FutureTech Association Australia

A colorful geometric representation of a brain composed of various triangular shapes in shades of red, orange, pink, purple, blue, green, and yellow, with a small triangular shadow underneath.

Inspiring the neurodivergent minds of the future through STEAM (science, tech, engineering. arts & math) learning and social opportunities.

Team Size:
20
Location:
Australia
Founders:
Rebecca McCash
Program(s):

The Problem

It is no secret that the world is facing harsher more complex challenges than ever before. At FutureTech we believe that Autistic minds are key to unlocking solutions to these challenges. Australia is headed toward a STEM shortage in the coming years, and a US study found that Autistic people were among the most likely to choose a STEM major, but they were the least likely (out of all disability categories and non-disabled people) to ever make it to further study. 97% of Autistic people report facing educational restriction, 53% report being socially isolated and Autistic people are 6 time more likely to experience unemployment. It is clear that traditional schools are not meeting the needs of our Autistic students and mainstream opportunities are not equipped to support them. While there are many fantastic programs and initiatives addressing employment and social barriers for Autistic people, no one is talking about learning. And learning is where the world begins!

The Solution

FutureTech exists to break down these barriers. We offer students a safe space to explore their interests in STEAM with like-minded peers. Our social and learning opportunities are co-designed and co-delivered with Autistic people (our team is over 50% neurodiverse). Participants bring with them their NDIS funding to pay for the service delivery of our programs. We use their strengths and interests to teach them complex concepts such as coding, engineering, science and arts and foster values, debate and enquiry through the topics we explore (such as Climate Change, Threatened Species). Our goal is not to have participants walk away from us having learned something, but rather walk away questioning it. We are here to build the future, and this time we are building it for everyone.