Story By Jack Anderson – Your story Disability legal support
My name is Jack Anderson. I am a person with autism and a lawyer at Your Story Disability Legal Support (Your Story), a free national service that has been set up to support people who want to share their story with the Disability Royal Commission.
I know the difficulties that people with disability can face. As a person with autism, I found it hard to find employment. I found interviews challenging and often felt like I was being judged on personal qualities not relevant to the role. But I was also scared to tell employers that I had autism. Scared for what it would mean for my chances. Scared because I didn’t think people would understand it. Where I did find work, it felt like there was a barrier between me and success.
But since I started at Your Story and found a workplace that is willing to make reasonable adjustments and to learn about and understand disability, I have been able to realise my potential. I have been given the opportunity to display my skills and talents, to work in a welcoming environment, and to do good work. It has been rewarding and a relief. It has also been a privilege to support other people living with disability, and their families, friends, carers, advocates and supporters, to safely share their stories and ideas for change with the Disability Royal Commission.
All is not equal
Unfortunately, not everyone with autism has been afforded the same opportunities to fulfil their potential. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the unemployment rate for people with autism in 2018 was 34.1 percent. That is almost eight times the rate of people without disability (4.6 percent).
Earlier this year, Your Story held a webinar on autism and employment as part of a series that aims to provide a platform for people with disability and supporters to discuss topical issues and to raise awareness of the Disability Royal Commission. We learnt about the barriers that people with autism face when trying to find a job and heard our guest speakers’ ideas for reducing unemployment and improving Autistic experiences in the workplace. We believe it is important for the Royal Commission to hear about this issue, and the stories and ideas of people with autism, so that it can make recommendations to address it.
The Disability Royal Commission was established in April 2019 to investigate the mistreatment of people with disability in all contexts and settings, including schools, workplaces, jails and detention centres, group homes and family homes. The Royal Commission has been gathering information through research and public hearings. It has also been hearing the personal experiences of people with disability, and their families, friends, carers and advocates, through submissions, private sessions, and other forums. The Royal Commission is taking submissions until the end of the year and will deliver its final report to government by 29 September 2023, when it will make recommendations on how to improve laws, policies, structures and practices to ensure a more inclusive and just society.
Free support to share your story
A submission to the Royal Commission can be in any language or format, including artwork, poetry, or an audio or video recording. A submission can be a chance to be heard, to shed light on the systemic issues that people with disability face, and to influence meaningful change. It’s also a chance for those who’ve been mistreated to share their stories and be respectfully listened to. Sharing your story and ideas for change will help to inform the Royal Commission’s recommendations to government and ensure they reflect the needs and priorities of people with autism in Australia.
The Disability Royal Commission recently announced additional closing dates for submissions.
The closing dates are
• Electronic submissions (via email or web form) – to be submitted by 31 December 2022
• Hard copy submissions – postmarked no later than 31 December 2022
• Phone submissions – to be completed by 23 December 2022
• Submissions in Auslan to a Royal Commission staff member – to be booked by 12 December 2022
Your Story will be here to support you to share your story right up to 31 December 2022. You can contact us by phone on 1800 77 1800 (free call), via webchat or online form at yourstorydisabilitylegal.org.au, or by email at yourstorydisability@legalaid.qld.gov.au. We are open Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays) from ) from 8.15am to 4pm AEST. We will be open over the festive period.
Share your story
If you have recommendations to make or a story you want to share, whether it’s about your experiences with employment or anything to do with your experiences as a person with autism, or a friend, family member or supporter of a person with autism, then we can support you. We are a free national service with staff in every state and territory who are ready to support you or the person you care about to share your story in the way that’s best for you.
At Your Story, we can give free advice on the options for sharing your story. You can choose how you want your story to be treated by the Royal Commission and whether you share it privately or publicly. We can also give advice on which option might be best for you based on your circumstances, including how sharing your story might affect or be affected by ongoing or past legal matters or proceedings. If the experience of sharing your story is upsetting, we can also link you in with counsellors and other support services.
Big or small, every story matters
I am currently in the process of making a submission myself. Like some of our clients, when I first heard about the Disability Royal Commission, I was worried that my story might not be dramatic enough, but I quickly discovered that the Royal Commission wants to hear a full range of stories, particularly from people with lived experience of disability. If, like me, you have a positive story to share, that too is important. Sharing positive experiences can help give the Royal Commission an example of how things can be done better. No matter how big or small your story is and no matter whether it is a positive or negative story, you can contact us, and we can support you to share it.
