“I’ve been told that I couldn’t do it, but I proved them wrong and I can do it. That was a really good feeling,” says Susu about her latest skill acquisition, travel training.
Susu is 21 and has a rare disability which causes weakness in her bones and stiffness in her joints. But the added difficulty of walking long distances and doing everyday tasks like dressing or washing her hair is insignificant in the face of Susu’s steely determination.
She now travels alone on public transport when once upon a time she would have relied on others to take her where she needed to go. She cooks and manages household tasks like washing and drying her clothes, all skills she learnt in the Everyday Life Skills that she attends twice a week.
Susu is determined to one day move out of her childhood home, learn to drive and get a job.
To prepare her for work, Susu has been attending Northcott’s Vocational Skills program. She attends the program three times a week.
“At Vocational Skills, every day we learn about all different things to help with finding and keeping a job. We’ve learnt about interviews, how to dress for interviews and how to ask questions in interviews.”
Susu loves how far she has come since starting with Northcott. She enjoys a great sense of accomplishment and the confidence to work towards other goals for her future.
“I feel a lot more confident than when I was at school. I have come a long way ever since I started here, mental health wise, and physically… They’ve taught me how to seek help if I need it. Thank you for supporting me. Thank you for everything that you have done for me since I’ve been here.”
Northcott partners with other organisations to help Susu and customers like her develop the skills and experience they need to enter the workforce. We offer Vocational Skills and Everyday Life Skills in many of our locations:
- Albury
- Ballina
- Campbelltown
- Casula
- Coffs Harbour
- Hornsby
- Hurstville
- Parramatta
- Penrith
- Seven Hills
- Taree
- Tamworth
- Wagga Wagga
- Wollongong
See more of what we offer by visiting the Northcott website, read about our services, and call us on 1800 818 286 or meet us face to face at the South West Disability Expo this April.