Connecting & Empowering Women
At AQ, we know that social connection and belonging matter. Our Connecting & Empowering Women services and initiatives are designed to support autistic and neurodivergent women by creating safe spaces to connect, share, and build meaningful relationships.
Finding genuine connection and belonging can sometimes feel out of reach for autistic and neurodivergent women. Many share experiences of isolation, missed understanding, or barriers that make it harder to build and maintain friendships. We believe all women deserves the chance to feel connected, supported, and part of a community that values who they are.
Our Connecting & Empowering Women services and projects brings together initiatives created with neurodivergent women’s lived experiences at the heart. These provide safe, welcoming spaces where autistic and neurodivergent women can come together, share openly, and build lasting relationships. Whether you’re seeking social opportunities with peers or a chance to have your voice heard in shaping what connection should look like, these opportunities are here for you.
Connections4Women (18+) – Brisbane – South, Central Queensland, and Toowoomba areas
FREE social connecting groups for anyone who identifies as an autistic or neurodivergent woman (18+) living in Brisbane – South, Central Queensland, and Toowoomba.
Many autistic and neurodivergent women face barriers when it comes to making and keeping social connections. Connections4Women provides a safe, supportive environment where women can come together, connect with like-minded people, and create lasting friendships.
Facilitated with lived experience at the heart, these groups are all about:
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Building confidence and belonging.
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Sharing experiences in a safe, understanding space.
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Developing meaningful, supportive connections.
Continuous co-design is central to the program, ensuring it reflects the needs and voices of the women involved. Many women involved so far have highlighted the value of connecting with others who “get them”, finding a space where they can share openly without fear of judgement. Conversations have been robust, emotional, celebratory, and deeply supportive.
Who can participate:
You need to live in the Brisbane – South (click here to see a map of this area), Central Queensland, or Toowoomba regions.
Current Opportunities:
– Monthly Connections4Women groups running at Mt Gravatt for those in Brisbane South.
– Online sessions also available for those in Brisbane South.
For more information about any of these groups or to attend a group in Toowoomba or Central Queensland, please register your interest via the link below.
This service received funding from the Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing.
Past Connecting Women Services & Projects
Please note funding for these services has now completed and the below projects are no longer taking participants.
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Connections for Young Women (Jimboomba Region)
Connections for Young Women ran from 2025-2026, designed for autistic young women (aged 15-30) living in the Jimboomba, Beaudesert, and Flagstone areas. Facilitated by autistic women, for autistic women, these social groups and activations provided opportunity for autistic voices to be heard, and create supportive and safe spaces for open conversation. Feedback will help guide future supports in these areas. This project concluded on 30 June 2026.
This project was supported by funding from the Australian Government through Brisbane South PHN.
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Autistic Women Leading Change: Economic Security (Mackay Region)
Autistic Women Leading Change ran in 2026, designed for autistic women (aged 21+) living in the Mackay Isaac-Whitsunday region. The project invited autistic women to join small groups talking about employment, money, financial stress, and independence. Experiences shared during this project will help shape better supports for autistic women in the region but also provided a safe space for participants to connect with others and learn about local supports and opportunities. This project concluded on 30 June 2026.
This project was funded and supported by the Queensland Government through the Empowering Queensland Women grant program.
