Riley and his Interchange Support Coordinator, Tracey, have worked together using Riley’s NDIS Coordination of Supports to consider his goals and support needs, which ultimately allowed Tracey to find the right service to assist him to start moving towards his long term goal of gaining employment in the mainstream job market. Tracey was able to be a liaison between Riley’s DES employer, the family and the new employer, as well as continuing to liaise with the NDIS to ensure Riley’s goals can go ahead, despite them not funding him appropriately for the goals in his plan.
Riley is now transitioning from his work at the Greenacres factory to a more mainstream type of employment at a car wash, where he is paid the industry award, with some support still available for him and the team he is working with. As it’s in its early stages, Riley is maintaining one day a week at the factory where he has some friends and is very familiar with all the staff.
Riley is super excited about this opportunity and feels really proud that he is able to take on a new challenge where he is treated much like any other mainstream employee, with the same expectations of professionalism and accountability on his part, and the same opportunities and privileges as any other employee in society.
As well as Riley’s work-related goals, Tracey was able to assist Riley to engage in exercise physiology through appealing to his interest in technology. Riley attends Fit Tech Studios, who have been really great in welcoming Riley. Fit Tech Studios also have an electro-magnetic suit (EMS) which helps burn kilos faster and a virtual reality (VR) headset which can help engage even the most unenthusiastic Participant! Check out the video of Riley below going through his moves!