Therapy Assistant

What inspired you to pursue a career in supporting individuals with disabilities?

Having grown up with family members with disabilities, it was truly a calling and a filed close to my heart. I genuinely care about empowering people to achieve their goals.

What is your work history?

In my younger years, I was a pizza delivery driver, worked at Ararat Rural City Performing Arts and as a Hotel Manager. I started work casually in 1999 at 20 years of age within a day program formally known as McGregor house day program.

I completed Cert IV in Disability through FED UNI in 2005 and was successful in my application to gain employment for DHHS within Disability accommodation services (SIL) I was fortunate enough to work in various outreach programs/ locations and within various vocational employment locations, Manna Gums, Concrete Molding, and the Gordon Street older persons program Pinnacle.

I remained in this role until my family and I moved and I was fortunate to gain employment with Function Lifestyle supports in 2021.

What do you enjoy most about working in the Function Lifestyle Group programs?

I enjoy working within a program which is so dedicated to an individualized, professional and therapeutic approach.

I enjoy seeing a smile from someone I'm supporting or a positive outcome and knowing I was a part of it.

Problem solving and coming up with inventive solutions to assist people achieve their goals.

What particular skills/interests to you have that you like to share with the participants?

Bird identification. Fishing. Cooking. Gardening.

A lifetime of dedicating my career to enriching the lives of the people I support.

What are three words you would use to describe your personality?

Kind, thoughtful, approachable.

What do you like to do outside of work?

Bird surveys, camping, photography,

Family time, bushwalking, theatre, concerts, music events, Time in nature, volunteer.