5 days ago
Young man with autism finds second home at the Forbes saleyards
It can be a noisy and even hectic environment, but the Forbes Central West Livestock Exchange is where Ryan Glennan feels at home.
The 22-year-old, who is on the autism spectrum, spends most weeks helping out the agents and occasionally taking centre stage as auctioneer.
"It's home for me," he said.
"My customers, they're loyal … it's personal for me.
"We're a kind of family."
Support worker Kacey Schatz said several livestock agents had formed a close relationship with Mr Glennan.
"The amount of support and trust and love that is around Ryan warms me," she said.
"These guys that are out here, they're magical in what they do and how they act."
Mr Glennan has worked his way up to selling cattle after starting off cleaning up pens as part of a once-a-week volunteer work placement.
He has been liaising with stock and station agents and even stirring up buyers.
Agent and auctioneer for VC Reid and Smith, Sam Smith, has supported Mr Glennan since he started coming to the yards.
Mr Glennan has described Mr Smith as the brother he never had.
"I asked him if he wanted to sell, and he got very excited about it," Mr Smith said.
"Since then it's every week or every fortnight, something we all look forward to, and I'm sure all the buyers are the same.
"I just think it's great that these kids can come out here, have a crack, and do what they enjoy.
"It makes his day, it makes everyone's day."
Mr Smith said it was something he would like to see all workplaces take on.
Office and administration for VC Reid and Smith, Caitlin Webb, said finding a role for Mr Glennan had been easy.
"He loves to jump up and loves to get involved in the auction, it's really nice to see him getting involved when he gets going," Ms Webb said.
"He was coming down to the yards anyway, and … Sam started really getting him involved in the selling.
"It's so easy, he's easy to get along with, and he wants to do it."
Karyn Glennan said her son was a more confident and happy person at the saleyards.
"The joy that it fills us with is unexplainable.
"Thank you never seems to be enough for what the guys give him the opportunity to do."
Mrs Glennan said the people at Forbes saleyards inspired other workplaces to do their part for their community.
"I hope that other people see this and go, 'Oh, maybe I can include someone in our world,'" she said.
"It doesn't have to be for a long time, it doesn't have to be every day, it just has to be a little bit, and that just builds their confidence.
"That's the big message."
