More about Steve
Steve Drakoulis is a father of two wonderful children, one of whom has High Functioning Autism.
He has been working in autism support roles for many years, initially as a volunteer, before moving full time into roles supporting families with an autism spectrum disorder.
He has over 20 years’ experience in senior management roles, mainly in the service industry, and holds an Advanced Diploma in Management and a Diploma in Community Services Work. He is also an experienced trainer and facilitator, with a Certificate IV in Training and Assessment.
He became involved in autism support work following years of learning all he could to better support his son. As a stay home dad, he joined support groups, did courses, and took on volunteer work with organisations such as Autism Spectrum Australia (Aspect) and Learning Links. He has also served on every P&C or management committee at schools and preschools his children have attended.
In 2010, he was offered the role of facilitator for the Bankstown region with the Positive Partnerships program. This federally funded program required him to help that community set up two support groups and help them learn how to better advocate for their children.
He created this website initially as a means to preserve all the useful information he had gained during his time in that role.
Following his success at Bankstown, he was offered the same role with Positive Partnerships for the Northern Beaches. When that ended, he was appointed to the St. George area, and by 2014 he had been contracted to the role (of Key Local Facilitator) 7 times for different regions around Sydney
From his early days with Positive Partnerships, a network of families had begun to grow. They used the website and attended support groups Steve was facilitating around Sydney.
In 2011, Steve was nominated for an award at Aspect for his work with Positive Partnerships. With interviews on Sydney radio and word of mouth about the support groups, the Autism Community Network was taking greater shape.
At the start of 2011, 66 families were using the ACN. At the start of 2012, this number had grown to over 200. With the wonderful support of families in our network, the ACN was registered as a not for profit organisation in October 2011. It gained Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) status by the ATO and has also been recognised as a charity. As at July 2018 we have over 1,300 families registered.
We have only one objective – to help parents, children and adults on the autism spectrum, through our own capacity as parents and carers.
Steve is proud of the fact that parents never have to pay to access support. While he works full time to manage the organisation, he has for the last 8 years only been paid part time while he and the team work to bring the ACN to a stronger financial situation.
The ACN today provides support across 16 LGAs, with over 30 different support groups. It stretches from Richmond in the north to Wollongong in the south. We will soon be introducing Camden and Lake MacQuarrie among the regions we provide free support to the community.
He has been working in autism support roles for many years, initially as a volunteer, before moving full time into roles supporting families with an autism spectrum disorder.
He has over 20 years’ experience in senior management roles, mainly in the service industry, and holds an Advanced Diploma in Management and a Diploma in Community Services Work. He is also an experienced trainer and facilitator, with a Certificate IV in Training and Assessment.
He became involved in autism support work following years of learning all he could to better support his son. As a stay home dad, he joined support groups, did courses, and took on volunteer work with organisations such as Autism Spectrum Australia (Aspect) and Learning Links. He has also served on every P&C or management committee at schools and preschools his children have attended.
In 2010, he was offered the role of facilitator for the Bankstown region with the Positive Partnerships program. This federally funded program required him to help that community set up two support groups and help them learn how to better advocate for their children.
He created this website initially as a means to preserve all the useful information he had gained during his time in that role.
Following his success at Bankstown, he was offered the same role with Positive Partnerships for the Northern Beaches. When that ended, he was appointed to the St. George area, and by 2014 he had been contracted to the role (of Key Local Facilitator) 7 times for different regions around Sydney
From his early days with Positive Partnerships, a network of families had begun to grow. They used the website and attended support groups Steve was facilitating around Sydney.
In 2011, Steve was nominated for an award at Aspect for his work with Positive Partnerships. With interviews on Sydney radio and word of mouth about the support groups, the Autism Community Network was taking greater shape.
At the start of 2011, 66 families were using the ACN. At the start of 2012, this number had grown to over 200. With the wonderful support of families in our network, the ACN was registered as a not for profit organisation in October 2011. It gained Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) status by the ATO and has also been recognised as a charity. As at July 2018 we have over 1,300 families registered.
We have only one objective – to help parents, children and adults on the autism spectrum, through our own capacity as parents and carers.
Steve is proud of the fact that parents never have to pay to access support. While he works full time to manage the organisation, he has for the last 8 years only been paid part time while he and the team work to bring the ACN to a stronger financial situation.
The ACN today provides support across 16 LGAs, with over 30 different support groups. It stretches from Richmond in the north to Wollongong in the south. We will soon be introducing Camden and Lake MacQuarrie among the regions we provide free support to the community.
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2018: ACN Finalist in Sutherland Shire Local Business Awards
2018: Westfield Hurstville Local Hero award Finalist 2017: St.George Community Group ACN 2015 Nominated for ASPECT Volunteer Award 2014 Awarded International Lions Clubs Medal of Merit 2014 Nominated for NSW Disability Industry Innovation Award. 2013 Nominated for ASPECT Volunteer Award 2013 Awarded St.George Community Volunteer Award 2013 ACN Awarded St.George Community Organisation Award 2012 Nominated for ASPECT Volunteer Award 2011 Nominated for ASPECT Volunteer Award |
2018 - current Associate Member Sydney Autism Community Lions Club
2017 - current NSW Carers Representative with Carers NSW 2016 - current Member Lions Club of Lugarno ................................................................ Advanced Diploma in Management Diploma Community Services Work Certificate IV Training and Assessment |
MP Banks David Coleman, PM Tony Abbott, ACN President Warren Thompson
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Governor Marie Bashier, MP Mark Coure
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Minister for Foreign Affairs Julie Bishop
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Sutherland Mayor Carmelo Pesce, MP Miranda Eleni Petinos, NSW Minister Disabilities John Ajaka, MP Oatley Mark Coure
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Senator Mitch Fifield
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International Lions Clubs Medal of Merit
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