“It’s so important that these children see this”: Autistic race car driver helps neurodiverse students break down barriers 

Jarrod Brown

Autistic motorsport driver Ben Taylor stepped out from behind the wheel last week to open sixteen neurodivergent students up to a world of opportunity outside of the classroom. 

Last Tuesday, students from Riverview Inclusion Program joined Ben in the pits of Sydney Motorsport Park to learn a bit more about the world of racing and what it was like for a neurodivergent person to break down social barriers both on and off the track. 

Since being clinically diagnosed with ASD two years ago, the 20-year-old driver has been a loud and proud advocate for neurodiverse athletes as he makes his way up the ranks, regularly using his wins on the raceway to highlight the talent and abilities that people like him can achieve in life, business and sport.

With Ben now gearing up to compete in the 2024 Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia alongside the Porsche Centre Melbourne Motorsport team, Inclusion Program coordinator Toby Martin said it was so important these students got to experience firsthand guidance from people like them as they look toward the future.

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“When approached regarding an opportunity to meet Ben, the students in the class were excited by the prospect of meeting someone who has not only overcome personal barriers but who refuses to be defined by them,” he said.

“The students in the class have recently finished a unit of work on the Olympic and Paralympic Games and as part of that, they have explored the concept of adversity, challenges, and achievement irrespective of personal circumstance. 

“Meeting Ben offered students the opportunity to see someone who has lived experience in this area.”

Riverview student in the auticon car (Supplied)

Treating students to a special Q/A on the sidelines of the world-famous raceway and a meet-and-greet with his coach and motorsport legend Fabian Coulthard, Ben said it was great to see students like him inspired to pursue their dreams. 

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“I think it’s important to continually challenge traditional views of people on the spectrum and push boundaries so that people understand our potential to deliver a meaningful outcomes across a wide range of roles and industries,” he said.

“It’s so important that these children see this and understand there is more out there for them if they are determined not to let barriers get in the way of who they could be.

“I really enjoyed showing the students through the pits, they asked some really great questions and were truly engaged in the experience.”

Career barriers are still tough to climb

Despite Ben’s best efforts, his sponsor auticon, the world’s largest autistic majority company, said that neurodivergent people are still finding it tough to make their way into careers – especially in the Australian market. 

The employment rate for autistic people across the country is sitting at 34 per cent in 2024, with underemployment approaching a shocking 90 per cent. 

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By comparison, the unemployment rate for Australia as a whole is 4.10 per cent, and the underemployment rate is 6.4 per cent.

Auticon Australia CEO Bodo Mann said these figures clearly showed that businesses needed to think differently when it comes to opening up roles for these students as they leave the school gates.

“The employment prospects for these children are bleak to say the least,” he said. 

“However, with greater diversity in business comes an approach to problem solving that is different and it is this difference that breeds innovation and innovation that ultimately improves business outcomes across the board.”

“It is time we broke down the barriers to employment for these children and started to think differently about the meaningful contribution those on the spectrum can make in the workplace.

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“The truth is that the greatest difference these students have is that they think differently. People can think about this as a barrier to success, but it can be the world’s greatest opportunity to access innovation.”

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With a background in journalism, copywriting and digital marketing, Jarrod Brown draws upon his professional experience when writing about the intersection of technology and culture within the education space. He recently made the move to Melbourne after trading his Sunshine Coast surfboard for knitwear and laneways.