Sydney’s first autism dinner fights seclusion

With most autism support services directed towards children, Sydney's first dinner specifically for autistic adults hopes to combat isolation with life skills and new friendships.

The Adult Peer Support Evening is the first event of its kind in the city and brings together a group of autistic adults, to eat, drink and play games.

“I think when it comes to autism support, all organisations typically think of helping kids of the spectrum,” founder Steve Drakoulis said, who’s the CEO of the Autism Community Network.

“Everybody forgets that our adorable little kids grow up into lonely, isolated adults, and for the last couple of years I have received so many calls from adults asking, ‘is there anything out there for me?’”

“Really there hasn’t been… until now.”

For the dinner, adults arrive with their carer to a room underneath the general bistro area at Riverwood’s Club Rivers RSL in Sydney’s west.

While the excitement and sheer number of attendees don’t make for a particularly quiet space, the separate room is removed from the noisy raffles and large bar area upstairs.

It’s controlled, and the staff have been trained in how best to accommodate the group.

“We want people on the spectrum who routinely tell us that they feel isolated and lonely, for them to know that there is a place they can come to where they can meet other like-minded people,” Mr Drakoulis added.

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