Published in 'Newslink', Headstart ABI Service; June 2015
After the closure of the
Salvation Army Welfare Centre, I returned to a disability employment provider once
more. With both they and Centrelink, I signed an Employment Pathway Plan (EPP) and a Participation Plan. Observations made by others and research led me to seriously consider training to be an Assistant in
Nursing (AIN).
Aged
Care seemed the most sensible of options, and sussing things out showed a few possibilities. The best one seemed to be the Cert III at Glendale TAFE. This opportunity which showed real promise once the support given to disabled students was
explained.
Then the bombshell was dropped: under the Smart + Skilled guidelines, I would remain ineligible for
government assistance. Why? Because my previously
attained qualification (Diploma vs Cert III) superseded it! In my case, the course would actually cost $6,000…far beyond my means!
So what now? Well, I have
another few cards up my sleeve- we are checking those out. Frustrating, yes,
and at seeming at times to come at the cost of my independence, but it has not
always been that bad. For one thing, having my mother by my side has always
helped, as both she and the parties involved have come at the problem from an
angle I simply couldn’t consider.
Sometimes the hoops disabled
people must jump are likened to being a “minefield”. Let’s be honest, though- there’s
no way I could navigate them half as well on my own! Often too, I reflect on
what the composer Gustav Mahler is remembered for saying: “my time will come.” What
matters most now is that for the first time since school ended, the path seems
much clearer: music, writing and employment in aged care. More details will
follow, but that will just have to wait…
