The Good Life: Andrew

My name is Andrew but some people call me Drewstar!

I am 27 years old and I live at home with my parents and my puppy Maisy.

After I finished school, I went to Jigsaw, an employment service for people with disability. Graduating from Jigsaw was a proud moment.

My Work Life

I have two jobs: at the Sydney Opera House in the loading dock, helping with deliveries and mail, and at Taronga Zoo in their retail warehouse.

The happiest moment of my life was when I was offered my job at Taronga Zoo working on the Sky Safari Cableway.  Transportation is one of my passions. I volunteered for a year and when a position became available, my boss told me I should apply. I didn’t think I could do the interviews and pass the exams, but he gave me the support and confidence to try. The Sky Safari is currently being rebuilt which is why I’m now working in the retail warehouse. I am also very proud to work at the Sydney Opera House.

My Good Life

My life is really good!

I go to lots of sporting matches. I like to watch NRL, Super Rugby and cricket. We go to a lot of NRL games for the Rabbitohs and the Tigers with a group of supporters. I like to share the statistics I remember about games

In the future, I want to fly to Perth on Qantas or Virgin to see the Bears’ first game in the NRL in 2027! I also want to keep working and helping other people.

I like to have a routine and don’t like surprises. We have a family calendar so we know what everyone is doing. I like to go to Woolworths and buy myself food so I know I can eat what I want. And I like to exercise so I can be fit and healthy.

One thing I wish people understood about Autism is that I can hear you when I’m not looking at you! Eye contact is very hard for me. My parents take care of me and help me every day. They also made sure I went to schools that I loved and where I felt supported.

Advice for a Good Life

My advice for young Autistic people is that you can try new things if you have good supports and break down tasks into steps.

And my advice for parents raising an Autistic child is to make sure that everyone is positive about what you can do and not what you can’t do. Listen to us because we have a lot to say, even if we don’t use many words.

In our social media series #StoriesOfTheGoodLife we explore what a good life means for people with disability. People from all walks of life, living rich, full and meaningful lives on their own terms.

Funded by the Australian Government Department of Social Services