James, a participant at Plus, loves to spend his days bushwalking, listening to music, and most of all, cooking.
While James’ baking has become quite renowned around the Plus hub, what James is best known for is his desire to help whoever he can, with an eagerness to brighten up anyone and everyone’s day.
“I do shopping for people, and I make birthday cakes for everybody. I also bring in lunch for others, and clean the storeroom,” said James.
His support worker, Hayat, admires this quality of his, describing James as incredibly caring.
“James likes to do meaningful tasks. He’s always enjoyed helping people, whether it’s carrying their things or putting the groceries away,” said Hayat.
It’s this willingness to help others whenever he can that will help James in his role at Plus’ brand new Mini Woolies.
“Today, we had the opening of Mini Woolies, and James had a training session, learning how to serve the customers, handle money, and use the register, all while wearing the Woolies uniform,” said Hayat.
James’ caring nature won’t be the only thing to come in handy in his new role at Mini Woolies.
Through his entrepreneurial spirit, James has turned his passion for baking into a small business, selling his baked goods at the Fighting Chance head office, next door to the Plus hub.
This endeavour has allowed James to diligently refine his money handling and communication skills, which will also benefit him at Mini Woolies. Additionally, this experience has significantly boosted his confidence and independence.
James’ time at Plus has marked some big improvements in his quality of life. Prior to starting at Plus, he struggled with an unhealthy sleep schedule, often becoming quite tired during the day. He’s worked hard to reset his daily routine, getting to Plus early every morning, and often starting the day with some exercise out in nature.
“One of James’ goals was to feel more engaged across all parts of his life,” said Shelly, James’ Behaviour Support Lead at Plus. “Now he’s made heaps of friends, is arriving early at Plus, and spends the whole day with us.”
His newfound friendships and daily routines have enriched his experience, with bushwalks becoming a highlight of his week as they take him to some pretty special places.
“I come here four days a week. I start my day with morning tea with Hayat, then we do some bushwalking to the lighthouses. We do lots of things, but I love going to the lighthouses the most – I love bushwalking to the lighthouse at Grotto Point,” said James.
James’ journey at Plus has been one of empowerment – with James increasing his independence and taking charge of his health and wellness.
His love for cooking has led him to master many new healthy recipes, taking care of everything from the grocery shopping, to the clean-up after a meal. He’s learning to shop to a budget, screen items for any dietary requirements when shopping for the broader Plus hub, and look for the finer details, like expiration dates.
James experienced difficulties when he joined Plus and we have provided him with individual and intense support to make positive progress, and we continue to provide this level of support for him.
With our support, James has improved his social wellbeing, creating many wonderful friendships at Plus, where he especially thrives when socialising in large groups. “I like to go on social with Lili. My favourite was the time we went to the zoo, with Lili and Dan,” said James.
It’s no wonder that James has made so many wonderful social connections – he has an uncanny ability to lift the mood at Plus, especially with his fantastic taste in music. He’ll often break out the classics like Michael Jackson and the Backstreet Boys, having even mastered the MoonWalk.
Looking to the future, James is excited for what the next year at Plus will bring.
“Next year I’d like to go to another disco. I’d like to sell more cookies to make more money, and work on my communication skills,” said James. “I’m really happy here, it’s been a good year.”