Jason Diederich, APM's General Manager for Communities and Assessment Services has been sharing his personal experiences to help other people reach their goals.
Jason, a medal-winning former Paralympian, made the decision to amputate his right leg when he was just 10 years old.
His story has been featured in The NT News as he took part in Darwin's Fannie Bay Swim Classic earlier this month.
Jason is launching APM Communities in the Northern Territory where APM has been selected to deliver NDIS Partners in the Community Local Area Coordination Services.
Local Area Coordinators help people with disability, NDIS participants, families and carers to identify and access the support they need.
Find out more about APM's LAC Services.
Read more of Jason's story with The NT News.
Paralympian Jason Diederich in Darwin to help with NDIS rollout
AT the tender age of 10, Jason Diederich decided life would be better without his right leg.
Mr Diederich’s legs were growing at different rates and by the time he was 10 years old there was 10cm difference in length.
Mr Diederich said he, alongside his mum and dad, made the difficult decision to amputate his leg.
And the 47-year-old former Paralympian has never let his disability hold him back from competing.
Mr Diederich swam both the 1988 Seoul and 1992 Barcelona Paralympics and won silver in both.
He visited Darwin to take part in the Fannie Bay Swim Classic – Darwin’s only open water swim.
“I’m married with two kids, I work in a great job – I don’t tend to need to make too many allowances for my disability, but everyone with a disability has different levels of independence,” he said.
“It’s exciting now to be connected with the National Disability Insurance Scheme and contributing to helping other people to achieve those independence goals too.”
Mr Diederich is in the NT to help with the rollout of the NDIS in Darwin, and hopes his personal experience can have an impact on the local community.
He’s the general manager of communities and assessment services at APM, the organisation chosen as the community partner for the NDIS local area co-ordination in Darwin.
For more information about the scheme, visit the NDIS website.