View the video here: Film 4: Later in Life
Justen Thomas:
My name is Justen Thomas and I’m 43 years old. I’ve been working for CID, as an advocacy worker this year. Before that, I’ve been doing training and motivational speaking, running workshops and that. Gets me out of this small little unit. And I like to get out every day and go to work and things like that and do things. I’m very active.
Emma Lynette Brodie:
My name’s Emma Lynette Brodie, I’m 32. I work in the city. I’m an office assistant. I’ve been working for six years.
Frances:
I’m Frances and I’m Emma’s mother. What are some of the tasks that you do?
Emma Lynette Brodie:
I clean all the rails and the kitchens, paper towels upstairs, scanning and staples. Yeah, I do the mail and the keyboards.
Frances:
Are you happy working here?
Emma Lynette Brodie:
Just put proud.
Frances:
You’re very proud?
Emma Lynette Brodie:
Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Ronnie:
My name is Ronnie. I work up in IGA supermarket. They got me to sort out fruit and vegetables. And then after that I went upstairs, they gave me a lot of shredding to do and I put IGA pamphlets into the local papers. And it keeps me busy too.
Fiona McKenzie:
My name is Fiona McKenzie and I am 45 years old. I’ve been working at Coles for 12 years. On cash registers. So I’m frontline. I guess what I really love about my job is I get to meet a whole range of people every single day.
Cecilia:
My name’s Cecilia and I’m working at Coles. I’ve been working at Coles 15 years. The best thing about working at Coles is being a checkout chick.
Ronnie:
I know jobs are hard to get but, work to me, it makes me feel proud. And also it means save up for things like what you need and also go on holidays.
Frances:
I don’t think it’s ever too late. I think you just have to look at that person and look at what their interests are and think of ways of helping them engage with those interests outside of home. Break routines because I think change is extremely difficult. So the more opportunity change is presented, the easier it is when it has to come.
Justen Thomas:
I was very, very low self-esteem before. I was just a shy person with a criminal record and that. You go to work, you’re building your confidence up, you’re feeding your brain every day, and you it gives you something to look forward to as well and helps you feed your goals for later what you want to do.
Fiona McKenzie:
So my advice for people with a disability, who would like to work, find an employment agency, volunteer. I would talk to an advocacy organization like CID and they can give you information.
Frances:
If you get into employment and that doesn’t suit that person, it’s important to keep looking and your employment agency that helps should be able to support you with that. So initially the first job that Emma had, phased out. Job Support, the DES that we were with found Emma this job in the city.
Speaker 7:
Thank you Emma.
Emma Lynette Brodie:
You’re welcome.
Justen Thomas:
And really tell NDIS that I really need certain things to help me improve my work. They were able to supply my travel money to get to and from work because I was living far away back then. To help me communication with work, a support worker comes in once a week to help me with my internet stuff, help me go a long way and do applications and that, you know what I mean? I’d still be 30 years behind if I didn’t have that support.
Justen Thomas:
If you’re honest with Centrelink and can declare your hours, they’re more flexible with people with disability because they encourage people with disability work.
Fiona McKenzie:
They can work a certain amount of hours per week, but they do get their Disability Support Pension. So it’s like an extra bit of income.
Frances:
Having that security of always having some pension, because we never know how long people are going to be able to work, whether that environment that they’re in is going to be successful for them. So I think it’s really important to have a mixture and to have options.
Justen Thomas:
They allow you to work certain hours a week, and to me, it’s just an adjustable thing where I can keep my pension and work.
Fiona McKenzie:
Me getting a job in open employment gave me the opportunity to give back to the community.
Ronnie:
I love my job and I got a good boss and I got good work mates around me. If you haven’t got friends, it could be, life could be miserable.
Frances:
Made some nice friends, haven’t you?.
Cecilia:
Yes, very close.
Frances:
And they’re supportive?
Cecilia:
Yes, they are.
Justen Thomas:
It’s helped me build my confidence up more and be more open. Never say never, unless you give it a go.
