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Category: Our Autonomy

  • Workshop: Meal Prep with Low Spoons

    Workshop: Meal Prep with Low Spoons

    A purple poster with text and a cartoon image of two spoons with smiling faces at the bottom. Heading text in a dark purple box reads “Meal Prep with Low Spoons”. Two white are circles below with event info. At the top left of the header box is a red flag with the text Repeated due to popular demand! The left circle has text reading IN PERSON Tuesday 29 September 11am-1pm, Denman Village Community Centre 5 Felstead Vista Denman Prospect. The right circle has text reading ONBLINE Wednesday 30 September 6-7.30pm Online via Zoom. A brown star on the top left of the In Person circle includes text Includes a free Lunch. Text below the circles reads With Margo from Whole Body Nutrition. Logo in bottom left corner: Whole Body Nutrition. All bodies and brains are worthy.

    We’re repeating this workshop due to popular demand! The new dates are Tuesday 29 September for the in person workshop and Wednesday 30 September for the online workshop. You can sign up via Eventbrite below.

    RSVP for In Person
    RSVP for Online

    A neuro-affirming workshop for those experiencing low spoons (energy) and other challenges in the kitchen.

    An event for women, non-binary and gender diverse people with disabilities.

    Hear from Margo from Whole Body Nutrition about;

    • How nutrition can support executive function
    • Why nutritional needs look different for everyone
    • Learn how to compassionately feed yourself without judgement

    Also:

    • Meal ideas for low spoon days
    • Look at easy, nutritious budget-friendly recipes
    • Make a ‘meal in a jar’ to take home- just add water and cook
    • Ideas to throw in the air fryer for a quick and nutritious meal
    • Receive a booklet with recipes and tips

    Online
    Where:     Online via Zoom – RSVP via Eventbrite for the link
    When: Thursday 20 August, 6pm – 7:30pm

    In Person
    Where:     DKB Hall, Hawdon Place, Dickson (next to Cafe Stepping Stone)
    When: Friday 21 August, 11am – 1pm

  • Workshop resource: Learn Burlesque

    Workshop resource: Learn Burlesque

    A black poster with red & pink stripes behind a cartoon woman. The woman is wearing a dress, long gloves, and a top hat with a rose on it. The WWDACT logo is in the top left. Text reads 'WORKSHOP/PEER EVENT. 11-3PM 18 JULY @ THE GRIFFIN CENTRE. Free Registration! LEARN BURLESQUE with Empress Eyrie.'

    This was Our Autonomy’s first joint workshop and peer event!

    Disabilibabes, get your sticks and strut your way over to this sexy soiree! Delight in disabled dance and socialise in sultry style!

    Make way for the Empress…

    The goddess of Badass! Putting the dynamite in dynamic disability; able to do a cartwheel one day and not even put on her socks the next! Sometimes strange, sometimes sensual, sometimes both, Empress Eyrie blends burlesque with performance art and storytelling to bring her soul to stages all over Australia.

    The proud owner and teacher of Tease-Able Burlesque School, the world’s first in person disability owned and focused burlesque school, she prides herself on making burlesque open and accessible for everybody. She adores being able to perform with her mobility aids and show the world that disabled people are sexy and deserve to be seen! Her commitment to accessibility and empowerment show the world inclusivity is liberation. An experienced artist, proud disabilibabe and all round magical creature there is nothing routine about her routines.

    This workshop & peer event included:

    • Learning a brief history of burlesque: where it came from, why we do it and how disability and burlesque intertwine in 2026.
    • Learning the fundamentals of traditional burlesque dance moves, as well as adaptive variations for different abilities.
    • Incorporating those moves into a short routine while you build your confidence and feel sexy in a safe environment.
    • This event was 18+ only.

    You can read & download the resources from this workshop below.

    Learn Burlesque – ResourceDownload
  • Workshop resource: Budgeting 102

    Workshop resource: Budgeting 102

    A purple poster with with cartoon images of a medicine bottle, coins, and a soup bowl at the bottom. Heading text on a white background reads 'BUDGETING 102: HOW TO with Kate from Moneybites'. The Moneybites logo is below. Below that is two white circles with text; the left circle reads 'IN PERSON Tuesday 7 July. Communities and Work - Denman'. The right circle reads 'ONLINE Wednesday 8 July. Online via Zoom'

    How to set up your finances, find a budgeting style that suits you, seek support, and superannuation basics.

    If you’ve been wanting to learn more about money, these resources are a must. In Budgeting 102, we tackled the following how-to topics:

    • How to get started with setting up your finances
    • How to save money and budget your spending
    • Find a budgeting style that suits you
    • Superannuation basics
    • How to seek support with your money if you get stuck.

    The Health Care Consumers Association joined us with tips on saving money on your medical bills.

    Communities at Work talked about their hardship support services for food, scripts and other essentials.

    You can download the slides and resources below.

    Budgeting 102 – Money Bites x WWDACT – SlidesDownload
    Budgeting 102 – Money Bites x WWDACT – ResourceDownload
    Budgeting 102 – Resource – Spending diaryDownload
    Stretching Your Health Dollar Resources 2026Download

  • Workshop: Disability and Your Rights at Work

    Workshop: Disability and Your Rights at Work

    A purple poster with text on while background. Heading text reads "DISABILITY AND YOUR RIGHTS AT WORK". Next line reads "with Canberra Community Law and the Working Women's Centre". Logo on left: Working Women's Centre ACT. Logo on right: Canberra Community Law. Two white circles below with text. Left circle text reads: 'IN PERSON. Tuesday 19 May 11am-1pm. Ainslie Arts Centre, Elouera Street, Braddon'. Text in right circle reads: 'ONLINE. Wednesday 20 May. 6-7.30pm Online va Zoom'. 3 cartoons at the bottom: left is of a hand pushing a 'REPORT' button, the middle is a building with the Scales of Justice at the front, right is of a person holding a sign that says 'EMBRACE EQUALITY'

    This was a workshop on disability discrimination law, disclosure and reasonable adjustments in the workplace. It also featured information on when to talk to a lawyer.

    This was a free workshop for women, non-binary and gender diverse people with disabilities.

    Canberra Community Law (CCL) and the Working Women’s Centre ACT (WWC) presented a workshop on how they help people with disability workplace issues.

    The workshop included:

    • Your rights on disclosing your disability at work
    • How to access your entitlements
    • Reasonable adjustments – how to get the things you need to do your job
    • Discrimination law
    • How to make a complaint through the Human Rights Commission
    • How to keep a record of your workplace concerns
    • Understanding workplace sexual harassment, your rights, and protections
    • When to talk to a lawyer
    • Where to go for help

    The resources from this workshop will be coming soon!

  • Submissions Open for Chronic Mischief Issue No. 2

    Submissions Open for Chronic Mischief Issue No. 2

    Calling new and experienced writers + artists to contribute to the second issue of WWDACT’s yearly magazine Chronic Mischief Issue No. 2!

    As part of the ‘Our Autonomy’ Project, we are seeking unpublished work by women, non-binary and gender diverse people with disabilities, with a strong focus on entries from people living in the Canberra region and surrounds.

    If interested in contributing, please read the 2026 submission guidelines to learn the requirements, vision, and deadlines for your submission/s. Here you will also be able to find Frequently Asked Questions. Audio read-throughs are available on our website.

    Entries are now open – they close on Wednesday 10th June 2026 at 5pm.

    For any questions or support need requests email magazine@wwdact.org.au with subject line “Magazine Query”.

    The ‘Our Autonomy’ Project is funded under the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing until June 2027.

    More information
    Submission Guidelines
    Email for Questions & Support
  • Workshop: Writing for Pride, Hope and Agency with Carly Findlay

    Workshop: Writing for Pride, Hope and Agency with Carly Findlay

    Cartoon notes tapes to an orange background. The note in the centre contains the text "Writing for Pride, Hope and Agency", followed by "A workshop with Carly Findlay OAM". A photo of Carly holding her book 'Say Hello' is to the right. The note to the left has text that reads "IN PERSON, 9 April, 11am-2pm. DKB Hall, next to Cafe Stepping Stone, Hawdon Place, Dickson". Another note below that says "ONLINE, 16 April, 6-8pm, Via Zoom".

    Join award winning writer and advocate Carly Findlay OAM for a special event. Whether you’re a novelist, blogger, write a journal, or simply interested in writing, you are warmly welcome to attend this workshop.

    We will look at;

    • Writing as connection with others with disabilities
    • Overcoming imposter syndrome as a writer and person with a disability/chronic illness
    • Writing for self-advocacy, for example a letter of complaint

    Carly is the author of ‘Say Hello’ and editor of ‘Growing up Disabled in Australia’. You can learn more about her at: carlyfindlay.com.au.

    If you have any specific dietary or accessibility needs to be catered for, please let us know ahead of time via the registration form or email us at community@wwdact.org.au and we can organise the event to be inclusive.

    In Person
    Where:     DKB Hall, Hawdon Place, Dickson (next to Cafe Stepping Stone)
    *Please note if navigating to the venue via online maps, use Google Maps for directions as other web maps have the incorrect location listed.
    When: Thursday 9th April, 11am to 2pm

    Online
    Where:     Online via Zoom (link provided after registration)
    When:     Thursday 16th April, 6pm to 8pm

    Register for In Person
    Register for Online

  • Workshop Resource: Working and the Disability Support Pension

    Workshop Resource: Working and the Disability Support Pension

    ACT Down Syndrome and Intellectual Disability Staff Angela and Gemma spoke about the Disability Support Pension and how working can affect it.

    Participants learned about:

    • What is the Disability Support Pension (DSP)
    • How much money people can get on the DSP
    • Pension changes when you get money from a job
    • Reporting to Centrelink.

    Ask any questions you may have.

    Canberra Community Law were also there to talk about their role in appeals for the Disability Support Pension application process.

    Slides:

    About the Disability Support Pension Slides Download

    Resources:

    Easy Read Factsheet – Your Rights at WorkDownload
  • Our Autonomy Survey

    Our Autonomy Survey

    Complete the Our Autonomy 2026 Survey
    A photo of women and non-binary people sitting in a cafe with text imposed. Text reads: Inform 2026's WWDACT events Complete the 2026 'Our Autonomy' survey We want to put on events you'll get excited about. Can't wait to learn what Peer Events and Workshops you want to be a part of!

    Women with Disabilities ACT (WWDACT) is more than a year through delivering the Our Autonomy Project, which is funded until 2027. It is being run by people with disabilities, for people with disabilities to build skills, knowledge, confidence and community.

    Our Autonomy includes 3 parts:

    1. Peer social events
    2. Information and skill building workshops
    3. Publishing a yearly magazine

    This survey is for you if you’re a woman or non-binary person with disabilities who wants to come to our events in 2026! You can complete the survey even if you haven’t attended a WWDACT event yet.

    We want your help to choose our events and activities, so they will suit you!
    This survey will take approximately 10 minutes to complete.

    If you would like to complete this survey in another way (by phone, paper copy, over Zoom, or in person) please let WWDACT know by emailing community@wwdact.org.au or text 0468 324 695.

    Please note our office will be shut down between 19 December 2025 and 12 January 2026 – but we will respond to you by late January.

    You can fill out the WWDACT 2026 Our Autonomy Survey by following the link to SurveyMonkey below.

    Complete the Our Autonomy 2026 Survey
  • Workshop Resource: Budgeting 101 and Disability

    Workshop Resource: Budgeting 101 and Disability

    Purple poster with a cartoon piggy bank in the bottom left, and cartoon credit cars & bills in the bottom right. Heading text reads "Budgeting 101 with Disability with CARE Financial". Two circles with text below reads "Online Monday 17 November 6.00- 7.30pm Online via Zoom". Second circle text reads "In person Wednesday 19 November 1pm lunch 1.30pm- 3pm workshop, Ainslie Arts Centre, Braddon".

    Event Details

    An empowering workshop to identify existing skills and build knowledge to assist with budgeting for life.

    Living with disabilities creates extra financial challenges.

    This empowering workshop helped people identify their existing skills to assist with budgeting for life.

    This workshop included:

    • Feelings around finances and budgeting
    • How to track income and expenses
    • Budgeting apps
    • Essential budgeting skills
    • Share neuroaffirming success tips

    Slides:

    Budgeting 101 SlidesDownload

    Resources:

    Community Orgs that offer vouchersDownload
    Community PantriesDownload
  • Workshop Resource: Living well and thriving as a neurodivergent person

    Workshop Resource: Living well and thriving as a neurodivergent person

    This was a neuro-affirming workshop on physical activity, mental wellbeing, sleep and nutrition for those with differences in communication, habits,

    It was for all neurodivergent people: including anyone who experiences differences in memory, motivation, habit formation, energy, focus, circadian cycles, social communication, and sensory processing.

    Ebe shared neuro-affirming and tailored information about:

    • physical activity and exercise
    • mental wellbeing, and
    • sleep

    Margo from Whole Body Nutrition is a neuro-affirming Practicing Nutritionist and shared information on cultivating a healthy relationship with food and sensory feeding differences.

    Slides:

    Living Well and Thriving as a Neurodivergent Person SlidesDownload
    The Basics: Neurodivergence and Relationship to Food and Eating SlidesDownload

    Resources:

    Resource – Lived experience blog, Too much and exactly enoughDownload
    Resource – Wellbeing Green FlagsDownload
    Resource – Wellbeing Reflection Activity PackDownload