World Autism Understanding Week

Dr Seuss once wrote, ‘why fit in when you were born to stand out’, a gentle reminder to all of us to not be afraid of who we are and to embrace the things that make us different. Easier said than done, but being different is celebrated in an amazingly uplifting way on World Autism Understanding Week – in fact, autism has been regarded as ‘a different brilliant®’.  

It is estimated that 1 in 100 people in Australia has autism, but every autistic person is different from every other, and it is therefore described as a ‘spectrum’.  It is a condition that affects how a person thinks, feels, interacts with others, and experiences their environment.

Autism is a neurodevelopmental condition, not a mental health one, and although there is no known cure the skills that can be acquired in early intervention can provide a firm basis for ongoing skill development.

One organisation assisting those with autism is Aspect (Autism Spectrum Australia), a not-for-profit that is Australia’s largest autism-specific provider and works with our own Disability Services team to provide work experience for young autistic people.

Recognising the importance of embracing being different is one of the pillars of CatholicCare Sydney’s Disability Services team. Participants are reminded how good it is to stand out and embrace being themselves, to quote Dr Seuss again it is worth remembering ‘today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You.’

On World Autism Understanding Week, we encourage everyone to enjoy the things that make them uniquely individual and to take the time to appreciate the different aspects of others in their life and allow them to be their authentic self.

 For help with Disability Services at CatholicCare Sydney please visit catholiccare.org/disability-services/

 For more information about autism please visit aspect.org.au