By Carers Queensland
Carers Queensland is embarking on a new project that aims to increase the confidence of young people with disability to ensure a successful transition from school to adult life, leading to greater social and economic outcomes.
As one of Australia’s largest National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) Partners in the Community, Carers Queensland plays a key role in building a community that is inclusive and welcoming where young people with disability can live fulfilling and connected lives.
Our School to Adult Life Transition project aims to identify potential barriers and challenges for young people with disability transitioning from school to adult life, as well as realising the positive impacts that have supported young people during this important life transition.
As part of this project, Carers Queensland has established the Amplifying Young Voices Reference Group made up of eight people with disability aged 18-25 years who have already transitioned from school and are now living life their way at home, work and/or in the community.
The Reference Group will share their experiences and ideas about the transition from school to adult life, providing insight, guidance and advice to inform the future work of Carers Queensland’s School to Adult Life Transition project.
Collectively, the members have a wide range of post-school transition experience, including tertiary or vocational study, employment, volunteering, social participation, and connections with informal, community and government supports.
School to Adult Life Transition project Team Leader Kelli Chilton said the Reference Group members were passionate about sharing their experiences to help others with disability more easily navigate the journey to adult life.
“We’re excited to collaborate with the group to understand what their journey was like, and find out what worked, as well as discovering what tools they would have found helpful in overcoming barriers they faced at the time.
“It’s not necessarily always a straightforward path and what works for some young people won’t work for others. We’re focused on finding out what was good and what was useful in order to help others yet to embark on this journey.”
Dalveen local Amy Peters, 23, who struggled to make a smooth transition from high school to adulthood, put her hand up to be a part of the reference group to help others.
“I had a really, really hard time in school and after school. From being taken advantage of in my high school years, to masking who I was to fit in and feel accepted, it was tough,” Amy said, who lives with autism and a learning disability.
“At times it was like I was physically putting a mask on and that’s exhausting. Every sentence I’d say would have been very much thought out, and if the reaction of what I was saying wasn’t quite right, I’d be quite concerned.
“After high school I was quite broken and worn down, then I had to start the process of working out who I actually was and what I wanted to do next.
“Every morning when I woke up, I looked forward to going back to bed and just scraping by emotionally.” Amy said it took her a good three years after leaving school to start to see a positive future for herself.
“For a few years I was quite overwhelmed and at times depressed because I wasn’t where I wanted to be or working in a job that I wanted,” she said.
“I do feel quite I felt sorry for younger me, but I wouldn’t change it because I did learn a lot about myself, as horrible as everything was.
“I want school leavers with disability to know that often it can take time to find out exactly what you want to do. They also need to be kind to themselves and not worry too much about things they can’t change.
“Don’t let your disability stop you from trying anything. I think with enough work you can get there and then it’s just persevering because it’s hard to do a lot of things, especially when you’ve got a disability.
“And if people aren’t going to accept you, while that’s awful, they’re not worth your stress. I think just being patient myself was the biggest thing and just letting things happen.”
Amy now works a few days a week as a designer at Granite Ink in Stanthorpe and is studying a Bachelor of Religion and Ancient History.
“By sharing my experiences in this reference group I hope I can spare others from going through what I did. Helping just one person have a smoother transition than I did will make it work it,” she said.
Carers Queensland Board Chair Jim Toohey said the Amplifying Young Voices Reference Group would provide valuable insight into the lived experience of young people with disability with regards to leaving high school and becoming an adult.
“We have already established a Community of Practice that brings key education and youth-centred stakeholders together to identify barriers and opportunities, and this Reference Group is an extension of this,” he said.
“These young adults will play a pivotal role in helping Carers Queensland identify possible strategies to support young people with disability, who are still at school, to plan for life once they leave.
“The Reference Group will also work with us to identify ways to raise awareness amongst young people without disability, so they can be active natural supports and friends to their peers with disability.”
Carers Queensland’s CEO Debra Cottrell said: “We look forward to working with the Amplifying Young Voices Reference Group members to collaboratively light a path for young people as they embark on life as an adult”.
“We believe in listening to the voices of people with disability and are excited to hear from the members about their experiences at school and since transitioning to life after school,” she said.
“By working together, we can share learnings about post-school transitions and identify ways to support young people still in school to feel empowered in planning for their adult life.”
To find out more about the Inclusive Sport and Recreation Communities project, please visit the Carers Queensland website, call us on 1300 999 636, or email: cq.communityandmainstream@ndis.gov.au
Carers Queensland can support you to find out more about the NDIS, to apply for funding and to help you get started with the NDIS.
If you have a disability but are not eligible for the NDIS, Carers Queensland can help you identify and link to options for support in your community.
