Nurturing Neurodiversity

We couldn't have an employment series without welcoming back Jonathan Laloz, founder and CEO of Self Plus Plus (see Episode 9 for our first chat)!

With 22 years of experience in the small business, corporate and government sectors, Jonathan combines this with his understanding and lived experience of neurodiversity to support autistic people from teens to adults gain meaningful employment (or to create their own).

In today's episode we discuss: some common obstacles that prevent neurodiverse people from gaining employment; how this changes or amplifies for long term unemployed people; a range of benefits that come from hiring neurodiverse people; big (and small) changes we can make in the employment industry and more generally, in order to create more inclusivity and improve accessibility; and key information about Jonathan's upcoming Autism Employment Accelerator program, which you don't want to miss!

Find out more or contact Jonathan and the team at Self Plus Plus to see how they can help you, right here: https://selfplus.plus/

You can also connect with Self Plus Plus on Facebook or LinkedIn.

.

Join Sammy Anne (Map the Maze) and Patricia Falcetta (Social Living Solutions) as they discuss Nurturing Neurodiversity; all the ways we can create a truly inclusive society.

Our passion lies in supporting whole families to navigate the challenges and revel in the joys of their neurodiverse children. A big part of this support entails advocating for changes within our systems and society, to ensure our children grow up knowing and loving who they are. No matter our ability, race, gender, sexuality, beliefs – we all deserve to be loved and appreciated.

We aim to educate, connect and inspire. We do this by sharing with you our stories, experiences and relevant research, along with neurodiverse voices through interviews and quotes with permission. We open dialogue on what we can all do to create positive social change.

With backgrounds in the education and allied health industries, as well as experience working directly with families, we work within AND continually challenge the existing systems we all operate under. We wholeheartedly believe that if we can all open our minds and our hearts, share the message of love and equity for all, that we will be part of creating a truly inclusive world for generations to come.

We hope you will join us on our journey.

Want to share your story? Have a guest you’d love us to interview? Questions you’d like us to answer?

Get in touch with us via your preferred means below! :)

.

Sammy Anne: www.sammyanne.com

Email: [email protected]

Facebook  |  Instagram  

.

Patricia Falcetta: www.sociallivingsolutions.com.au

Email: [email protected]

Facebook  |  Instagram 

In this episode Patricia welcomes David Smith, founder of Employ For Ability. 

David is an Autism and Neurodiversity employment specialist and advocate. Since 2016, David has been focused on helping organisations become more inclusive by hiring Neurodiverse staff to gain competitive advantage. A leader in his field, he brings many years of experience, education and knowledge to our employment series!

We dive into the following ideas: the value of following your purpose; the main barriers to gaining and then maintaining employment for our neurodiverse people; the misnomer of functioning labels; the double empathy problem; masking and autistic burnout; societal changes we can make to increase accessibility; a key policy change required in education to allow access to work experience for all our young people; and opening ourselves up to choosing a non-traditional path when it comes to educational and employment options.

Access more of David's wisdom and opportunities to work with his organisation here: https://employforability.com.au/

You can also connect with Employ For Ability on Facebook or LinkedIn.

.

Join Patricia Falcetta (Social Living Solutions) and Sammy Anne (Map the Maze) as they discuss Nurturing Neurodiversity; all the ways we can create a truly inclusive society.

Our passion lies in supporting whole families to navigate the challenges and revel in the joys of their neurodiverse children. A big part of this support entails advocating for changes within our systems and society, to ensure our children grow up knowing and loving who they are. No matter our ability, race, gender, sexuality, beliefs – we all deserve to be loved and appreciated.

We aim to educate, connect and inspire. We do this by sharing with you our stories, experiences and relevant research, along with neurodiverse voices through interviews and quotes with permission. We open dialogue on what we can all do to create positive social change.

With backgrounds in the education and allied health industries, as well as experience working directly with families, we work within AND continually challenge the existing systems we all operate under. We wholeheartedly believe that if we can all open our minds and our hearts, share the message of love and equity for all, that we will be part of creating a truly inclusive world for generations to come.

We hope you will join us on our journey.

Want to share your story? Have a guest you’d love us to interview? Questions you’d like us to answer?

Get in touch with us via your preferred means below! :)

.

Patricia Falcetta: www.sociallivingsolutions.com.au

Email: [email protected]

Facebook | Instagram

.

Sammy Anne: www.sammyanne.com

Email: [email protected]

Facebook | Instagram 

Our second interview in our employment series sees us welcome Charuni Weerasooriya, founder of EDII (Engage, Design, Innovate, Improve).

Charuni brings a wealth of experience and wisdom to her current work with our teens and young people, supporting them to develop skills and understanding that will set them up for a successful future. We were fortunate to tap into this wisdom throughout this episode!

Some of the key concepts we explored were: design thinking and how it can reshape our approach to learning and education; the question "what is an education worth having?"; connecting education to future skills for either entrepreneurship or employment; and some sage advice for our young people (and all of us, really).

We highly recommend checking out Charuni's online and in person offerings here: https://www.edii.com.au/

You can also connect with EDII on Facebook or Instagram.

.

Join Sammy Anne (Map the Maze) and Patricia Falcetta (Social Living Solutions) as they discuss Nurturing Neurodiversity; all the ways we can create a truly inclusive society.

Our passion lies in supporting whole families to navigate the challenges and revel in the joys of their neurodiverse children. A big part of this support entails advocating for changes within our systems and society, to ensure our children grow up knowing and loving who they are. No matter our ability, race, gender, sexuality, beliefs – we all deserve to be loved and appreciated.

We aim to educate, connect and inspire. We do this by sharing with you our stories, experiences and relevant research, along with neurodiverse voices through interviews and quotes with permission. We open dialogue on what we can all do to create positive social change.

With backgrounds in the education and allied health industries, as well as experience working directly with families, we work within AND continually challenge the existing systems we all operate under. We wholeheartedly believe that if we can all open our minds and our hearts, share the message of love and equity for all, that we will be part of creating a truly inclusive world for generations to come.

We hope you will join us on our journey.

Want to share your story? Have a guest you’d love us to interview? Questions you’d like us to answer?

Get in touch with us via your preferred means below! :)

.

Sammy Anne: www.sammyanne.com

Email: [email protected]

Facebook | Instagram

.

Patricia Falcetta: www.sociallivingsolutions.com.au

Email: [email protected]

Facebook | Instagram

Welcome to the first in our series of interviews focussing on employment.

In this episode we chat to Jodie Stephenson from Kirribilli Partners - and we cover plenty of conceptual and practical ideas to create true inclusion within the workplace.

Some key points we cover: starting with safety and respect; building relationships and balancing strengths within a team to bring out the best in people; bridging the communication gap between neurodivergent and neurotypical people; changing our expectations and adjusting our societal norms to better reflect where we are as a society (hint: no longer in the industrial age!)

Find out more about Jodie (or secure her services for your workplace!) here: http://www.kirribillipartners.com.au/

.

Join Patricia Falcetta (Social Living Solutions) and Sammy Anne (Map the Maze) as they discuss Nurturing Neurodiversity; all the ways we can create a truly inclusive society.

Our passion lies in supporting whole families to navigate the challenges and revel in the joys of their neurodiverse children. A big part of this support entails advocating for changes within our systems and society, to ensure our children grow up knowing and loving who they are. No matter our ability, race, gender, sexuality, beliefs – we all deserve to be loved and appreciated.

We aim to educate, connect and inspire. We do this by sharing with you our stories, experiences and relevant research, along with neurodiverse voices through interviews and quotes with permission. We open dialogue on what we can all do to create positive social change.

With backgrounds in the education and allied health industries, as well as experience working directly with families, we work within AND continually challenge the existing systems we all operate under. We wholeheartedly believe that if we can all open our minds and our hearts, share the message of love and equity for all, that we will be part of creating a truly inclusive world for generations to come.

We hope you will join us on our journey.

Want to share your story? Have a guest you’d love us to interview? Questions you’d like us to answer?

Get in touch with us via your preferred means below! :)

.

Patricia Falcetta: www.sociallivingsolutions.com.au

Email: [email protected]

FB: www.facebook.com/sociallivingsolutions

IG: https://www.instagram.com/patriciafalcetta/

.

Sammy Anne: www.sammyanne.com

Email: [email protected]

FB: www.facebook.com/SammyAnne.MTM

IG: https://www.instagram.com/sammy.anne.e/

This episode is taken from a series of Facebook Lives Sammy and Patricia presented in 2021. Although you may notice some of our language has changed, the strategies offered throughout this episode are still very relevant and helpful in 2023.

From supporting our children through the use of visuals, routines and plans, to taking small moments throughout the day to check in with ourselves and provide for our own needs, you'll find plenty of tips to work through feelings of anxiety and overwhelm, especially as they relate to returning to school. 

If you would like further support or are interested in the visuals mentioned in this episode, please reach out to either Patricia or Sammy via your preferred means below. We look forward to hearing from you!

.

Join Sammy Anne (Map the Maze) and Patricia Falcetta (Social Living Solutions) as they discuss Nurturing Neurodiversity; all the ways we can create a truly inclusive society.

Our passion lies in supporting whole families to navigate the challenges and revel in the joys of their neurodiverse children. A big part of this support entails advocating for changes within our systems and society, to ensure our children grow up knowing and loving who they are. No matter our ability, race, gender, sexuality, beliefs – we all deserve to be loved and appreciated.

We aim to educate, connect and inspire. We do this by sharing with you our stories, experiences and relevant research, along with neurodiverse voices through interviews and quotes with permission. We open dialogue on what we can all do to create positive social change.

With backgrounds in the education and allied health industries, as well as experience working directly with families, we work within AND continually challenge the existing systems we all operate under. We wholeheartedly believe that if we can all open our minds and our hearts, share the message of love and equity for all, that we will be part of creating a truly inclusive world for generations to come.

We hope you will join us on our journey.

Want to share your story? Have a guest you’d love us to interview? Questions you’d like us to answer?

Get in touch with us via your preferred means below! :)

.

Sammy Anne: www.sammyanne.com

Email: [email protected]

FB: www.facebook.com/SammyAnne.MTM

IG: https://www.instagram.com/sammy.anne.e/

.

Patricia Falcetta: www.sociallivingsolutions.com.au

Email: [email protected]

FB: www.facebook.com/sociallivingsolutions

IG: https://www.instagram.com/patriciafalcetta/

As we round out 2021, this is an episode not to be missed! Jodie is a parent coach, passionate about emotional awareness, communication skills and questioning the things we often take for granted in our society. 

These themes are weaved throughout our conversation, as we dive into the following topics:

* key tips and strategies for the upcoming holiday season, in particular navigating extended family relationships

* working with and through different perspectives and opinions between parents, especially for separated and blended families

* supporting your child to navigate different environments (including family, community and school)

* communication tips for parents advocating for their child in a school setting

* Jodie's Top 3 Tips for parents

Take some time for your self care by grabbing your favourite beverage and soaking up Jodie's wisdom!

Find Jodie on Facebook >here<

.

Join Patricia Falcetta (Social Living Solutions) and Sammy Anne (Map the Maze) as they discuss Nurturing Neurodiversity; all the ways we can create a truly inclusive society.

Our passion lies in supporting whole families to navigate the challenges and revel in the joys of their neurodiverse children. A big part of this support entails advocating for changes within our systems and society, to ensure our children grow up knowing and loving who they are. No matter our ability, race, gender, sexuality, beliefs – we all deserve to be loved and appreciated.

We aim to educate, connect and inspire. We do this by sharing with you our stories, experiences and relevant research, along with neurodiverse voices through interviews and quotes with permission. We open dialogue on what we can all do to create positive social change.

With backgrounds in the education and allied health industries, as well as experience working directly with families, we work within AND continually challenge the existing systems we all operate under. We wholeheartedly believe that if we can all open our minds and our hearts, share the message of love and equity for all, that we will be part of creating a truly inclusive world for generations to come.

We hope you will join us on our journey.

Want to share your story? Have a guest you’d love us to interview? Questions you’d like us to answer?

Get in touch with us via your preferred means below! :)

.

Patricia Falcetta: www.sociallivingsolutions.com.au

Email: [email protected]

FB: www.facebook.com/sociallivingsolutions

IG: https://www.instagram.com/patriciafalcetta/

.

Sammy Anne: www.sammyanne.com

Email: [email protected]

FB: www.facebook.com/SammyAnne.MTM

IG: https://www.instagram.com/sammy.anne.e/

This episode is the audio from a Facebook Live hosted on Sammy's page, Map the Maze, titled "From Busy to Being". 

Michelle Heriot from E-Gen joins Sammy for an insightful conversation full of tips and strategies you can utilise for yourself and for your children, all about emotional intelligence, becoming aware of your "stuff", discovering your values and strategies for regulating ourselves, so we can then be more effective at supporting our children to regulate.

Michelle has had a diverse range of experiences in her working life, home schools her neurodivergent teen and is neurodivergent herself, thus she brings an immense amount of wisdom to share with us in this session. She has a passion for educating young neurodiverse people and is a big part of the changing landscape of education.

Follow the latest in the E-Gen movement here: 

Website * Facebook

.

Join Sammy Anne (Map the Maze) and Patricia Falcetta (Social Living Solutions) as they discuss Nurturing Neurodiversity; all the ways we can create a truly inclusive society.

Our passion lies in supporting whole families to navigate the challenges and revel in the joys of their neurodiverse children. A big part of this support entails advocating for changes within our systems and society, to ensure our children grow up knowing and loving who they are. No matter our ability, race, gender, sexuality, beliefs – we all deserve to be loved and appreciated.

We aim to educate, connect and inspire. We do this by sharing with you our stories, experiences and relevant research, along with neurodiverse voices through interviews and quotes with permission. We open dialogue on what we can all do to create positive social change.

With backgrounds in the education and allied health industries, as well as experience working directly with families, we work within AND continually challenge the existing systems we all operate under. We wholeheartedly believe that if we can all open our minds and our hearts, share the message of love and equity for all, that we will be part of creating a truly inclusive world for generations to come.

We hope you will join us on our journey.

Want to share your story? Have a guest you’d love us to interview? Questions you’d like us to answer?

Get in touch with us via your preferred means below! :)

.

Sammy Anne: www.sammyanne.com

Email: [email protected]

FB: www.facebook.com/SammyAnne.MTM

IG: https://www.instagram.com/sammy.anne.e/

.

Patricia Falcetta: www.sociallivingsolutions.com.au

Email: [email protected]

FB: www.facebook.com/sociallivingsolutions

IG: https://www.instagram.com/patriciafalcetta/

April Mack is a Strategic Business Consultant, a Trainer and Mentor, who lives in Canberra, Australia. Just as importantly, she is a parent to two beautiful people aged 11 and 9.

Join Patricia and Sammy as they dive into April's journey through the assessment process, diagnosis and beyond for her 9 year old son. We cover a range of topics, many of which will be familiar to our listeners who have also been through this journey, including: managing different expectations and approaches amongst family members; the relief and the fear that can be felt when receiving a diagnosis and what we can do about changing that experience for future generations; the challenges faced in our education system and the changes we would all like to see; balancing the household with neurodiverse and neurotypical family members; the changes we need in our medical and allied health systems and so much more.

This is a real and raw look into what so many families experience and provides lots of wisdom for those at any stage of their journey. 

Find April at the links below and discover more about what she offers in the business and spiritual intelligence spaces:

Website  |  Facebook  |  Podcast

.

Join Patricia Falcetta (Social Living Solutions) and Sammy Anne (Map the Maze) as they discuss Nurturing Neurodiversity; all the ways we can create a truly inclusive society.

Our passion lies in supporting whole families to navigate the challenges and revel in the joys of their neurodiverse children. A big part of this support entails advocating for changes within our systems and society, to ensure our children grow up knowing and loving who they are. No matter our ability, race, gender, sexuality, beliefs – we all deserve to be loved and appreciated.

We aim to educate, connect and inspire. We do this by sharing with you our stories, experiences and relevant research, along with neurodiverse voices through interviews and quotes with permission. We open dialogue on what we can all do to create positive social change.

With backgrounds in the education and allied health industries, as well as experience working directly with families, we work within AND continually challenge the existing systems we all operate under. We wholeheartedly believe that if we can all open our minds and our hearts, share the message of love and equity for all, that we will be part of creating a truly inclusive world for generations to come.

We hope you will join us on our journey.

Want to share your story? Have a guest you’d love us to interview? Questions you’d like us to answer?

Get in touch with us via your preferred means below! :)

.

Patricia Falcetta: www.sociallivingsolutions.com.au

Email: [email protected]

FB: www.facebook.com/sociallivingsolutions

IG: https://www.instagram.com/patriciafalcetta/

.

Sammy Anne: www.sammyanne.com

Email: [email protected]

FB: www.facebook.com/SammyAnne.MTM

IG: https://www.instagram.com/sammy.anne.e/

***CONTENT WARNING: In this episode we discuss child abuse, exploitation and predatory behaviour. Please use caution when considering if this episode is right for you. We believe it's vital to discuss these issues and bring them into our collective awareness, in order to better protect our children. We do cover key child safety themes and strategies, and we also encourage you to reach out for professional support.***

Caroline Ellen is a social worker and parenting coach, who believes all children deserve a childhood free to play and discover. With her raw, real and relatable style; she combines her personal and professional experience to help connect parents back to themselves and their children. 

Caroline is the founder of Safer, Stronger Kids and is on a mission to improve children's physical and emotional safety, through stronger parent-child relationships.

We really go to all the places in this interview; from the journey of Safer, Stronger Kids and it's key theme of body safety education for parents, to emotion coaching and the steps involved, to creating a family culture where no topic is "taboo", key safety tips to prevent child abuse and exploitation, in real life and online, what we really mean when we say our child needs to be "more resilient" and how we can foster their development in this area, and finally the changes Caroline would love to wave her magic wand to create in our education and allied health systems.

It's a long one, and we promise it is SO worth it! ;)

Find Caroline here: 

Website * Facebook * Instagram * Podcast

.

Join Sammy Anne (Map the Maze) and Patricia Falcetta (Social Living Solutions) as they discuss Nurturing Neurodiversity; all the ways we can create a truly inclusive society.

Our passion lies in supporting whole families to navigate the challenges and revel in the joys of their neurodiverse children. A big part of this support entails advocating for changes within our systems and society, to ensure our children grow up knowing and loving who they are. No matter our ability, race, gender, sexuality, beliefs – we all deserve to be loved and appreciated.

We aim to educate, connect and inspire. We do this by sharing with you our stories, experiences and relevant research, along with neurodiverse voices through interviews and quotes with permission. We open dialogue on what we can all do to create positive social change.

With backgrounds in the education and allied health industries, as well as experience working directly with families, we work within AND continually challenge the existing systems we all operate under. We wholeheartedly believe that if we can all open our minds and our hearts, share the message of love and equity for all, that we will be part of creating a truly inclusive world for generations to come.

We hope you will join us on our journey.

Want to share your story? Have a guest you’d love us to interview? Questions you’d like us to answer?

Get in touch with us via your preferred means below! :)

.

Sammy Anne

Website * Email * Facebook * Instagram

.

Patricia Falcetta

Website * Email * Facebook * Instagram

Joanne Holbrook is an author, professional keynote speaker, parenting advocate and entrepreneur. Through her friendships, book and speaking events, she shares parenting stories to help build positive, values-based families around the world.

Having lived in 5 different countries and across several states in the U.S., Joanne has a broad range of experiences and immense wisdom to share, especially when it comes to how much our similarities as parents outweigh our differences.

Join us in this rich and diverse conversation, as we explore how to have more curiosity and value that over judgement, how to understand our personal values and combine with those of our other family members to create a strong values-based family culture, why comparison is a waste of time and many other lessons from Jo's life!

We highly recommend seeking Jo out in all the places, find some handy links here:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yourpassporttoparenting

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/your_passport_to_parenting/

Find Jo's book on Book Depository here, or Audible here.

.

Join Patricia Falcetta (Social Living Solutions) and Sammy Anne (Map the Maze) as they discuss Nurturing Neurodiversity; all the ways we can create a truly inclusive society.

Our passion lies in supporting whole families to navigate the challenges and revel in the joys of their neurodiverse children. A big part of this support entails advocating for changes within our systems and society, to ensure our children grow up knowing and loving who they are. No matter our ability, race, gender, sexuality, beliefs – we all deserve to be loved and appreciated.

We aim to educate, connect and inspire. We do this by sharing with you our stories, experiences and relevant research, along with neurodiverse voices through interviews and quotes with permission. We open dialogue on what we can all do to create positive social change.

With backgrounds in the education and allied health industries, as well as experience working directly with families, we work within AND continually challenge the existing systems we all operate under. We wholeheartedly believe that if we can all open our minds and our hearts, share the message of love and equity for all, that we will be part of creating a truly inclusive world for generations to come.

We hope you will join us on our journey.

Want to share your story? Have a guest you’d love us to interview? Questions you’d like us to answer?

Get in touch with us via your preferred means below! :)

.

Patricia Falcetta: www.sociallivingsolutions.com.au

Email: [email protected]

FB: www.facebook.com/sociallivingsolutions

IG: https://www.instagram.com/patriciafalcetta/

.

Sammy Anne: www.sammyanne.com

Email: [email protected]

FB: www.facebook.com/SammyAnne.MTM

IG: https://www.instagram.com/sammy.anne.e/