- Ruby has become one of the stars of her workplace
- Her APM employment consultant helped her find employment and connect with NDIS support
Ruby has worked hard to regain her independence
She returned to work after experiencing long-term unemployment and overcoming some significant personal challenges.
In 2015 she was involved in an accident which left her with a traumatic brain injury.
This significantly impacted her life, her independence and adaptability to change.
People living with a traumatic brain injury can also have issues understanding complex language.
As a result of her injury, Ruby experiences difficulty with reasoning, communicating, and emotional regulation.
Her experience as a sole parent to her son and struggling with addiction heavily affected her confidence. Her belief in herself and her ability to obtain fulfilling and ongoing employment was low.
Understanding that Ruby had difficulty remembering things, her Employment Consultant Theresa would text Ruby on the mornings of her scheduled appointments so that she would know to attend.
Behind the scenes, Theresa also worked hard to get Ruby approved by NDIS so further support could be provided.
Through days where she was emotional, sore, and tired, Ruby remained determined to finding employment.
Theresa was able to arrange a meeting with the Manager of the IGA in Garbutt, Alexis.
Over several consultations, Theresa and Alexis were able to discuss Ruby’s barriers, the type of work she could undertake which complied with her physical limitations and whether IGA could offer Ruby hours to meet her working benchmark.
After meeting with Ruby and Theresa, Alexis offered Ruby a role which she accepted.
APM also further supported Ruby by purchasing work clothes for her.
While she was excited to work, Ruby was also apprehensive and nervous about making mistakes.
Theresa made sure to clearly reassure Ruby, suggesting she focus on the positives not the negatives and to remember how far she had come since her accident.
Ruby has been working two, four-hour shifts a week with IGA since August 2021.
She is responsible for pulling stock forward and restocking shelves, putting tickets up that reflect catalogue pricing and interacting with customers.
Ruby loves her job, the team that she works with and has a strong rapport with her regular customers as she goes above and beyond for them.
As Ruby settled into her role, her colleagues have supported her by showing patience as she learned.
Today, she is about to hit her 26-week milestone. She is now well trained and able to do more things by herself than when she first started.
She is loved by her team and customers, and when management came to visit IGA Garbutt, Alexis specifically asked whether Ruby could work.
Since then, Theresa has been able to arrange the purchase of a laptop for Ruby to undertake a Certificate III in Community Services.
Ruby was successfully enrolled, and she let her tutor know she may require additional support.
Theresa continues to support Ruby to complete course work, and she is on track to complete her certificate by July 2022.
The balance of work and study has helped Ruby regain her confidence and sees her look forward to her shifts each week.
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.