April 06, 2017

David & Luke’s new home…

Moving out of home for the first time is one of the most exciting times in a young person’s life. For David and Luke who both have an intellectual disability, moving into their own home in 2015 was a major milestone and something they had dreamed of and waited a long time for.

“Living in my own place was something I always wanted to do,” David said.

An innovative new model using funding from the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), made it possible for Gateways to support David and Luke to move from their family home into a place of their own. For David and Luke’s families, seeing their children transition to live more independently in the community and develop their living skills in their own home, provides them with peace of mind for the future.

“As parents all we ever want for our children is for them to be safe, happy, secure and independent,” David’s mother Jeannette said.

“When this involves some form of disability, which I consider an alternate ABILITY, the journey is somewhat more challenging, especially as we get older and look to the future,” she added.

With the support of Gateways, David and Luke are learning new skills to assist them in their day to day life and empower them to live independently, reducing the need for on-going support. This includes cooking, cleaning, shopping and learning about their tenancy obligations.

“They are learning to hone their skills with everyday tasks so they can finally become as independent as possible and reach their full potential. I consider this sensible forward planning which has many benefits and I urge families to take the opportunity when it arises.”

“We are forever grateful to all the organisations including Gateways and the NDIA for making this happen.”