After overcoming personal hardships and challenges, Disability Employment Services (DES) client Lorraine has recently secured paid work, thanks to the support and guidance of STEPS Employment Solutions and Senior Job Coach Stacey McKeand.
Since 2020, Lorraine had continuously sought a job that matches her passions and aspirations and works to her strengths, but due to prior experience around the job seeking process Lorraine initially struggled.
When Senior Job Coach Stacey McKeand began working with Lorraine in 2023, she took the time to understand the type of work that would meet Lorraine’s needs and provided her with the support Lorraine needed to find opportunities. This led Stacey to support Lorraine in applying and getting hired with The Waterhole – Community Centre.
The Waterhole Community Centre is a Salvation Army-run program located in Alice Springs. This community-driven initiative provides shelter and refuge for those in need, access to valuable resources and essential utilities, and recreational activities and entertainment that community members can access for free or at a small cost.
During a recent visit to The Waterhole – Community Centre, Stacey and Lorraine had the opportunity to discuss Lorraine’s success. Lorraine couldn’t help but express her deep gratitude for the support that Stacey, STEPS, and the Waterhole have provided, which has not only helped her overcome personal challenges but also allowed her to find meaningful employment.
Stacey has been thrilled with Lorraine’s success: “It’s fantastic to see just how far Lorraine has come and the impact we have had supporting her in employment. Looking at where Lorraine started and how she didn’t know how to find work and comparing that to now, where she understands the employment process and is supporting her local community, it’s special”, says Stacey.
Through employment with the Waterhole Lorraine has found financial stability and the satisfaction of making a difference in the lives of others. We wish Lorraine all the best with her ongoing employment with the Waterhole.
