A Sydney panel on the line between autistic led and autistic co designed

Anita Aherne had a working definition of an autistic led program. Speaking at the Autistic Pride Day Symposium in Sydney on 9 June 2024, she said such programs, whether social activities or life skills teaching, are either led or advised by autistic people. The purpose was to avoid forcing conformity. “We want to make sure that the autistic person retains their authenticity.” In her account, keeping that authenticity reduced masking, and reducing masking improved mental wellbeing.

Kyriakos Gold, who hosted the session, put the opening question of the panel to her. Living on the Spectrum is where many families go to find programs, and Aherne described it as Australia’s very first national autism directory, launched about five and a half years before the symposium, and also as a media hub and news site. It began because many parents and carers did not know what services and supports existed. That role gave her definition practical weight, since a directory decides what families see. In October 2025, Amaze announced that Living on the Spectrum was now part of Amaze, describing it as Australia’s free national directory of autism specific services and supports and naming Aherne as its founder. Amaze said the directory would stay free and independent and that existing listings would not change. Its announcement did not set out listing criteria.