With a bit of support to address any barriers, Mai-Wel makes your employment opportunities full of possible.

Having grown up in Maitland and being familiar with the Mai-Wel name, Stacy came to us as a job seeker who wanted a solid foundation of support. Despite this, she says had no expectations and just wanted to see if any opportunities would come about.

Stacy is legally blind and experienced anxiety and a lack of confidence when it came to work.

“Life was nothing but a vicious cycle where I felt like I wasn’t contributing,” says Stacy, “I wasn’t confident to even try anything.

“Previously I had completed an online medical transcription course and completed work in transcribing and editing. But I wanted to do more for myself, as I felt like I was working hard and earning very little. In coming to Mai-Wel, I still wasn’t quite sure what I could do.”

Pictured: Stacy standing outside Linumwel School where she works.

We helped Stacy write up her resume, and begin applying for jobs, as well as reverse marketing to local organisations. One of these organisations we connected her with was Linumwel School, where Stacey interviewed for an Administration Assistant traineeship.

At first, Linumwel were unsure how this position would look for Stacy with her vision impairment, however we quickly came in to connect them to workplace modifications that would allow Stacy to get the job done. This included:

  • Getting a specialised screen, desktop magnification, screen reader programs, desk, scanner and iPad for Stacy
  • Providing Stacy with orientation and mobility training, so she would be able to navigate the new workplace environment
  • Connecting with Vision Australia to get Stacy a Guide Dog
  • Ongoing support from our post-placement support team to assist Stacy and her employer to work through any issues that came up.

“My Post-Place Support Worker was an engaged listener and a good safety net to have. She helped me navigate any challenges and barriers as they popped up,” said Stacy.

“They were a particularly huge help in applying and funding the workplace modifications I needed to set me up for success.”

Now, Stacy has increased her responsibility working as an administration assistant, helping out payroll, finance and accounts payable. Working 24 hours a week, Stacy is loving her job!

“I won the lotto in finding a great employer that understood and embraced me. It’s like night and day compared to how I felt before work. I’m feeling confident, I’m able to self-direct and show initiative and I can see the bigger picture of business operations. I’m still always learning and have a long way to go.”

Business Manager of Linumwel School, Siubhan, says “Stacy is a treasure that we’re glad we found. She has consistently shown the ability to step up to every new challenge that we ask of her. She has never let her eyesight limit her in her work – she always seeks a way to solve the problem from another angle if the standard path doesn’t work. Stacy comes to work with such positivity and shares that with all her colleagues.”

From starting off not knowing what she was capable of, to now increased responsibility and confidence in her new role, Stacy was shown what “Full of Possible” really means with Mai-Wel.