South West Autism Network receives $20,000 grants from CommBank Staff Foundation to support services

A community organisation in the South West has received a boost to support its work across the region. The South West Autism Network has received a $20,000 grant from the CommBank Staff Foundation, which will help the group in several areas. SWAN chief executive Nick Avery said the organisation was “absolutely rapt”. “The $20,000 is amazing, and it means that we will be able to expand some of our services,” she said. Half of the grant will be spent on a reprint of SWAN’s Autism Go-To Guides, which cover a variety of different topics helpful to people with autism in four different age groups. A sum of $5000 will go towards updating the organisation’s records management software, with the remaining funds to support an expansion of its resource library and to improve its sensory zone at various events across the South West. Commonwealth Bank area retail manager Narelle Jurss nominated the organisation to receive the funding, and highlighted her experience. “I see first-hand the difference the South West Autism Network, or SWAN, makes by providing vital support and resources to autistic individuals and their families,” she said. “This $20,000 grant will enable SWAN to reach even more families who may struggle to access these services due to the distance from Perth.” The grants are funded by the salary donations of bank employees, which are then matched by the company. Ms Avery said SWAN was grateful for Ms Jurss’ nomination, and for the grant. “Now on behalf of our community, it will enable us to make (our) services a bit more available to people, so that’ll be great,” she said.