Beyond the Glow Community Meetup at Federation Square

 

Our community meetup at Federation Square was a wonderful opportunity for participants to build confidence, explore interests, and continue developing their pathways toward future work and learning.

We began our day with lunch at Café Injoy, where everyone settled in comfortably. While eating, we talked through each participant’s next steps in job exploration, upcoming schooling decisions, and progress with ASbA. This quiet moment together allowed for meaningful reflection and supportive conversation.

After lunch, we explored several interest‑based shops:

• Flight of Fancy

• The Gem and Beading Shop

These stores were a great way for participants to connect with the community through their personal interests. They were engaged, curious, and confident in asking questions and interacting with staff.

We then visited Little Trade & Co, a shop showcasing handmade products created by local Canberra makers. This was a particularly valuable stop, as many of our participants are creative and enjoy making their own items. Exploring this shop helped them see how their interests could grow into skills in small business management, pricing, selling, and understanding how handmade products are marketed.

We finished our day back at The Gem Shop, where participants excitedly chose and purchased gems, made even better by a 20% discount offered to them. This small moment of independence and decision‑making was a highlight for many.

Overall, the meetup provided:

• Community connection

• Confidence‑building

• Real‑world learning

• Opportunities to explore future pathways

• A safe, supportive environment to practise social and practical skills

It was a positive, engaging day, and we are proud of how each participant contributed, explored, and connected.