Dwayne is a 16 year old young man with a passion for motocross and all things with engines, and lives with an intellectual disability.

Dwayne left school last year as he didn’t think it was for him, and he wanted to get a job and to make some money.

Dwayne is not yet eligible to be supported by a Disability Employment Service (DES) Provider, but receives individualised support from Inclusion WA. They provide him with a personal mentor to teach skills, guide him to master tasks related to his work, and support him during work times. His mentor supported Dwayne to discover what he likes and what a day’s work involves. In March 2016, Dwayne was able to start a paid work trial in a Boat storage yard, and the employer was so happy with him that they gave him his first job, four hours a week.

Dwayne performs a range of tasks at work, including labouring work, cleaning and sweeping up, moving furniture from different storage units, and garden maintenance. He has been supported to get a tax file number, set up his own email and his own bank accounts. He is now planning to get trained on using heavy machinery so he can get a full-time job.

The job Dwayne, his employer and his support have created has given him purpose and meaning. The job he does is important for the people he works with, and he has become a valued and well loved member of the team. With the support of Dwayne’s mentor, other employees have now started to actively support Dwayne, meaning inclusion WA have been able to redirect some of his support to other areas of his life.

Dwayne
Western Australia