The new SA Autism Strategy 2024-2029 aims to transform the lives of Autistic South Australians and their families. But what does this mean for the community, and why is it such a big deal? We sat down with Jack Herzich, who helped create it.
Eighteen-year-old Jack Herzich is helping shape a more inclusive future for Autistic South Australians. As the youngest member of the State Autism Strategy Advisory Committee, he’s bringing fresh perspectives from his lived experience to a nation-leading initiative.
What is autism?
Autism is a neurological developmental difference that changes the way an individual relates to the environment and people in it. Autism impacts the way an individual sees, experiences and understands the world. People with this diagnosis use a number of terms to refer to themselves: neurodivergent, Autistic, on the spectrum.
“It is a disability – we always have to remember that,” Jack says. “And it has ups and downs. People like to think of it as either a terrible thing or a really good thing, but it’s a mix, it’s a spectrum. I like to think that without autism, I wouldn’t see the world how I see it and I wouldn’t be where I am. Without autism I’d be a very different person and I’m very happy with my accomplishments and the person I am.”
Jack’s journey
Jack’s journey began with an autism diagnosis at seven, and he credits a “fantastic” supportive teacher for his positive early educational experiences. However, his transition to high school highlighted the need for greater understanding within the education system.
“A teacher came up to me and said, ‘Jack, you’re doing really good. I can’t even tell that you’ve got autism.’ And that was the start of discrimination against me for having autism,” Jack says. “This teacher’s words told me that he didn’t believe that a student with autism could succeed”.
Jack says this experience made him realise the level of discrimination that some teachers had against students with autism, and he even began to hate himself for having autism. “I went on to meet a lot of other students across a number of different schools who felt a similar way because of discrimination,” he says.
“It was only once I went to therapy that I understood that it was okay to have autism. In fact, I was actually quite proud of having autism. I like that it made me different. I like that it gave me a different view of the world. But it’s just that one comment can just make you spiral – especially from someone in a position of trust, like a teacher.”
Overcoming the odds
Now studying a double degree in Arts and Teaching, Jack aims to make a difference to the lives of other young Autistic people. “The need for understanding of autism within our educational sector is just so important,” he says. “I hope that by becoming a teacher, I can make an effort to bring this understanding.”
“Being a teacher really is just the start for me. I hope to work my way up through the educational system to be able to make real waves and further develop understanding.”
The numbers speak
Jack is one of a growing number of Autistic South Australians – it’s the state’s most common primary disability for NDIS participants, accounting for about 40 per cent.
More than half of all Autistic people experience poor mental health, with a suicide rate nine times that of the general population. They’re half as likely to complete year 10 than the general population, and three times more likely to be unemployed than other people with disability.
We talk to Maggie Rutjens, Principal Community Engagement Officer for the Office of Autism, who received an autism diagnosis later in life:
Why we need the SA Autism Strategy
None of these troubling statistics are directly caused by autism – they’re caused by how hard it is to be Autistic in a world that is made for neurotypical people. The SA Autism Strategy aims to change society to make sure it takes into account the needs of the Autistic and autism communities.
The Strategy isn’t just about helping Autistic individuals – it’s about fostering a more inclusive society that accepts them for who they are. By improving understanding and support for autism, the Strategy aims to create a community where everyone can thrive.
“The state government has always placed an importance on having people with autism working on the Strategy,” Jack says. The process involved extensive public consultations, with over 1,300 submissions from the community shaping the final document and was led by a committee that was made up entirely of Autistic people and/or their carers.
What’s in the SA Autism Strategy?
The Strategy’s three main pillars are clear: “Building knowledge, understanding and belonging. Those are the three main goals and they’re in order,” Jack says. “We cannot have understanding without knowledge, and we cannot have belonging without knowledge and understanding.”
The Strategy targets seven crucial focus areas to make these goals a reality for the Autistic and autism communities in South Australia:
- Pathways to diagnosis
- Positive educational experiences
- Thriving in the workplace
- Access to supports and services
- Participation in the community
- Access to health and mental health services
- Interactions with the justice system
Diagnosis is the key
The Strategy makes it clear that better pathways to diagnosis and support services can completely alter the lives of Autistic people, as well as significantly reduce the stress on families and caregivers.
Jack says access to affordable and timely diagnosis is critical to improving lives of Autistic people. “It’s very important, and it improves the experiences of Autistic people of all ages, especially in relation to difficulties in navigating and engaging in health and mental health services.”
Jack is one of five siblings who are all Autistic – four have been diagnosed and one is still waiting for their autism assessment. Jack says his youngest brother was “nonverbal for the longest time, although he clearly understood us”. Now he’s begun talking, and Jack says that it was his diagnosis that allowed him access to “these great programs to get the support he needs.”
High costs and long wait times have often prevented Australians from accessing autism assessments, leaving many without the diagnosis needed for essential therapies and support. “I’ve seen what the lack of access can do to someone with autism,” Jack says. “My second oldest sibling is undiagnosed, and that lack of understanding of who he is has clearly taken a toll on him.”
What’s next?
With the Strategy now launched, the next steps involve the State Government developing and implementing action plans aligned to the seven focus areas highlighted in the Strategy. The Strategy’s success will be measured through ongoing community engagement -including consulting the community on the seven action plans drafts to be developed- to ensure the Strategy remains responsive to the needs of the Autistic and autism communities.
The SA government has already begun implementing initiatives in line with the Strategy’s commitments. These include:
- Launching the ‘Autism Works in the Community’ grants program, which has so far funded initiatives worth $250,000 to promote workplace inclusivity and autism awareness training.
- Investing $28.75 million over four years to fund access to an Autism Inclusion Teacher in every public primary school.
- Establishing and investing over $4 million in the Autistic-led Office for Autism.
- Creating an Autism Inclusion Charter being rolled out across government.
- Launching the ‘AUTISM WORKS’ employment campaign.
- Bringing autism assessments onto school sites.
Jack’s hope for the future
“I hope this Strategy leads to a society which is inclusive to everyone, a society where everybody has an understanding of autism, a society in which people with autism are not treated as lesser and are not discriminated against,” he says.
After seeing his youngest brother flourish with the right therapies, Jack believes that “with the right support in place, anyone with autism can reach a level where they can do practically anything” – and he’s hopeful that the new Strategy is a step towards allowing every South Australian with autism to fulfil their potential.
In the meantime, he has a message for other South Australians on the spectrum: “Don’t let other people bring you down because you have autism, especially when those people lack understanding. The fact that you have autism isn’t a weakness.”
Note: We acknowledge that language is an important factor in identity and that there are those who prefer person-first language (e.g. person with autism), people who prefer identity-first language (e.g. Autistic person) and people who use these terms interchangeably.
Read or download the SA Autism Strategy 2024–2029 here.
Want more? These articles might be of interest:
‘Yes, I have Autism. But I am also Deanna’: SA’s goal to become the Autism Friendly State
‘Nothing about us without us’: Making a more inclusive SA for people with disability
