ADCET

Alison Nuske, PhD candidate at Flinders University, provides an overview of a systematic literature review exploring the experiences of transition to higher education for Autistic students, as reported by Autistic students and family members of Autistic students. Alison discusses the findings of this review and their implications for future practice in university settings to improve the first-year experiences of autistic students in higher education.

Using a bioecological theory model approach the review outlines the various interacting factors which influence the transition to higher education for Autistic students. Examining these systems highlights the complex nature of the transition experiences of Autistic students and the varying elements impacting on the first-year experience. The current study seeks to explore these complex systems by investigating the transition experiences of Autistic students in Australia.
The podcast provides information about Phase One of the study examining the barriers and facilitators to transition to university for Autistic students. Phase one of this study involves an online survey for autistic university students, family members of autistic university students, and professional/academic university staff members in Australia.
This research has incorporated input from Autistic community members in the development of research methods and research tools. This podcast discusses the processes involved and highlight the importance of involving Autistic individuals in the research process. Further information is also provided regarding current opportunities for participation in this study for Autistic students, their family members, and professional and academic university staff.

This podcast provides an excellent opportunity for disability practitioners, in particular university and TAFE disability services staff to hear about current research with implications for supporting Autistic students in their transition to university.
Disability practitioners will learn about the current evidence to inform best practice supports and services for helping Autistic students during their transition to university and considerations for potential barriers that may be impacting on disclosure and consequently on support provision. University disability services staff will also have the opportunity to find out more about the current research study and ways in which they, their fellow university staff, and their students can be involved to help us to better understand the barriers and facilitators for Autistic students in their transition to and first year of university in Australia.
View the original webinar: https://www.adcet.edu.au/resource/10293/webinar-transition-to-higher-education-for-autistic-students

Michele Toner outlines common challenges faced by students with ADHD in the tertiary sector and provides practical strategies for supporting students to overcome these challenges and achieve their academic goals.

The tertiary sector presents many challenges for students with ADHD. For those enrolling straight from school, the move requires the transition from a highly structured to a relatively unstructured environment. Whilst this can be liberating at first, the novelty soon wears off as the work builds up. For mature age students, challenges are different, as they are often juggling several commitments, including children and full-time work. Either way, students can become overwhelmed and feel tempted to withdraw. But there is much that can be done to make tertiary study ADHD-friendly. Ideally, changes need to occur on two fronts – the university/TAFE and the student. While the support available at university and TAFE is significant, students with ADHD need to learn the best way to utilise what is on offer and need support in developing self-awareness and self-advocacy. They are often reluctant to seek support for fear of stigma.
Michele Toner OAM has been supporting people with ADHD since 1995, starting her coaching practice in 2009. Her PhD investigated Uni students with ADHD. She is a faculty member of the ADD Coach Academy in New York where she trains coaches. Michele works to promote ADHD Awareness. She held inaugural board positions for ADHD Australia, and The Australian Association of ADHD Professionals (AADPA). She is Chair of the Board at ADHD WA and member of their Professional Advisory Body. In 2017 she co-authored “The ADHD Go-to-Guide” with Professor Desiree Silva. Michele was awarded an OAM in 2021 for her work in ADHD.
Watch the original webinar: https://www.adcet.edu.au/resource/10844/adcet-webinar-supporting-students-with-adhd-in-the-tertiary-sector

In this short podcast, Brandon Taylor, Mental Health & Wellbeing Strategy Manager at TAFE Queensland, provides an overview of what mental health is and how to strengthen it for everyday life.
Brandon presented six different areas (building blocks) of mental wellbeing and practical strategies and activities that can be used to strengthen them in everyday life.
In this podcast, mental wellbeing is defined as the unique way that you handle your emotions, respond to stress and also your general outlook on life.
Watch the webinar and view associated resources: https://www.adcet.edu.au/resource/10763/adcet-webinar-mental-health-what-does-it-look-like

This podcast is the audio adaptation of the ADCET webinar: Leveraging students’ voices to strengthen student support. In it, presenter Elizabeth Hitches, PhD Candidate at the University of Queensland, draws upon a study of university students’ voices to explore what makes for effective student support and the ways in which it can be enhanced and improved.
The findings revealed that effective support goes beyond the tangible; it is not simply accommodating students’ academic needs, but the feeling of personalised support and care students receive, and enabling student agency and empowerment.
Watch the webinar and further resources: https://www.adcet.edu.au/resource/11008/adcet-webinar-leveraging-students-voices-to-strengthen-student-support

This ADCET Podcast is the audio adaptation of a webinar: Managing complex and challenging mental health situations, presented by Brandon Taylor (Mental Health & Wellbeing Strategy Manager, TAFE Queensland).
Brandon focused on the small number of instances where a student’s mental ill health is so disruptive to their thinking, thoughts and/or behaviours that they are unable to engage and participate in their chosen courses.
The session worked through what this behaviour can look like and how best to manage situations where there is a lack of progress and/or unacceptable behaviour relating to mental ill health.