Angus was one of 15 aspiring Autistic journalism students who featured on ABCs ‘The Assembly’ last year. The students experienced an accessible course designed with the help of Aspect’s Autism Friendly team. They were mentored by Leigh Sales, and over the course of seven episodes got to interview Australian icons from Delta Goodrem to Anthony Albanese. Angus is one of several participants who have boosted their career since completing the course.
What was the highlight from your experience on the assembly?
One of the major highlights was getting the chance to meet Hamish Blake, one of my childhood “heroes”. We got along so well and I was actually asked afterwards if I’d met him before because of our banter straight off the bat! Also having the opportunity to meet a whole bunch of incredible like-minded people and bonding with them over this insane shared experience.
Are there any challenges you face in the workplace or community that you wish more people understood?
I am very fortunate to have found myself in a couple of workplaces lately that are beyond accepting and appreciative of me being there. I’ve had a couple of past jobs that made me feel incapable and unwanted and as I’ve matured, I’ve learnt that I deserve better and to look for the good places.
What was school like?
I really do feel that being a part of an Aspect school when I was younger helped a lot in shaping me into the young adult I am today. It was great because we still had that shelter and support we may have needed at times while dealing with the chaos of high school but also enough freedom to be with our mainstream peers when we felt socially confident. It was a very good mix to have during those years.
How do you describe being Autistic in your own words?
I do still struggle a lot sometimes to produce the right reaction or read emotions in a conversation and it has led to some very awkward moments, even with my closest friends. It’s very rare that I am able to forge a proper deep emotional connection with someone. I have very few close friends and have never been in a relationship as a result of this. There are however plenty of positives to being Autistic. My attention to detail in tasks I’m interested in has always been something I’ve been very proud of. My recollection skills and knowledge in a variety of different areas have also proved to be very useful in my life. To be honest, for me, the positives do outweigh the negatives. Autism is all I’ve ever known and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
What is something you wish everyone knew about Autism?
The fact that no two people on the spectrum are exactly the same. Sure, more often than not there are similar behaviours and special interests but as a whole, autism affects everyone so incredibly differently! There are also a lot of stereotypes to do with the personality of someone who is Autistic being cold and emotionless but the majority of people I’ve met on the autism spectrum are some of the most bright, happy, funny and most importantly, empathetic people I’ve ever met. More often than not, I would actually say Autistic people can almost be TOO emotional rather than completely emotionless so I’ve never understood that particular assumption personally.
Can you share something you’re really passionate about?
I’m very passionate about being able to advocate for yourself. Everyone should have a voice and the right to share their stories, their journey, their emotions. One thing I love about doing radio is sometimes you get the chance to talk to a person and reveal a bit of their inner complexity.
What are your dreams or goals for the future?
I’ve always wanted to work in media and depending on which route I end up going down, there’s two jobs that I would consider to be an absolute dream come true for me. If we’re talking radio, I’ve always thought of being a presenter at triple j as being the coolest job ever and now that I’ve had the chance to experience being in that workplace, my theory has completely been confirmed. Apart from that, my major dream in life has always been to hopefully become a live sports announcer one day. Whether it be play-by-play commentating or being a PA announcer hyping up and introducing the players for a screaming home crowd. I feel like I would absolutely thrive doing a gig along those lines one day, quite similar to what I’ve already been doing at the Aspect’s Combined Schools Sports Carnival.
If you could spend a day doing anything you want, what would it be?
My perfect day would be going on a road trip to a beautiful place with a person or people I love, listening to our favourite songs on the way, checking in to a campsite or cabin for the night and having a drink and listening to more music while watching the sunset. Bonus points if there’s cricket, rugby league or maybe motor racing on that day to have on in the background too, like either on the tv or streaming on my phone. Some of my favourite memories are based around moments just like that.
What are you most proud of about yourself?
Where I am in my personal and professional life right now. I decided at the start of the year that I needed to get a move on and chase the next step in my career. I’m so proud of myself for making that move but I never ever would’ve expected it would lead me this far by the end of the year.
