Month:

Nicholas Serves Up a Storm

  • May 25

Nicholas has always been interested in working in the hospitality industry. Late last year, Nicholas started doing work experience as a barista and waiter at Café at Lewers, a local café and restaurant in the Penrith and Blue Mountains area. Under the supervision of his manager, Steve, Nicholas has been doing a wide range of different jobs, including serving food, hosting customers, and taking orders. Steve, the owner and manager of Café at Lewers, recently began providing work experience... CONTINUE READING

From WorkReady to DES: Michael’s transition to employment

  • May 17

Two years ago, Michael joined Ability Options’ WorkReady service. His goal was to develop the skills to prepare for the workforce. Two years on, he is now employed by V.I.P. Home Services, and is enjoying contributing to his community. This is the story of his journey. 1.  Michael joins Ability Options’ WorkReady service.... CONTINUE READING

Matt’s Story – How Karen helped me in my Support Coordination plan

  • April 28

I have been an NDIS Participant since July 2017 and have been living with the challenges of Multiple Sclerosis since I was diagnosed in 2003. Originally, I did not have Support Coordination in my initial NDIS Plan, but I wish I had! After a debacle with my first Plan (with another provider), I then engaged with Karen Cupitt (featured above) of Ability Options as my Support Coordinator. This was a masterstrok... CONTINUE READING

A career built on helping others in their employment journey

  • February 25

It was hard to miss Jessica when you walked into Ability Options’ office at Mount Druitt. She was always there to greet you and her energy is infectious. Now working on a project to support participants to maintain employment, Jessica started her journey at Ability Options as an employment consultant, supporting people in finding and keeping meaningful employment. Throughout her time at Ability Options, Jessica has built great relationships with the many participants she has helped. One... CONTINUE READING

Anna’s novella brings Cupid to life!

  • February 19

Can a successful scientist finally unlock the key to love when he develops an aphrodisiac using his trained mosquitoes?! Cupid’s Kiss is a must-read creative sci-fi romance novella that follows the story of Cupid who is unlucky in love and finally has the opportunity to go... CONTINUE READING

Front Up ‘Emerge’ Exhibition Opening

  • November 11

In the midst of unforeseen COVID-19 restrictions, Front Up held the opening night of their Emerge Exhibition. This exhibition was the result of a 14-week course, which involved participants being mentored by professional artists to nurture, support, and develop their art practice. Front Up is an ever-expanding program of many upcoming exhibitions and initiatives. Former Front Up artist, now co-ordinator, Rosalind Stanley, was kind enough to answer some questions about the exhibition’s openi... CONTINUE READING

Hamish’s Design Journey

  • November 9

Hamish has been using our WorkReady service for the past four months. During his time with WorkReady, Hamish developed a passion for graphic design, having designed many logos for different companies. Sharron, Hamish’s WorkReady Consultant, supported Hamish to enroll into a Certificate 3 in Design Fundamentals, after having seen his potential, following a group presentation he did of his design for the recent Tokyo Olympic Games.   Since he started studying the course, Hamish has be... CONTINUE READING

Tim’s Journey to Becoming a Nurse

  • November 2

When Tim first joined the USEP program in May, he had recently completed his Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing and Midwifery. Tim, who has had a lack of self esteem, had doubts on whether he would succeed in achieving his goals of becoming a nurse. With the support of his USEP Specialist Employment Consultant, Dragana, Tim worked on building his confidence, developing his communication skills, identifying his strengths, and planning and setting goals. Tim also received lots of encouragement in a... CONTINUE READING

Mustafa’s USEP Story

  • October 12

Mustafa was in his final year at university, studying a Master of Business & Administration, when he joined the University Specialist Employment Partnerships (USEP) program. Before he joined, Mustafa, who has a visual impairment, was working in a workplace which didn’t value inclusion, often experiencing exploitation and discrimination in the workforce. Through his participation in the USEP program, Mustafa received ongoing support from his employment consultant, Dragana, who assisted h... CONTINUE READING

Brad’s Dream Comes True

  • October 9

Brad was going to attend the Harley Davidson Motorcycle event in Tamworth in October, but the event was cancelled due to COVID-19 restrictions. Michelle, Brad’s Support Coordinator, spoke to the event’s organisers and asked them if they could arrange something special for Brad, as she knew that Brad is a massive fan of the Harley Davidson Motorcycles. After a few conversations, Justin, one of the organisers, called Michelle to ask if Brad would be interested in being interviewed and featu... CONTINUE READING

What can a Standout Support Coordinator can do for you?

In the ever-complex world of the NDIS, Support Coordinators emerge to empower participants to navigate the scheme, exercise choice and control and achieve their goals. This month, we wanted to highlight the thoughts from across our Support Coordination team about what they think makes a Support Coo...

Ability Options would like to acknowledge the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia. We pay our respects to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders past, present and emerging.