About KTalk and Kerryn Burgoyne
Kerryn Presenting
Download a PDF Brochure about KTalk
If providing food for Kerryn, please take note she has a restricted diet: Foods Kerryn Eats
Kerryn Burgoyne has Asperger′s Syndrome, and since 2007 has spoken, taught and helped people with Asperger′s Syndrome, their parents/carers/teachers & families.
KTalk started as an idea in January 2007, and the dream became a reality later that year.
During 2006-2007, Kerryn completed a Cert IV in Workplace Training and Assessment. She then completed a Leadership Training course in public speaking in 2008 and since then Kerryn has given presentations to support groups, Living and Learning Centres, forums, and Autism Schools. She has also educated teachers/parents/carers/integration aides/primary & high school children & lectured University students.
Kerryn travelled to Townsville in March 2009 to run KTalk′s first seminar on Employment issues for people with Asperger′s Syndrome over 2 days.
In early 2008, Kerryn wrote a course called "Aspektism" for parents, carers and teachers of adults with Asperger′s Syndrome. Aspektism now has a supplement course called Workism. Both of these courses, along with 4 other courses provided by this organisation are available under the Courses section.
In July 2009, Kerryn embarked on a trial run with Aspektism/Workism course at On Call Personnel′s training rooms for the first time in Camberwell Victoria. It was given the thumbs up by parents and teachers who attended the course. In November 2010, the Aspektism for Adults course was run successfully at Diamond Valley Learning Centre (http://www.dvlc.org.au) and it was thought that such a tool would not being seen and used in the wider community. Well it has! Kerryn ran a full class at DVLC over 3 weeks that month and was a great success!
Both the Aspektism for Adults & Aspektism for Kids courses have now been successfully run at DVLC and are now considered valuable resources tools for the community.
Kerryn is highly passionate about educating the wider public on living with this disorder.
Kerryn speaks not from an academic perspective but from personal experience and great credibility.
About Kerryn′s Asperger′s Syndrome Experience
Kerryn was born with Asperger′s Syndrome and it wasn′t known back in the 70′s, 80′s or early 90′s. She was diagnosed with the disorder at the age of 30 in October 1998. Prior to that, she went around not knowing what was wrong with her and what the name of the condition was.
Kerryn′s story in her own words:
"I didn′t cope with school or the constant teasing that came with it everyday. Academically I got through ok!.
I didn′t fit into society. I didn't have a purpose in life, nor did I know about my disorder so that I could own up to the mistakes I had made previously and correct the situation/s at hand.
I didn′t link action with consequence, so therefore had to re-learn how to connect with the community & myself again.
I learnt independent living/life skills and can make my own decisions about what I want to do for myself, not rely upon other people to do this for me. I now thrive for life and love the challenges that it throws at me, and are always keen to do things outside the square that people never do themselves. I′ve stepped out of my comfort zone into the unknown.
I have had a remarkable, extremely difficult but wonderful life journey so far and look forward to the next step of where life takes me."