My name is Slavica Jurčić, and I am the mother of Domagoj, a young man with Asperger’s syndrome who has been part of Green ASC VET from the very beginning — as a guest on our podcast and as a participant in our pilot programme. This is our story, told in my own words.
As the mother of a grown young man with Asperger’s syndrome, it’s hard to put into words what taking part in this project has meant to us. I would go so far as to call it an outstanding experience — not only for Domagoj, but for our whole family. Watching him open up, take part, speak with such confidence in front of a camera, a thought stirred in me that carried a quiet ache: I only wish projects like this had existed when he was a child. How much easier the path would have been for him, and for us, instead of finding our own way without the guidance and support parents like me have access to today.
Our everyday life carries challenges that are hard for people to guess from the outside. Despite everything he has achieved, Domagoj still struggles to overcome his fear of people and crowds. He can’t manage to attend Mass, he avoids swimming pools, holidays, and any place where a lot of people gather — things that would feel ordinary and easy to most, but that for him remain an obstacle he hasn’t been able to overcome. That’s exactly why what I witnessed during this project’s activities means so much to me: a place where, it seems, for the first time to such an extent, he felt completely safe. Watching my child relax among others, take part without fear — as a mother, that means more to me than words can capture.
Domagoj and Green ASC VET
Domagoj has been with this project from the very start. He gladly accepted the invitation to be a guest on the podcast, where he spoke openly and bravely about his journey — about high school, about university, about his fears and about the things that bring him joy. I’ll admit, it moved me to hear him speak about himself so confidently in front of a microphone, in a way he rarely dares to in everyday life.
He also took part in the pilot programme, where the tools developed by the project were put to the test — simulations and scenarios designed to help young people like Domagoj imagine and explore possible occupations more easily. In a short video filmed on that occasion, Domagoj described his experience in words that have stayed with me ever since:
“When I started high school, I wasn’t aware of the programmes available to me or what my job could be. Through this pilot programme I can actually see all the programmes and situations I could find myself in. I tried out the skills simulators, and it was really interesting — I genuinely enjoyed stepping into those spaces and trying out how different jobs work.”
When he said that, I understood how valuable this kind of support truly is — not only because it helps him choose his path, but because it gives him the chance to explore that path safely, at his own pace, without pressure and without fear.
What’s ahead of us
Important months lie ahead of us now. In September, Domagoj defends his final thesis, and in October, if all goes well, he enrols in the fourth year of mechanical engineering. For us, every step like this is never just a formality — it’s a new chapter we prepare for as a family, months in advance, with a great deal of love, but also with a measure of uncertainty that never quite goes away.
I’m happy when he’s happy — I’ll admit, that’s the measure by which I gauge my days. But it’s also true that I always worry, a little, about his mental state, because I know how much effort lies behind every step of his that might look small to others. So, on behalf of our whole family, I want to thank the Green ASC VET project and everyone who took part in it — thank you for making our lives more beautiful. I sincerely hope we’ll have the chance to take part in more projects like this, and that in the future they’ll reach as many families like ours as possible.
With respect,
Slavica Jurčić, Domagoj’s mother