have invited sister and brother boy as part of our training and development team.
Key Learnings:
1. Recognising the unique challenges of these intersections of those who identify as autistic and LGBTQIA+SB
2. Your rights under NDIS framework
3. Self Advocacy
Biography
Berinda Karp is the CEO of Autism STEP Australia. Berinda has completed extensive tertiary qualifications though out her life. She prides herself on listening to autistic voices in co design and presentations. She has 37 years’ experience working with people who identify as autistic and neurodiverse in vocational education, community and private consultancy.
Her person centred and individual based approach looks at prioritizing the persons goals and needs to achieve positive life changing outcomes such as reducing anxiety increased independence. The intersection of autistic and LGBTQIA+SB youth is important to support as currently they are left out.
