FAQs

Step up, because the world is not autism friendly. Walk 7k steps this May for the 70% of Autistic people experiencing mental health issues.

Join Walk for Autism, a virtual event that invites individuals, families, or teams to take on the challenge of walking 7k steps a day this May for 7, 14, or 31 days. This year's event runs from May 1 to May 31. 

The end dates vary depending on the challenge you choose:

• 7-Day Challenge: Walk 7,000 steps a day from May 1 to May 7.

• 14-Day Challenge: Walk 7,000 steps a day from May 1 to May 14.

• 31-Day Challenge: Walk 7,000 steps a day throughout the entire month of May, from May 1 to May 31.

Here's how to get involved and begin your walking journey:

1. Complete your sign-up by clicking here.
2. Personalize your fundraising page with a photo and share why you're running for autism.
3. Spread the word! Share your page with family, friends, and colleagues and raise funds
4. Start training and have fun!

The Walk for Autism 7k Step Challenge is a virtual event, which means you can walk anywhere in Australia! Whether you're strolling through bustling city streets or exploring scenic trails, the choice is all yours.

So grab your sneakers, enjoy the adventure, stay hydrated, and most importantly—have fun every step of the way!

Aside from challenging yourself (and your friends, family or colleagues), by stepping up and walking 7k steps a day this May, you will be helping initiate positive change so those on the autism spectrum feel accepted and understood.

Studies suggest that walking benefits both physical health and emotional wellbeing, and this year, we want you to Walk for Autism YOUR way.

Whether you choose to walk 7k steps a day for a week, a fortnight, or the entire month of May, the funds you raise will help support Autistic Australians and their families at all life stages.

Yes, even if you joined us in previous Run for autism events, we kindly ask that you sign up again to our new event. This is to ensure we have your correct address and contact details in case they have changed. 

Taking on the Walk for Autism solo? Here’s how to get started:

1. Sign up:

   • Go to Walk for Autism and click ‘Sign Up Now’. Choose ‘Individual’.

2. Enter your details:

   • Fill in your name, email, contact info, postal address, singlet size, and why you’re joining.
   • Click ‘Next’.

3. Set up your page:

   • Choose your distance goal and fundraising target.
   • Upload a profile photo.

4. Invite friends pop-up (Optional):

   • Invite friends, family and work colleagues to join your team or skip this step.

5. Make a self-donation pop-up (Optional):

   • Donate to start your fundraising or skip this step.

6. Customize your page pop-up (Optional):

   • You can create a Facebook Fundraiser, add a title and description, share your story, and set a reminder for self-donation. You can skip these if you want.

7. When you finish registration you can:

   • Log in to your page using the ‘Login’ button at the top of the page.
   • Add a photo and story if you haven’t already.
   • Set your distance goal and make your first donation.

8. Share your page:

   • Share your fundraising page link with friend's and family via email, text, and social media.

You’ll get weekly emails with fundraising tips and Walk HQ will contact you before the event! For more info, check out How It Works.

Joining the Walk for Autism as a Team or Community? Awesome! Here’s how to get started:

Step 1: Sign Up:

1. Go to Walk for Autism and click ‘Sign up now’.
2. Select ‘Create a Team or Community’.

Step 2: Create Account

1. Enter your details - Name, Email, contact info, Postal address, Singlet size and reason for joining
2. Click ‘Next’.

Step 3: Set Up Your Page

1. Choose your distance goal and fundraising target.
2. Upload a profile photo.
3. Click ‘Next Step’.

Step 4: Create Team

1. Choose a team name (this will appear on your team page and socials).
2. Set a fundraising target (default or custom).
3. Decide if others can join:
• Select ‘Yes’ to allow new members.
• Select ‘No’ to keep it private.
4. Add a team profile image, title, and description.
5. Click ‘Create Team’.

Step 5: Create a Community

1. Click ‘Create a Community’.
2. Enter a community name.
3. Add an image, title, and description.
4. Click ‘Next’.

Step 6: Invite Friends (Optional)

• Invite friends, family, and colleagues to join your team or skip this step.

Step 7: Make a Self-Donation (Optional)

• Make a donation to start your fundraising or skip this step.

Step 8: Create a Fundraiser (Optional)

• Share your page on Facebook or skip this step.

Step 9: After Registration

1. Log in to your page using the ‘Login’ button at the top.
2. Add a photo and story if you haven’t already.
3. Set your distance goal and make your first donation.
4. Share your page link via email, text, and social media.

You’ll receive weekly emails with fundraising tips, and Walk HQ will contact you before the event. For more info, check out How It Works.

Joining as a Team Member for Walk for Autism? Follow These Steps:

Step 1. Sign Up: Register as an individual at Walk for Autism

Step 2. Join Your Team

1. Accept the team invite you received OR find your team on the website using ‘Find a friend’ at the top.
2. Click the ‘Join Us’ button on their page.

Step 3. Personalize Your Page:

1. Add a photo and your story.
2. Make a donation to kickstart your fundraising and show your commitment.

Step 4. Share Your Page:

1. Share your fundraising page URL on social media, via text or email and encourage your team mates to do the same.
2. Encourage your teammates to share as well.

Run Together -Work with your team to achieve your fundraising and distance goals!

You'll receive weekly emails for fundraising support and a Walk HQ will be in touch before the event! For more information on how individuals, teams, and communities can work, visit: How It Works.

Everyone is welcome to join this event, regardless of abilities. We understand that not everyone can walk for their challenge, so please feel free to modify the activity to suit your needs.

Our goal is to ensure this challenge is a comfortable, safe, and enjoyable experience for you! If you're uncertain about participating, we recommend speaking with your healthcare provider to ensure it's right for you.

When you register you can set your own goal distance to suit your fitness level or ability or select 49k, 98k or 217k to complete within the month of May.

To manually enter your preferred step goal, follow these simple steps:

1. Log in to your dashboard
2. Under 'Fitness Activity,' enter your information
3. Manually input your desired step goal
4. Click 'Save'

Walkathons are annual events that take place at our nine autism-specific Aspect Schools. Participation is for our school communities only.

If you’re part of one of our school communities, then we’d love for you to jump on board for both events! You can choose how you’d like to be involved when you register and set up your online fundraising page.

The funds generated from Walk for Autism are unrestricted, meaning they are allocated to Aspect services where they are most needed. These funds contribute to various programs aimed at supporting Autistic individuals and their families. Some key areas of focus include providing access to diagnostic assessments, supporting our autism-specific schools, funding research initiatives, and fostering the creation of inclusive, autism-friendly environments. These services are critical in helping Autistic people to achieve their full potential and create greater wellbeing. This is especially important given that, because the world is not autism-friendly, 70% of autistic people experience mental health issues.

Click through to learn more about Your Impact.

Donations of $2 or more are eligible for tax deduction.

To add a cash donation, simply deposit the cash into your bank and then make an offline donation on your page. Here's how:

1. Log in to your fundraising page and click 'My Donations'.
2. Add the offline donation and the donor's details so they can receive a tax receipt.
3. Make a payment via credit card or PayPal to your fundraising page.

We’ve set up some security restrictions that prevent overseas donations. Don’t worry, though—our Walk for Autism team is here to help!

Just get in touch with us at 1800 AUTISM (288 476) or walk@autismspectrum.org.au