Gold Coast Special Olympian to release autism playbook
Gold Coast athlete Ben Haack shares hard-won autism advice in a new book for parents, carers, teachers and coaches.
What’s happening?
Gold Coast-based Special Olympics athlete, mentor and ambassador Ben Haack is releasing his first book on April 2.
Published by the Belonging Forum, the book is titled Reason for Hope: A Parent’s Playbook for Raising Happy and Resilient Kids - Hard-Won Wisdom from My Life on the Autism Spectrum.
The book is written as a series of personal letters. It is aimed at parents and carers of autistic children, as well as teachers, coaches and extended family members who want to help an autistic child grow with confidence and belonging.
The release centres on lived experience, not theory. Ben wrote it to offer comfort, perspective and practical guidance, while pushing back against the idea that children must be forced into “normal”.
In the book, Ben writes: “It’s an honour to get to share what I’ve learned.”
He adds, “The lessons in the chapters that follow will focus on how you can find balance, health, joy, and fulfillment, both for you and your child, in the years ahead. You don’t have to do all this work alone.”
Why it matters?
This book speaks to families facing uncertainty after an autism diagnosis.
It offers advice from someone who has lived through that experience himself. That gives the book a different kind of weight.
Ben writes openly about pain, but also about hope. The message is clear. Autistic children do not need to be reshaped to fit someone else’s idea of normal.
Kim Samuel, founder and chief architect of the Belonging Forum, said Ben wrote the book “to the mother or father standing in that doorway of uncertainty after a child’s diagnosis of autism.”
She said: “Ben Haack’s Reason for Hope offers families hard-won wisdom for how to navigate challenges and find real flourishing.”
Kim added: “What inspires me most about Ben is his compassion and generosity: he has taken the struggles of his own life and transformed them into a source of comfort, courage, and practical guidance for others.”
She also said the book meets a real need for families. “This book is an antidote to the aloneness so many parents feel in the aftermath of a child’s diagnosis.”
Timothy Shriver, Ph. D, Chairman of the Board, Special Olympics International, also backed the release.
He said, “Reason for Hope is a compassionate, practical resource for families navigating life after an autism diagnosis.”
He added: “Ben Haack brings the kind of wisdom that can only come from lived experience, wisdom shaped through challenge, perseverance, and growth, and he shares it with warmth, humility, and good humour.”
Local Impact
For the Gold Coast, this is a local story with a broad reach.
Ben’s life changed after his mother connected him with Gold Coast Recreation and Sport and Special Olympics. Those supports helped put him on a new path.
Now, a Gold Coast-based athlete is using his own story to help other families across Australia and beyond.
The release also puts a spotlight on the role local sport and community groups can play in helping autistic young people build confidence, belonging and purpose.
By the numbers
Ben was diagnosed with autism at age 17, after what he describes as years of struggle at school and at home.
Ben has spoken to more than 20,000 people at the International Lions Convention in Hamburg, Germany, showing the scale of his advocacy work.
In 2010, he played football in a celebrity game at the FIFA World Cup, adding to a list of international experiences linked to sport and inclusion.
Zoom In
Ben says his life was a “nightmare” before his diagnosis at 17.
He recalls that his school years were “horrible” for him and his family, and were “full of bullying and academic challenges and many other disappointments.”
His life began to shift when his mother found two places for him, Gold Coast Recreation and Sport and Special Olympics.
That turning point led to years of advocacy and leadership. Today, Ben serves as an athlete-leader for Special Olympics and has travelled the world speaking up for people with disabilities and their rights to education, health, sport and employment.
Through Special Olympics, Ben met and spoke with Nelson Mandela and the CEOs of Coca-Cola, Microsoft and Bank of America.
He has also debated sport with Nadia Comăneci and Bart Connor.
Zoom Out
The book also reflects the broader work of the Belonging Forum.
The organisation describes itself as a global non-profit advancing the right to belong. It says belonging is a birthright that connects people, to place, to systems and to shared purpose.
The forum brings together research, advocacy and action to help embed belonging in policy, institutions and daily life.
It was founded by Kim Samuel, who is described as an activist, author, educator and a leading voice in the global movement for belonging.
Kim met Ben at a Special Olympics World Games event a decade ago. That long connection helps explain the strength behind her support for the book.
She said Ben’s work “gets to the essence of our mission at Belonging Forum: to affirm that belonging is our birthright, and that every child can thrive when families, schools, and communities create the conditions for their gifts to take root.”
Timothy Shriver said the book gives families practical help across everyday life.
He said: “From sports and school to friendships and the daily work of building resilience, Ben offers parents clear, actionable insight they can truly use.”
He added: “This book will be a powerful companion for families at a pivotal moment in their lives.”
What To Look For Next?
The book’s release could open more conversations about how families and communities can help autistic children grow with confidence.