When James arrived in Western Australia as a refugee, it was Identitywa and Centacare Employment and Training who offered him access to the education and training, which will enable him to gain employment.

James recently completed a Certificate lll in Individual Support specialising in Disability and undertook 120 hours of work experience supporting individuals in one of Identitywa’s shared accommodation homes.

All work experience for each course that Centacare delivers is completely organised on behalf of the student – a service that is not offered by all registered training organisations.

“My placement with Identitywa has given me real life experiences to support individuals with disability,” James said.

“The staff have been very supportive of me and this has assisted me greatly.  I have had the chance to interact with individuals, learning how to support their needs.”

“The first week was a bit challenging as my English isn’t perfect, but as days went by I got a better understanding of the people I was assisting,” shares James.

A shared vision for encouraging staff to achieve the ‘best life’ for people with disability and their families has resulted in the collaboration of Centacare and Identitywa.

Identitywa believe that having highly skilled staff is critical to the delivery of the organisation’s services, which can assist people throughout their lives.

Lee-Anne Brensell, Identitywa’s  Manager of Services, explains:

“Individual – Person-Centred Active Support is at the heart of our services and the opportunity to experience placements in our shared accommodation homes is so valuable for students.”

“Our goal is that students will graduate the course with a range of factual, technical and procedural knowledge, as well as some theoretical knowledge of the concepts and practices required to provide this type of support,” said Lee-Anne.

James says he is gaining vital practical experience and learning how he can contribute to the well-being of the people he is supporting in his placement.

“I feel lucky and grateful to have had a chance to do the course and I look forward to building on my knowledge and skills,” said James.

Identitywa is one of WA’s largest agencies supporting people with disability and their families. For more information about their services, please call 9474 3304 or email reception@identitywa.com.au.

Original story published on Identitywa’s website.

If you’re interested in studying a Certificate III in Individual Support specialising in Ageing or Disability, head to our Vocational Education Training page or contact us today.