00:00:13
S1: Ben. Hank has just written a book and he'd like to share his story with us. Ben, welcome. Thanks so much for your time.
00:00:19
S2: Thank you Peter. Thanks for the opportunity.
00:00:21
S1: There's so much to tell in your life so far. Tell us a little bit about your early days. You were bullied at school.
00:00:28
S2: Yeah, I had challenges. I didn't get diagnosed with autism until I was about 17, so I had quite a few challenges. I had speech difficulties, which I know my mum was able to help me along with a speech therapist, to overcome. I had difficulties being able to walk properly. I walked on my toes a lot, so I was facing the risk of not being able to walk. I had fine and gross motor skill damage as well as people. If they read my book, will clearly read that my mum played a really big role in helping me to overcome those things. In terms of school, yeah, I had quite a lot of challenges, both in terms of bullying, mistreatment, not quite knowing how to fit in and not really quite being able to fit in. So there was quite a lot of challenges.
00:01:10
S1: And I guess at that young age, you want to be cool and fit in with the crowd, don't you?
00:01:14
S2: Yeah, most of the time. Yeah. I mean, you want to kind of be able to fit in in some way. Yeah. Sure.
00:01:19
S1: Yeah. Now, you talked about your mum and already we've got to know that she's obviously a pretty special person. She found something that changed your life, as you say, when you were 17.
00:01:28
S2: Yeah. So I got diagnosed with autism level one. That's what they call it today. It was back then. It was Asperger's. Yeah. She went on a journey and found an organization called Gold Coast Recreation and Sport and Special Olympics. And yeah, pretty amazing journey. Ever since I've played two sports in my country, soccer and cricket, I travel around the world as a as an advocate. I've worked with Special Olympics both here and globally. I've been involved with Gold Coast Recreation and Sport for about 18 years. And yeah, and I work with both companies now. So my life's been transformed in a really positive way.
00:02:05
S1: What about that side of things? We interested in sport. When your mum found this place on the Gold Coast for sport and recreation, was that something you were interested in or was that again, something out of your comfort zone?
00:02:15
S2: I was encouraged to play sport and to try out sport from a pretty young age. At home it was quite a lot of fun, but in terms of mainstream sport, it was quite a lot of challenges. Kind of not that different to school, just a lot of mistreatment, misunderstanding, not really the right sort of environment. But the passion for sport was there because my family is a sporty family, so it really kind of just suited right away.
00:02:40
S1: So your mum found the Gold Coast Club. What about people there? Were they welcoming of you straight away because, as you said, you'd had a bit of trouble fitting in. Were they welcoming of you and that you kind of feel their friendship straight away?
00:02:52
S2: Definitely. It was very welcoming, understanding, accepting community both at Rec and Sport and Special Olympics. And a lot of that's just because all the families and people with disabilities have been through similar things. If I was acting a bit funny or a bit strange or someone else was, it wasn't that sort of rejection or why can't your child fit or why can't your child get along? There was a lot of acceptance also in terms of Special Olympics, our structure is very much on all types of ability. So we have the visioning where we division, people on ability and that sort of stuff. So that really helped as well. And it was a lot of good experiences, a lot of support and a lot of understanding, a place to belong and an opportunity to achieve, which was really good.
00:03:38
S1: We need more of that in the world, don't we, Ben?
00:03:40
S2: Oh yeah. 100%.
00:03:41
S1: As you said, you played for your country in sport. Which sports did you do and what was that like?
00:03:45
S2: Yeah, I played football or soccer and cricket. Yeah. Amazing. I went to a couple of special Olympic World Games in Ireland, in Shanghai, and there about 196 countries that are involved in Special Olympics. So every country was there, 8000 seat opening ceremony. You got the Kennedy family, you got ESPN, you've got Arnold Schwarzenegger, you've got Maria Shriver, you got Chris Pratt. Yeah, just amazing experiences, high quality events. And yeah, just stuff that stays with you for the rest of your life.
00:04:17
S1: I love the way just casually name drop like that, Ben. Very impressive. You've also spoken publicly to some pretty big events and impressive people themselves, haven't you?
00:04:26
S2: Yeah. I spoke at the Lions International Convention in Hamburg in 2013 in front of 2000 people sat on the board of directors of Special Olympics International with Didier Drogba, Chris Pratt, Maria Shriver, Tim Shriver. I've done quite a lot of advocacy over the years in quite a lot of different places, which has been really good. But I mean, as much as I've done that, my passion has always been the grassroot level as much as those things as well.
00:04:54
S1: That's a great way to put it. What's it like speaking in front of 20,000 people, Ben? Do you get nervous? Do you kind of not try and think about it? How do you handle that?
00:05:01
S2: Yeah, I was fine with it. Yeah. I didn't have a real struggle at that point. And again, a lot of that reflection of being in that sort of supportive, empowering sort of environment and finding a good place to have belonging and respect. So I didn't really struggle. I know obviously other people might find it a bit daunting, but I didn't find it that daunting.
00:05:23
S1: Tremendous. Now, what about the book? Whose idea was that? And it's out now with a really good title as well, the book, hasn't it?
00:05:30
S2: Yeah, it's called reason for Hope. Yeah, that was my idea. I found over the years, working in and being involved in the disability space that families and I certainly know they're going through it now with potential changes to the NDIS. They face a constant battle with a negative narrative about their child, both from start to diagnosis. It goes through in school. It still exists in society. As much as we talk about inclusion and big funding programs like the NDIS, but we still have this sort of challenge. I was trying to write a book, so each chapter is a letter to a family trying to raise someone like me, and it's got a subject and it's got some guidance, some lessons, some stories from my life, some stuff that I've seen. It's not designed to be prescriptive. It's more designed just to give some guidance and feedback, and also to try and instill into that family a sense of hope that, okay, things are challenging. They probably at times will continue to be challenging. It will be at times a unique journey or maybe a different journey, but it still doesn't mean that your child doesn't have value or can't contribute. And I just think that's very important in today's society, particularly at the moment with what's going on with the NDIS. I just think families are probably going to start to feel that I'm going to be left on, on my own sort of feeling happening again.
00:06:58
S1: And your book is so powerful because it comes from someone with lived experience. That's not someone, an academic or someone that thinks, oh, look, read this. I'll be able to help you as a parent. You've lived it.
00:07:07
S2: Yeah. And it's certainly not telling that everything was wonderful for me either. So I think that's important to make that sort of clear. But yeah, you're right. It's somebody with lived experience trying to give some advice and guidance.
00:07:21
S1: Are you pleased with the way the books turned out. It's probably a silly question. Of course you are. But have you had a little bit of feedback from it? Even early stages as far as people saying, gee, you know, I've really got something out of this or this really, uh, point that you made really hit home with me. Have you had that sort of response?
00:07:36
S2: Yeah, quite a lot of people said to me that they really like the clarity in the book. They really liked the messages. They actually felt that it's not just for families raising people with disabilities. It could be for all families. And they think it's a really good teaching sort of guide or something that people can use to really learn from. Yeah, I've heard quite a lot of good feedback so far.
00:07:57
S1: How does that make you feel?
00:07:58
S2: That's exactly what I was hoping people would get out of it with the book. So it feels tremendous.
00:08:04
S1: It should be very proud. What about looking back on your life? Do you sometimes reflect and think, 017 all this bad stuff was happening around me. You know, you probably didn't know how life was going to turn out. Now, not in a sense. Too many years later, you're doing all this really positive stuff. Do you get much time to kind of kick back and just sort of think about life then and now.
00:08:24
S2: Yeah, there are times where I think about that. And yeah, it fills me up with happiness and pride and that sort of thing. And yeah, obviously had no idea these sort of things would happen or those sort of doors would open. But yeah, what I'm hoping is that more of that sort of stuff could be available or could happen out there for all people, let alone people with disabilities.
00:08:46
S1: You're giving people reason for hope, Ben.
00:08:48
S2: I guess so, yeah.
00:08:50
S1: Yeah. I've been great to talk to you. We could talk to you for hours, but congratulations on the initiative and congratulations on all you've done. I mean, you've been through some tough times and come out the other end and there's a positive story to tell. So a wonderful role model, a tremendous ambassador, a fabulous advocate. Thank you for spending just a bit of time with us. We wish you well. And who knows, we might be able to cross paths again in the future.
00:09:10
S2: Thank you. Thank you for the opportunity.
00:09:12
S1: Ben. Hack their author. We'll put details about the book on our show notes. That is a really powerful story. And hopefully if you are a parent with a child with a disability, you can get hold of the book. And just hearing Ben for a few minutes today, hopefully it's given you reason for hope.
S1: Ben. Hank has just written a book and he'd like to share his story with us. Ben, welcome. Thanks so much for your time.
00:00:19
S2: Thank you Peter. Thanks for the opportunity.
00:00:21
S1: There's so much to tell in your life so far. Tell us a little bit about your early days. You were bullied at school.
00:00:28
S2: Yeah, I had challenges. I didn't get diagnosed with autism until I was about 17, so I had quite a few challenges. I had speech difficulties, which I know my mum was able to help me along with a speech therapist, to overcome. I had difficulties being able to walk properly. I walked on my toes a lot, so I was facing the risk of not being able to walk. I had fine and gross motor skill damage as well as people. If they read my book, will clearly read that my mum played a really big role in helping me to overcome those things. In terms of school, yeah, I had quite a lot of challenges, both in terms of bullying, mistreatment, not quite knowing how to fit in and not really quite being able to fit in. So there was quite a lot of challenges.
00:01:10
S1: And I guess at that young age, you want to be cool and fit in with the crowd, don't you?
00:01:14
S2: Yeah, most of the time. Yeah. I mean, you want to kind of be able to fit in in some way. Yeah. Sure.
00:01:19
S1: Yeah. Now, you talked about your mum and already we've got to know that she's obviously a pretty special person. She found something that changed your life, as you say, when you were 17.
00:01:28
S2: Yeah. So I got diagnosed with autism level one. That's what they call it today. It was back then. It was Asperger's. Yeah. She went on a journey and found an organization called Gold Coast Recreation and Sport and Special Olympics. And yeah, pretty amazing journey. Ever since I've played two sports in my country, soccer and cricket, I travel around the world as a as an advocate. I've worked with Special Olympics both here and globally. I've been involved with Gold Coast Recreation and Sport for about 18 years. And yeah, and I work with both companies now. So my life's been transformed in a really positive way.
00:02:05
S1: What about that side of things? We interested in sport. When your mum found this place on the Gold Coast for sport and recreation, was that something you were interested in or was that again, something out of your comfort zone?
00:02:15
S2: I was encouraged to play sport and to try out sport from a pretty young age. At home it was quite a lot of fun, but in terms of mainstream sport, it was quite a lot of challenges. Kind of not that different to school, just a lot of mistreatment, misunderstanding, not really the right sort of environment. But the passion for sport was there because my family is a sporty family, so it really kind of just suited right away.
00:02:40
S1: So your mum found the Gold Coast Club. What about people there? Were they welcoming of you straight away because, as you said, you'd had a bit of trouble fitting in. Were they welcoming of you and that you kind of feel their friendship straight away?
00:02:52
S2: Definitely. It was very welcoming, understanding, accepting community both at Rec and Sport and Special Olympics. And a lot of that's just because all the families and people with disabilities have been through similar things. If I was acting a bit funny or a bit strange or someone else was, it wasn't that sort of rejection or why can't your child fit or why can't your child get along? There was a lot of acceptance also in terms of Special Olympics, our structure is very much on all types of ability. So we have the visioning where we division, people on ability and that sort of stuff. So that really helped as well. And it was a lot of good experiences, a lot of support and a lot of understanding, a place to belong and an opportunity to achieve, which was really good.
00:03:38
S1: We need more of that in the world, don't we, Ben?
00:03:40
S2: Oh yeah. 100%.
00:03:41
S1: As you said, you played for your country in sport. Which sports did you do and what was that like?
00:03:45
S2: Yeah, I played football or soccer and cricket. Yeah. Amazing. I went to a couple of special Olympic World Games in Ireland, in Shanghai, and there about 196 countries that are involved in Special Olympics. So every country was there, 8000 seat opening ceremony. You got the Kennedy family, you got ESPN, you've got Arnold Schwarzenegger, you've got Maria Shriver, you got Chris Pratt. Yeah, just amazing experiences, high quality events. And yeah, just stuff that stays with you for the rest of your life.
00:04:17
S1: I love the way just casually name drop like that, Ben. Very impressive. You've also spoken publicly to some pretty big events and impressive people themselves, haven't you?
00:04:26
S2: Yeah. I spoke at the Lions International Convention in Hamburg in 2013 in front of 2000 people sat on the board of directors of Special Olympics International with Didier Drogba, Chris Pratt, Maria Shriver, Tim Shriver. I've done quite a lot of advocacy over the years in quite a lot of different places, which has been really good. But I mean, as much as I've done that, my passion has always been the grassroot level as much as those things as well.
00:04:54
S1: That's a great way to put it. What's it like speaking in front of 20,000 people, Ben? Do you get nervous? Do you kind of not try and think about it? How do you handle that?
00:05:01
S2: Yeah, I was fine with it. Yeah. I didn't have a real struggle at that point. And again, a lot of that reflection of being in that sort of supportive, empowering sort of environment and finding a good place to have belonging and respect. So I didn't really struggle. I know obviously other people might find it a bit daunting, but I didn't find it that daunting.
00:05:23
S1: Tremendous. Now, what about the book? Whose idea was that? And it's out now with a really good title as well, the book, hasn't it?
00:05:30
S2: Yeah, it's called reason for Hope. Yeah, that was my idea. I found over the years, working in and being involved in the disability space that families and I certainly know they're going through it now with potential changes to the NDIS. They face a constant battle with a negative narrative about their child, both from start to diagnosis. It goes through in school. It still exists in society. As much as we talk about inclusion and big funding programs like the NDIS, but we still have this sort of challenge. I was trying to write a book, so each chapter is a letter to a family trying to raise someone like me, and it's got a subject and it's got some guidance, some lessons, some stories from my life, some stuff that I've seen. It's not designed to be prescriptive. It's more designed just to give some guidance and feedback, and also to try and instill into that family a sense of hope that, okay, things are challenging. They probably at times will continue to be challenging. It will be at times a unique journey or maybe a different journey, but it still doesn't mean that your child doesn't have value or can't contribute. And I just think that's very important in today's society, particularly at the moment with what's going on with the NDIS. I just think families are probably going to start to feel that I'm going to be left on, on my own sort of feeling happening again.
00:06:58
S1: And your book is so powerful because it comes from someone with lived experience. That's not someone, an academic or someone that thinks, oh, look, read this. I'll be able to help you as a parent. You've lived it.
00:07:07
S2: Yeah. And it's certainly not telling that everything was wonderful for me either. So I think that's important to make that sort of clear. But yeah, you're right. It's somebody with lived experience trying to give some advice and guidance.
00:07:21
S1: Are you pleased with the way the books turned out. It's probably a silly question. Of course you are. But have you had a little bit of feedback from it? Even early stages as far as people saying, gee, you know, I've really got something out of this or this really, uh, point that you made really hit home with me. Have you had that sort of response?
00:07:36
S2: Yeah, quite a lot of people said to me that they really like the clarity in the book. They really liked the messages. They actually felt that it's not just for families raising people with disabilities. It could be for all families. And they think it's a really good teaching sort of guide or something that people can use to really learn from. Yeah, I've heard quite a lot of good feedback so far.
00:07:57
S1: How does that make you feel?
00:07:58
S2: That's exactly what I was hoping people would get out of it with the book. So it feels tremendous.
00:08:04
S1: It should be very proud. What about looking back on your life? Do you sometimes reflect and think, 017 all this bad stuff was happening around me. You know, you probably didn't know how life was going to turn out. Now, not in a sense. Too many years later, you're doing all this really positive stuff. Do you get much time to kind of kick back and just sort of think about life then and now.
00:08:24
S2: Yeah, there are times where I think about that. And yeah, it fills me up with happiness and pride and that sort of thing. And yeah, obviously had no idea these sort of things would happen or those sort of doors would open. But yeah, what I'm hoping is that more of that sort of stuff could be available or could happen out there for all people, let alone people with disabilities.
00:08:46
S1: You're giving people reason for hope, Ben.
00:08:48
S2: I guess so, yeah.
00:08:50
S1: Yeah. I've been great to talk to you. We could talk to you for hours, but congratulations on the initiative and congratulations on all you've done. I mean, you've been through some tough times and come out the other end and there's a positive story to tell. So a wonderful role model, a tremendous ambassador, a fabulous advocate. Thank you for spending just a bit of time with us. We wish you well. And who knows, we might be able to cross paths again in the future.
00:09:10
S2: Thank you. Thank you for the opportunity.
00:09:12
S1: Ben. Hack their author. We'll put details about the book on our show notes. That is a really powerful story. And hopefully if you are a parent with a child with a disability, you can get hold of the book. And just hearing Ben for a few minutes today, hopefully it's given you reason for hope.
