BBC documentary sees Ullapool teenager (17) pave the way for change
Ullapool teenager Nuala MacDonald (17) has always has to fight for the support she needs as an autistic person — so now she is paving the way for change in a new TV documentary.
She is featuring in a new BBC ALBA documentary, which follows her mission to create change - starting in her Wester Ross hometown.
Nuala’s dive to take action was inspired by a trip to Canada's first autism-friendly town in Channel-Port aux Basques, Newfoundland. The simple changes adopted by the town to make life easier for people with autism inspired Nuala to help her own community in Ullapool, and the surrounding area, become autism-friendly.
The new 30-minute documentary, Saoghal Nuala / Nuala’s World — #MyAutismFriendlyVillage, explores how autism impacts the way people communicate and process the world around them; and follows Nuala working with schools, businesses and organisations to implement small changes which have a big impact for autistic people.
Nuala explained: “Initially, before my diagnosis, I thought that I was odd and stupid and couldn’t understand it... It was a relief to get the diagnosis. It was good to see that I was still sane but just in a different way. This also opened a lot of doors for me.
“Everyone was more willing to help me. The teachers were given extra training. There was extra support there and that was so beneficial for me.”
More than one in 100 people in Scotland have autism – all with skills, talents and ambitions. However, autism is not always widely understood, which is why Nuala wants to create change so other youngsters don’t face the same issues she did.
She was encouraged by the pioneering work of Joan Chaisson — a retired special education teacher and co-founder of the support group Autism Involves Me (AIM) — who worked with schools, hotels, shops, and the hairdresser in Channel-Port aux Basques.
Her mum, Lisa MacDonald, added: “Joan Chaisson had drawn attention to how people with autism feel and their daily life. It was fascinating… It was clear that the whole town supported her plans. Nuala was so inspired by this. We realised that the same could be done in Ullapool.”
Read our 2023 interview with Nuala about how she began her mission to make Ullapool autism-friendly.
Nuala explained: “I want the local businesses to be better informed about autism and also for the community to be autism friendly. People with autism will feel more comfortable here and that includes me… You should be proud of yourself and your capabilities.”
With unique skills such as a photographic memory and a deep understanding of rhythm, Nuala said: “Lots of people ask me if I would rather not have autism. I tell them that I like having autism because I have these superpowers now and I like that. I’m so proud of myself and of my superpowers.
“I would like people on the spectrum to walk with their head held high. That’s very important. I want to be like that and to create a new stereotype. I look forward to that.”
Saoghal Nuala / Nuala’s World — #MyAutismFriendlyVillage, premiers on BBC iPlayer and BBC ALBA on Monday August 5, at 9pm (in Gaelic with English subtitles).
