“As members of the autistic community we want to replace isolation, prejudice and misunderstanding with inclusion, citizenship and connection. We applaud the plan’s commitment to listen to our voices. We support the plan’s focus of working in partnership to celebrate our community and removing barriers that disable us.”
- Autism Plan Advisory Group member
1.1 Community attitudes
Action areas
We will improve wider community understanding and acceptance of autism. These are the actions we will undertake:
1.1.1 Continue to partner with autistic people and the autistic community to design and implement public education campaigns to:
- inform the Victorian community about the experiences and needs of autistic people, applying an intersectional lens
- promote the value of social and economic inclusion of autistic people.
1.2 Transport
Action areas
We will increase safety and wellbeing for autistic people using public transport. These are the actions we will undertake:
1.2.1 Encourage public transport operators to:
- continue taking part in Try Before You Ride events so community members can practise using different types of accessible transport such as stationary trains, trams, commercial passenger vehicles, coaches, and buses
- report on activities under their accessibility action plans to demonstrate how the actions make Victoria’s public transport system easier to use, including for people with non-apparent or non-evident disability
- maintain accreditation with the Communication Access Symbol
- include fair and equitable customer service outcomes for all people with disability in Customer Service Charters
- provide transparent and inclusive protocols to inform people with disability about emergency procedures
- ensure connecting pathways and wayfinding between bus interchanges and railway stations are direct and easily accessible.
We will improve disability inclusion in partnership with autistic people. These are the actions we will undertake:
1.2.2 Continue to support public transport operators to deliver programs developed in partnership with community organisations. These include:
- authorised officer training to improve passenger experiences for autistic people
- displaying the Communication Access Symbol and maintaining materials for staff to assist customers with different communication needs
- providing online resources to support journey planning, including route familiarisation
- disability awareness education and training so that operator staff are disability confident.
1.2.3 Continue to work with the Accessible Transport Advisory Committee. This committee advises the Minister for Public Transport and the department on providing public transport that is inclusive and accessible for all Victorians, including the needs of autistic people. An inaugural Chief Accessibility Advocate has also been appointed to support the Victorian transport network to improve accessibility.
1.3 Sport and recreation
Action areas
We will ensure all Victorians can participate in sport and active recreation initiatives that are high quality, inclusive and appropriate for autistic people. These are the actions we will undertake:
1.3.1 Support sport and active recreation outcomes for autistic people through continuing collaborations, programs, and inclusive participation opportunities and sustainable policies and business practices.
1.3.2 Apply universal design principles throughout sport and recreation infrastructure and program design and delivery to meet the needs for autistic people, such as providing sensory rooms or other initiatives.
1.4 Arts and cultural life
Action areas
Through the Creative State 2025 strategy, the Victorian autism plan and commitments under Inclusive Victoria, we will improve access to employment opportunities and the inclusion and participation of autistic Victorians in the cultural and creative life of the state. These are the actions we will undertake:
1.4.1 Review accessibility and inclusiveness across Creative Victoria’s business processes and encourage inclusive and accessible practices across funded creative industries organisations.
1.4.2 Offer dedicated funding streams, eligible to autistic Victorians, that provide funding for access requirements and are assessed by peers with lived experience of disability.
1.4.3 Improve access to cultural experiences through programs delivered by state-owned creative organisations such as autism-friendly cultural experiences and other accessible experiences.
1.4.4 Champion the content of autistic Victorians, through programs and events held by state-owned creative organisations and activity supported by Creative Victoria.
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