2018 Christmas Post
2018 was another amazing year, Elon Musk launched a Tesla Roadster into space, either demonstrating Tesla’s new delivery system or that Elon Musk has too much time on his hands. Australia got a new Prime Minister, again, making the job of Prime Minister the most undesirable and short-term job in government and youth began to do parliament’s job by making their voices heard at student organised protests and in a lot of ways were doing a better job of representing Australia’s views, however, what did the year look like for the autism community? This year was pretty quiet for the autism community or at least that is what the media has us led to believe. This year like any other year was a busy one as we worked towards creating a more accepting and inclusive world for all and we did make it into the news every now and then. The year began when a young autistic student was beaten with a spanner after stepping in to help a peer. This may have only been one story however the autism community made me proud to be autistic as everyone once again banded together to educate the world about why this young man decided to step forward at that time instead of backing away. This was not the only time we came together though as the channel ten show ‘Skit Happens’ decided to air a comedy sketch making fun of both the popular television show ‘The Good Doctor’ and many autism traits. I am proud to be autistic as it means I can be associated with a community that cares for each other no matter their ability, race, religion or gender. It is sad to see that the wider world is such a long way from becoming truly accepting and inclusive of people of different abilities however I am filled with much hope as such a community as ours continues to grow.
For Bryce Pace – Autism Advocate you may have noticed the year was quiet online however this is not due to me taking a break from my work. Offline I have been kept busy with meeting various people and planning for the Recharge Rooms in Schools Program, a project I hope will benefit many young autistics and assist them in coping in the high sensory environment that is mainstream school. This project has taken up a lot of my time however there has been many other exciting things happening as well. I have recently started a Certificate IV in Disability which will equip me with the knowledge and the tools to better advocate for a more accepting and inclusive world. I have also had the pleasure of speaking at many events including the National Future Schools Conference, the Hamilton Business Association Gala Dinner, the Victorian Youth Summit and the DARU strengthening Disability Advocacy Conference, educating and changing the stigma surrounding the autism spectrum.
2018 has been a big year for us here online as well. Last year at Christmas our Facebook page had 143 followers and now at the time I am writing this we are one ‘like’ off from having 200 followers. We have also begun to gain more of a following on other social networks such as Twitter and Instagram and have had over 1,860 views from people from all over the world on the online blog. I would like to take this opportunity to thank every one of you for your support throughout the year and I would also like to welcome everyone who is new here, my work would not be possible without you. 2018 may have been quiet online for us however I can’t wait to share with you all the amazing things that 2019 has in store as I look to pilot the Recharge Rooms in Schools Program and I have also recently been nominated for a 2019 Victorian Young Achiever Award to just name a few.
I would like to end this post with wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and an amazing and safe New Year in 2019.
Bryce Pace
Autism Advocate, Blogger, Speaker
Help support young autistics and their families this Christmas
Tis the season of giving. Help support young autistics and their families by heading to brycepaceautismadvocate.com/donate and help me continue to support the young autistics and the families of the world. You can choose to donate in one of three ways, you can become a patron and pay a monthly subscription and receive a gift in return, you could help fund my book or you can make a one time donation to help fund some of my projects such as the Recharge Rooms in Schools Program. With your help I can keep costs down for schools and help provide young autistics with the resources and the support that they need, this includes keeping talks for schools and youth groups free and will also help fund the ongoing costs associated with my work such as keeping my website running smoothly. Merry Christmas and I look forward to working with you all in the new year to help create a world that accepts, includes and embraces people of different abilities.
