Wellbeing Team News

Autism Advocacy- Loren Sumner

Hello parent/carers,

Today, on behalf of HPSC, I would like to share the work that our incredible student Loren Sumner. has been doing to advocate for Autistic young people. Being Autistic herself, Loren has become involved in various programs outside of school that aim to promote awareness, acceptance and education on Autism and neurodiversity. Please read this post by Loren, who details her experience as an advocate and young leader. We have also included Loren’s artwork and poem below, which has been published on this website: https://www.yacvic.org.au/ydas/resources-and-training/gallery/

Please have a look at the inspiring artwork that Loren, and other young Autistic people have been creating to celebrate neurodiversity. 

Thank you, Gabrielle Phelan

Hey! My name is Loren Sumner. Recently I’ve been doing some pretty cool stuff outside of school, related to my passion. I’m a proud autistic girl, but I wasn’t diagnosed until I was 16, so I spent most of my life confused and believing I was broken in some way. Getting my diagnosis gave me insight into why I am the way I am; it gave me my voice back. 

Navigating life is always difficult, but navigating life as a neurodivergent person in a neurotypical world comes with its added challenges. I have fought very hard to get where I am right now; surviving, and even thriving in the work that I’m doing. I am now in a position, which I am very privileged to be in, where I can speak on my experiences being autistic and struggling with mental health challenges as well as amplifying the voices of those around me. I have been working with a few organisations this year, including Yellow LadyBugs, YDAS (Youth Disability Advocacy Service) and Satellite Foundation. 

I spoke on a panel, was in a featured video and volunteered at the Yellow LadyBugs conference: supporting autistic girls and gender diverse individuals in school and beyond.

I am a part of Satellite Foundations’ Youth Advisory Council and currently working on creating content for social media. 

I was a part of YDAS’ young leader’s program (which, if you’re interested in leadership and/or advocacy and are a person who has a disability, I highly recommend it!). 

I have written, answering some questions in a featured mini interview for Yellow LadyBugs’ next book for autistic teenagers, coming out early next year. 

I have been working with YDAS and the Victorian State Government on reviewing and creating additions for the new Disability Inclusion Profiles in schools. 

And most recently I have written a poem and created a collage for YDAS’ disability pride content creation gallery. The piece has recently been published alongside so many other incredible pieces of content from some of the best people I know, from videos to poems to artwork, it all is truly so beautiful. 

Through this work, I have met and connected with so many incredible people. My dream is to continue doing this type of work, helping to change the world’s perception of autism and mental health, breaking the stigma and changing the education system to be less traumatic for neurodivergent kids.

To that Little Girl - By Loren Sumner.

To that little girl who could only ever have the same colour dummy, 

I see you.  

To that little girl whose tears began streaming down her face because she couldn’t get her words out, 

I see you.  

To that little girl who was so deathly afraid of being excluded, who screamed until she knew what “didn’t matter”, 

I see you.  

To that little girl who believed the lies that she was simply “overdramatic” for needing her socks to sit just right, 

I see you. 

To that little girl who was told every day that she was “stupid” by her teachers, 

I see you. 

To that little girl who stayed quiet at family events in fear of being called a “brat” yet again, 

I see you.  

To that little girl who put all her efforts into studying because it was the only thing that she knew she could get right,  

I see you. 

To that little girl who sat alone during every lunch, wishing she could be “normal”, 

I see you.  

To that little girl who stayed up every night googling how to be liked, 

I see you.  

To that little girl who trusted the words of everyone around her, only to be blamed for their lies,  

I see you. 

To that little girl who was conditioned to believe she had no reason to stress,  

I see you. 

To that little girl who had no identity outside of what she had crafted from others’,  

I see you.  

I mourn you every day, 

for the restrictive norms of this world have corroded away your confidence. 

I’m sorry for dulling the shine of your unique mind, 

for trying to fit you into a mould that was never built for you. 

Because those villainous opinions made by others were never incited 

by behaviours created of your own volition, 

nor has your existence ever been too much. 

I can now assure you that your actions weren’t made of manipulation,  

but rather simple desperation,  

And that your cries weren’t futile.  

One day you will soon see that 

you were never broken, 

that you didn’t need to be fixed. 

I wish I could have held you while you cried, 

because I know that, despite your happy demeanour, 

you were simply a little girl yearning to be loved for who you are. 

I’m sorry for shutting you away, 

but you’re still inside of me, somewhere, 

So, let me just say… 

To that little girl who performed her “scarecrow dance” in front of everyone she could,  

I love you.  

To that little girl who lined up her toys in the hallway and collected all that she could,  

I love you. 

To that little girl who would tell everyone every fact she had recently learnt,  

I love you.  

To that little girl with bright eyes who had so much to say all the time,  

I love you.  

To that little girl who would jump and spin, bursting with excitement,  

I love you.  

To that little girl who posted every day on her fan account,  

I love you.  

To that little girl who believed everyone is inherently good, 

I love you.  

To that little girl who would dress up and perform every chance that she could, 

I love you.  

To that little girl who cared so deeply about the things she enjoyed,  

I love you.  

To that little girl who continued trying even when everything was against her, 

I love you.  

To that little girl who began to nurture herself and respect her own needs, 

I love you. 

To that little girl who finally got to know and express her authentic self, 

I love you.  

To that little girl… 

Your childhood may have not been easy, but from now on I will give you the compassion and care you have always deserved. 

I am so proud of you, 

for your existence was forced to be met with perseverance, 

 but you made it to this moment, 

a moment where I can tell you, 

there is so much beauty within your mind. 

A moment when I can promise that little girl, 

I will never let shame burden that magic again. 

Because little girl, 

 I see you, 

and I love you. 

Connecting Business to Schools through the 'IT Schools Program'

‘This Is IT-Schools’ is a not-for-profit organisation, founded by local businesses, wanting to give back to local school students.  Within the south-east there are thousands of students whose education is disrupted because they do not have a laptop to support their learning. This, through no fault of their own, is a major barrier to their successful engagement in education. ‘This Is IT’s’ goal is to re-purpose laptops, donated by businesses, and supply them directly to students, identified by schools as being worthy recipients.

At a recent event attended by Jacquie Binns and Harlin Gandhok from the wellbeing team, ‘This Is IT’s’ handed over 106 laptops to local schools, generously donated by the City of Casey.  Hampton Park Secondary College have received 10 of these laptops for allocation to our students.  We sincerely thank ‘This Is IT-Schools’ for this very generous donation, and we know it will have a positive impact on 10 of our students.