For Ben, autism had proven to be a barrier for a number of things in life, but he was determined for work to not be one of them.
So, after leaving high school at 18, he was referred to Sparkways and with our help took the first steps to a career by completing a Certificate 1 in Building Construction.
But Ben wasn’t ready to stop there.
He knew that he needed to keep going to break into the industry, so he went on to complete his Certificate 2 and built up his experience by doing labouring work with Sparkways Social Enterprises.
We’re proud to say that Ben’s hard work and positive attitude have paid off.
With his qualifications and work experience, Ben has been able to successfully transition into the workforce, and today he’s working 15-30 hours a week, earning his own money from a career that he’s built (pardon the pun) – he’s even purchased a new car!
Ben loves his work and we continually get fantastic feedback about him from clients and colleagues alike.
And it’s not just Ben’s career that we were able to help him with.
Sparkways also helped Ben and his family navigate the NDIS to get the financial support that will help him work full-time one day, and gain greater independence and quality of life.
Ben’s life could have been very different without the support of Sparkways. Like is the case for many with autism, Ben could have ended up with limited or no job opportunities. Instead, he’s a participating member of the community, a happy one at that, living a quality of life he may not have otherwise had.
In the past few years being with TRY Australia, I have been able to watch my son grow into a more independent individual.
TRY Australia has given my son a purpose, and the ability to set goals for himself – which he had never been able to do before. He had always feared what the future held for him, as he had no drive or ambition to direct him. Now, he sees for himself a future career with TRY Work.
We cannot thank the team enough for what they’ve done for Ben.
16 June 2022
