NAIDOC Week 2025 is here – a time to reflect and celebrate the rich cultures, histories, and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
This year’s theme, “The Next Generation: Strength, Vision & Legacy,” celebrates not only the achievements of the past but the bright future ahead, empowered by the strength of our young leaders.
And what better time to introduce one of our wonderful CoAct clients…
Meet Sam, a young indigenous lad originating from NSW, living with vision impairment and Ehlers Danlos Syndrome.
After growing up in Margaret River, Sam moved to Perth with his aunt at the age of 19 to build his independence and find work. His aunt reached out to the CoAct VisAbility team for assistance and helped Sam get connected to start his job search journey.
Sam has just celebrated his six-month anniversary working at Good Games in Cannington and has gone from a small casual role to having three set shifts a week with the opportunity to pick up extra shifts as needed.
In the past few weeks, he has been approached by management to take on a new project to build up part of the business, utilising his gaming knowledge to develop new projects and strategies for engaging with customers.
Moving to Perth has been an important milestone for Sam, as it helped him understand his disability better and put him on the road to independent living. “It helped me grow into the man I am now, living independently and working in a job I love” says Sam.
Six months ago, Sam said farewell to his aunt as she moved away and left him to live on his own, supported by a good friend group developed through his work and the gaming community.
In the spirit of NAIDOC Week, we asked Sam a few questions about his journey with his culture and vision impairment…
What does being Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander mean to you?
It gives me a connection to the land and a feeling of pride to have part of Australia’s history running in my blood.
What has your experience been like as a young person who is blind or vision impaired?
Overall, my experience has been ok, but there have definitely been some challenges and disappointments. I have been advised I will never be able to drive a car, which was a big disappointment, and I don’t feel I was able to get the most out of my school years due to the barriers around my vision. Despite this, I feel I am living a good life and am in a very good space at the moment.
Are there ways that your cultural identity and vision journey connect or shape who you are?
I was fortunate to grow up in Margaret River, so I was able to get around without too much impact from my vision, as it’s a pretty small community that’s easy to access. I found it much more challenging when I came to Perth and had to get used to using public transport, being in crowded spaces, and particularly when travelling home from work after dark.
What do you wish more people knew about Aboriginal kids living with vision loss?
All kids need the opportunity to learn equally, regardless of disability or cultural background.
What are your dreams for the future?
I have pretty simple goals for the future – I would like to grow old with a wife and family of my own. It would be amazing to own a store like Good Games if my path went that way, but otherwise, I am content to continue with my current work and see where life takes me.