Sometimes in society, people look at the exterior of a person and make unfair judgement calls of them when they don’t truly know them.
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This negative mindset works against the ideals of an inclusive society.
When I first met Jeremy he was a quiet and unassuming man who did not talk much.
After sitting down with Jeremy and his mother to get a better picture of what he was really like and to learn what his central goals were, I discovered that he was a very intelligent man who had an extensive knowledge and passion for fast cars and fishing, anything that had a rugged element to it!
What started with trips to cafés and the library, which Jeremy didn’t really mind but he did not love, progressed to trips to the aviation museum, fishing trips and attending concerts and car racing at Wakefield Park.
Jeremy has attended the Beatle Mania and Alanis Morrisette concerts and the Lego Brick Exhibition.
Attending these outings has been a very positive step for Jeremy as he has become more social and more comfortable out in the community.
Jeremy is still a quiet bloke, but we are all different. He has made some massive steps in terms of communication. He will now pour me a drink in a café, start a conversation about Star Wars characters and he will also share a joke with me.
Observing these positive achievements has been very rewarding for me personally as a support worker and I am very pleased for Jeremy to be making such progress.
- This article was written by Interchange Australia support worker Tim Riley. Interchange Australia provides a wide range of services for people with disability, older people and families with a child with autism. For information about services and support available go to the website www.interchangeau.org, www.facebook.com/interchangeau or call 1300 112 334.