On a Friday night at Lara Sporting Club, the place is buzzing. Locals are chatting over a parma, kids are having a laugh, and the sound of raffle tickets being sold fills the air. And there’s Shannon – tall, smiling, and full of heart – greeting members, helping with the raffles, and making sure everyone feels welcome.
But Shannon’s story isn’t just about a job. It’s about what happens when a community says yes to giving someone a go.
Brendon, the GM at Lara Sporting Club, didn’t need to hire anyone when he first reached out to WISE Employment. But he wanted to do the right thing.
“We didn’t need extra staff,” Brendon says. “But we were very keen to provide some kind of professional business situation for someone who might really struggle in the employment world.”
Brendon worked closely with Jasmine from WISE to shape the opportunity.
“I said I wanted someone who would really struggle elsewhere,” Brendon explains. “We weren’t looking for someone who could get a job anywhere. We wanted to help someone who’d find it hard – and WISE really listened,” Brendon says.
Together, they built the role around Shannon, giving him the time and space to grow into it.
“We had a really good, structured plan over a 12-month period,” Brendon says. “We weren’t expecting Shannon to start serving customers or pouring beers straight away. We worked with him, set realistic goals, and made sure he was part of the conversation.”
Jasmine says the support didn’t stop at just finding Shannon a job.
“We created a care team around Shannon – I’ve spoken to his support coordinator and care team, I pick him up from his house sometimes to take him to work, and we all work really closely together to make sure Shannon’s being built up in the right way,” she says.
For Shannon, the job has been life-changing.
“I thought I’d never get a job until I came to WISE,” he says. “It’s turned me around so good. I love going in, even on my days off – I have dinner, buy some raffle tickets, and see all my work friends. It’s one of the best things in my life.”
Brendon says Shannon’s impact has been felt across the club.
“Shannon’s an absolute win-win. It’s a win for him, a win for us, and a win for our members. He’s part of the boys now – he sits in the sports lounge with the barflies on his days off, has a laugh with them, and they love having him around. It’s improved not just his life, but the culture of our whole club.”
Shannon’s dad agrees. “It’s very good for me to have a job because it gets me out of the house and I’m earning money,” Shannon says.
Seeing Shannon thrive has inspired the club to think bigger.
“We want to replicate what we’ve done with Shannon,” Brendon says. “We’re working on a six to eight week training course for people with disabilities – to help them learn customer service, build confidence, and maybe get their foot in the door somewhere else.”
Jasmine says this is what true inclusion looks like. 
“People with disabilities bring a whole different culture to a workplace,” she says. “When they feel included, it brings a sense of community back into the workplace and humanises it. The whole team at Lara Sporting Club has been so supportive – they’ve created a place where Shannon belongs.”
For Shannon, it’s simple. “I want to say thank you to Jasmine for helping me get this job, and to Brendon for giving me the opportunity. And thanks to all my workers who work there – they’re my friends.”
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