Serco’s contact centre team in Dandenong are helping to drive autism awareness in the community starting with lighting up the Town Hall blue to support Autism Awareness Month.
Serco and City of Greater Dandenong Council have worked together on the campaign for a week starting from 3 April.
“We are so grateful to see the Council and local community support this important cause. Autism affects more than 200,000 Australians and the colour blue is associated with calm feelings and acceptance,” Serco operations director Bill Kanellis said.
Managers in Serco launched a ‘We Belong’ initiative last year, to help promote awareness and understanding of different types of disabilities experienced in the wider community.
“This initiative really resonates with our team as more than 18 per cent have a disability themselves. Each month we select a disability to recognise and fundraise for,” Mr Kanellis said.
“We try to align these to universally recognised days such as Autism Awareness month which runs through April.
“In the last 12 months we have supported Down Syndrome Australia, Amaze Victoria, RU OK Day, Cerebral Palsy and Alzehimer’s Australia with fundraisers for each charity, collectively donating more than $2,000.
“Our primary focus though, is to raise awareness which we do by sharing information about the disability and encouraging each other to share our own personal stories and lived experiences. This builds understanding and empathy, and has helped to create a positive and supportive team culture.”
Team leader Nicole Ryan has a son diagnosed with autism and understands the stigma he faces on a daily basis.
“My son has high functioning autism and as a parent, it’s about what I can do to raise awareness of autism,” Ms Ryan said.
“I want to help to change some of those misconceptions that prevent people on the spectrum from having the same opportunities in the workplace and in life as others.
“I’m so proud to be part of this team, and the sense of belonging that we nurture for everyone who works with us.”
The team will be wearing blue throughout April, as well as holding raffles and other competitions to fundraise for Amaze Victoria, the peak body for autistic people and their supporters in Victoria.
