Riley worked hard to turn his volunteering passion into paid work
In late 2019, Riley came to his local APM office in Mackay for assistance finding some work experience.
This Queensland City of Mackay is 11 hours drive north of Brisbane. Riley lives with Asperger’s Syndrome, and has a deep fondness for working with animals.
With this in mind, APM placed him in a volunteering position at the Homebush Boarding Kennels and Cattery in December of the same year.
Riley’s volunteered 15 hours per week at Homebush and never missed a day, he was very enthusiastic about his volunteer work.
His employer Kristine was impressed with Riley's work ethic.
“Riley clearly loves animals” she said “He’s a capable young man and took his role as carer for our animals very seriously.”
His Employment Consultant Jade was able to successfully negotiate wage subsidies with Kristine for Riley to work his benchmark hours, the minimum hours required for his Centrelink support.
Kristine was so impressed with Riley’s work ethic, she agreed to offer him paid employment instead of a volunteer position. This was an exciting moment for Riley.
Thanks to the support he’s received from the Disability Employment Services program through APM, Riley goes to work with a smile on his face.
“Our staff just love Riley and his enthusiasm for life and his job.” Kristine said “I have the best job, I love looking after the animals” Riley said “I’m glad I get to work with people who are my friends too.”
Despite the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on many workers and employers, Riley has continued to work at Homebush Kennels.
Few people are able to turn their true passion into paid work, and Riley has well and truly hit the jackpot.
Injury, illness or disability and want to work?
You could be eligible for help in finding a suitable job from APM Employment Services.
As Australia’s largest provider of the Disability Employment Services program we help thousands of people with permanent or temporary disabilities, injuries, mental health conditions and other diagnosed barriers which may prevent them finding successful employment.
If you want to find out more, register with us today, or call our team on 1800 276 276 for more information.
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Looking for staff?
We don’t just support job seekers, we also help thousands of employers find reliable staff and access government incentives when hiring new employees.
If you’re an employer, you could access wage subsidies, plus funds for training and workplace modifications when hiring a person with disability for full or part-time work.
Plus, you will be enhancing the diversity of your business while making a real positive difference in a person’s life.
Find out more about this rewarding opportunity for employers by speaking to your nearest APM Employment Services team, or emailing support@apm.net.au.