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The North Gosford-based star of a Netflix and ABC show which sets out to help people with autism find love has found a different kind of match in Wyoming, having been helped into her first job following almost nine years of unemployment, with Cheeky Cherubs Preschool.
Aspiring actress Olivia Tranter (27) found fame earlier this year with the ABC’s four-part series Love on the Spectrum, as she and six other singles living with autism set out looking for love. While the show continues to find new fans following its recent relaunch on Netflix, Olivia is now enjoying a new chapter in life after finding work thanks to Cheeky Cherubs Preschool in Wyoming, and our Disability Employment Services (DES), with the help of our dedicated Job Coach, Adin from Sydney’s Central Coast.
After nine years without a job and unsuccessful relationships with disability employment service providers unable to accommodate her special requirements as someone on the spectrum, Olivia met Adin, a connection she says that completely changed her outlook on work.
“He’s very fun and very understanding, we connect on a wavelength that other people actually haven’t really connected with me on”, said Olivia, who was diagnosed with autism later in life. She continued, “He’s very passionate, he’s not there to do a temporary job and then move on, he actually cares about me.”
Understanding the challenges Olivia faced with job applications, the interview process and general anxiety, Adin helped Olivia to get creative with her approach to job searches by building a presence on a jobseekers’ Facebook page, where her successful journey to employment began.
Having joined Cheeky Cherubs Preschool as a Kitchen Hand in September, Olivia has been enjoying helping to prepare meals for the children and being an important part of the overall early learning experience delivered by the family-run business. Things have come full circle for Olivia having been told as a 19-year-old that she would have to leave her childcare studies behind and abandon any ambitions of a career working with children, as her autism would present too much of a barrier to employment.
Having spent the first four weeks at work with Olivia helping to prepare food and easing her into the role, Adin continues to provide support for Olivia through weekly catchups and goal setting. Talking about why their relationship works, Adin said: “I listened to her, I cared about what she wanted and tried to find solutions for her, not putting her in the old ‘square peg in a round hole’ because that just doesn’t work. It’s all about the individual.”
And Cheeky Cherubs Preschool couldn’t be happier with the match, with Early Childhood Educator, Zoe Ross-Clark, saying: “It’s been beautiful seeing Olivia’s growth in such a short period of time in employment. Hearing that she’d been unemployed for nearly nine years really hit a soft spot for me that people that do need a little bit more help aren’t getting employed, because they’re probably the most dedicated employees there are.”
And as Olivia continues to pursue her acting career, the impact that Adin and the new job have made on her life has been huge. “My headspace is great. It’s really got me motivated and really helped me get working on other aspects of my life as well”, said Olivia.
And in a message to other businesses in a position to take on employees with autism, Oliva added, “We’re no different from you. Yeah sure, we may need accommodations, but we’re not an alien species, we’re just as capable of doing anything that you are. Our disability may impact some aspects, but we can do any job that you can do, we just do it in a different way.”
It was great to see Olivia’s story published in the Coast Community News recently, check out the published article here.
We deliver employment services across Australia, specialising in Disability Employment Services (DES) in Gosford, by providing step-by-step personalised support for those living with a disability, injury or illness, that goes beyond the practical skills. With a focused approach on the individual, we combine innovation, heart and understanding – creating a supportive environment to access a world of opportunities!
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