MORE than 12 months ago Bryce Pace put a post on Facebook calling on people to think before they mocked people with autism.
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Since then, the Brauer College year 12 student has become an advocate for young people with autism. On Wednesday Bryce won Victorian Disability’s emerging leader award.
The 18-year-old said in April last year he felt compelled to speak out on behalf of others who were considered “different” from mainstream society.
“The reason I started was I just wanted people to think before they said something,” he said. “I was tired of hearing austism as an insult in class.
“That triggered me to write the first Facebook post which revealed I am on the spectrum.” Since then Bryce has continued to advocate through VicSRC, Brauer College SRC, I CAN Network and through his Bryce Pace autism advocate blog.
Minister for Housing, Disability and Ageing Martin Foley said the awards recognised the real and profound impact individuals and organisations had made on the lives of people with a disability. He said it was important to recognise how hard people had worked to empower people with a disability and create a more inclusive community.
I was tired of hearing autism as an insult in class.
- Bryce Pace
