Jason Ball

"The school motto still resonates – it’s about looking up, saying ‘yes’ and making the most of opportunities.”

In his later years of travelling to school from his family’s home in Yarra Glen, Jason Ball made sure to befriend new students sitting alone on the bus. He knew how nerve-racking it was to make that journey alone, and what a difference it made when an older student reached out.

“I was the only kid from my primary school who went to Yarra and older kids looked out for me so I paid that forward. I think that feeling of kindness and realising it was so much more rewarding to be kind to people grew on me at Yarra.”

During his years at school, Jason was a ‘jack of all trades but master of none’. He played the viola but also loved cricket football, volleyball and athletics.

By Year 8, Jason had realised he was gay and he found himself gravitating towards his female friends whom he felt he could relate to better. Few of his friends knew about his sexuality though.

“I had no role models of young people who were open about their sexuality and living their life and the fear of rejection by family and friends can be paralysing. I had nothing to suggest they’d reject me but that fear was overwhelming,” he says.

In Year 12, Jason spent a year as an exchange student in Kansas, USA – a place he describes as the ‘buckle of America’s Bible belt’.

“I faced big questions about God, Jesus and evolution and that time helped me understand that if this is the only life we get, it’s important to spend it doing things that make us happy. That was liberating.”

Jason returned to Yarra, completed Year 12 and majored in Political Science and Cinema at university. His first job was in marketing with Seek and during that time, as an Aussie Rules player, he also became the face of a campaign calling on the AFL to do more to tackle homophobia.

“I became the spokesperson for LGBTIQ inclusion in sport and was invited to speak to AFL players and to help with education campaigns.”

Jason’s efforts have seen the introduction of the Pride Cup and he’s become an ambassador for beyondblue, allowing him to champion mental health. In 2017 he was named Young Australian of the Year for Victoria and he took an opportunity to run for Parliament. Jason now works in the disability sector.

“Everyone has opportunities – it’s what you do with them. I don’t know what comes next or what I will be doing in ten years’ time but I l always want to do something that, in some way, makes a contribution to society.”