AUTISM COMMUNITY NETWORK (ACN)
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More about Steve

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Steve Drakoulis is a father of two wonderful children, one of whom is on the autism spectrum.

He has been working in autism support roles for many years, over 13 years, initially as a volunteer, before moving full time into roles supporting families impacted by autism conditions.

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.

In 2010, through his involvement with the Positive Partnerships workshops, he established a carers support group in Bankstown and within months others around Sydney.

By 2011, close to 100 families were connected through Steve for mutual support and he decided to leave the corporate world and establish a not for profit organisation to help families just like his own.

With the wonderful support of families in our network, the ACN was registered as a not for profit organisation in September 2011. It gained Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) status by the ATO and has been recognised as a charity. As at October 2019 we have over 1,650 families registered, comprising of over 4,000 individuals.

The ACN has only one objective – to help parents, children and adults on the autism spectrum, through our own capacity as parents, carers and individuals.

Steve is proud of the fact that carers have never had to pay to access support. While he has worked full time for the organisation from the beginning, he was only paid a part salary to enable ACN to exist; this continued until late 2018 when the ACN, with support from the Federal government, was in a stronger financial situation.  

​The ACN today provides support across 17 LGAs, with over 30 different support groups. It stretches from Richmond in the north to Wollongong in the south. We also recently expanded to Lake MacQuarie, Bathurst and Goulburn as a first step to supporting regional NSW.


2020: Nominated for Australian of the Year award

2019: NSW Government Community Service Award 
2019: St.George Community Group ACN   
2019: ACN Recipient of Autism Best Mates Peer award from Autism Mates
2019: St.George Community Group ACN

2019: ACN Local Business Award Outstanding Community Services 
2019: Citizen of the Year in Georges River

2018: ACN awarded Sydney Health Community Inclusion Award
2018: Lions club of Ku-ring-gai community award for services to the disabled.
2018: ACN Finalist in ​Sutherland Shire ​Local Business Awards
2018: Westfield Hurstville Local Hero award recipient 
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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 
2020 - current    Member National Panel to educate nursing professionals on patients with autism and intellectual disabilities
2019 - current    Member Access & Inclusion Group Georges River Council
​2018 - current    Associate Member Sydney Autism Community Lions Club
2017 - current    NSW Carers Representative with Carers NSW
2016 - current    Member Lions Club of Lugarno

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Advanced Diploma in Management
Diploma Community Services Work
​Certificate IV Training and Assessment
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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, MP Banks David Coleman
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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, MP Banks David Coleman
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International Lions Clubs Medal of Merit
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Lions club of Ku-ring-gai community award for Services to the Disabled.
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Phone: 02 9543 9036
Email: info@autismcommunity.org.au 
Street Address: Illawong Community Centre 
-1F, 273 Fowler Road Illawong NSW 2234 
Postal Address: PO Box 188, Riverwood NSW 2210
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INC 9896017
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