Carolyn, from the regional Victorian town of Bendigo, has three sons with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), including 20-year-old Daniel.
As part of living with ASD, Daniel suffers severe anxiety and is often not able to leave the home. Carolyn explains it only worsened after he completed high school.
“Whether kids like it or not, high school is very structured. It’s also regimented so that week on week, your days feel the same. For someone with ASD, this is a really good thing. Particularly for Daniel who required a very structured lifestyle,” Carolyn said.
“However, after high school, it’s hard to replicate that structure and Daniel became very anxious if his days weren’t planned out.”
It wasn’t until a friend mentioned WISE Employment’s Employment Preparation and Inclusion in the Community (EPIC) program, that Carolyn contacted WISE and was paired with Job Coach, Stephen and EPIC Manager, Paul.
EPIC is a SLES (School Leaver Employment Supports) service designed and operated by the NDIS at WISE team that provides hands-on learning opportunities to people like Daniel.
The program assists with work experience, travel training, life skills, and includes activities such as time and money management courses, cooking classes, and other skills required to achieve independence.
“We had an existing relationship with Daniel’s high school, Bendigo Senior Secondary, which meant we were easily able to coordinate an interview with Daniel and Carolyn,” said Paul.
It became clear in their sessions that Daniel’s dream was to become a mechanic.
“Daniel is obsessed with cars, and I’ve known since he was 3 years old that he wanted to become a mechanic. As a parent, I wanted to do everything I could to support him in achieving that dream,” said Carolyn.
“Luckily, Stephen and Paul were continuously on our side, cold-calling local businesses to put Daniel forward for apprenticeships.”
Described as an ‘energiser bunny’, Stephen would knock on doors, singing Daniel’s praises and not stopping until he found the right employer. And then he came across Bendigo Dyno Tuning.
“I explained Daniel’s situation to the owner, John, and let him know that while Daniel was eager to become a mechanic, he needed to be integrated into the workforce at a slightly slower pace,”
“John has two sons of his own with ASD so completely understood the situation and was happy to make adjustments for Daniel,” said Stephen.
A gradual approach was suggested by Carolyn, allowing Daniel to begin placements of one hour per day for the first week, increasing to two hours the next and continuing until Daniel could comfortably manage a four-day work week.
‘Immersion therapy’ as Carolyn calls it, has been pivotal in preparing Daniel for the workforce, as well as encouraging him to engage in community activities through the EPIC program.
Carolyn said the EPIC program offered Daniel structure after his formal schooling ended, and gave him the chance to meet new people and build his independence alongside his apprenticeship.
“I’m so grateful I met Stephen and Paul. They listened to me throughout the whole process, and I genuinely felt heard. The program was amazing at building Daniel’s confidence and making new friends. I really think it prepared him for the job too.”
Carolyn says Dynamo Tuning has been a real catalyst for the changes she’s seen in Daniel.
“His boss is so supportive, to the point where I’ve been in tears from how lovely he’s been. Daniel has of course had struggles along the way, but with the support from John, he really can achieve anything,” said Carolyn.
Now in his final weeks of his apprenticeship, Daniel is excited to live his dream of becoming a qualified mechanic, feeling proud of his achievements and excited for the future.
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Contact the NDIS at WISE team during business hours on: 1800 685 105