June 04, 2020

Flexible support ensures Jack keeps kicking goals

Lockdown measures have not stopped 17-year-old Gateway Support Services participant Jack enjoying activities and learning new skills – including the art of pancake flipping!  

His team of support workers have ensured Jack, who has Angelman syndrome, continues having fun and achieving his NDIS goals.   

Jack’s mum, Ginnine, says the services have been a great help to the family, and that she has noticed a lot of positive developments in her son.  

‘We’ve noticed Jack has developed better listening skills and his cooking skills have really improved recently due to the activities at Werribee,’ Ginnine says.  

‘His ability to make choices using the daily schedule – what he wants to do, where he wants to go – are all going in the right direction.’  

While government restrictions have meant some of Jack’s preferred outdoor activities could not go ahead, his support workers  – Alan, Ruby, Sue, Wendy and Rachel – work in twos through the week, adapting activities to continue meeting his interests and keeping him engaged.   

With more time spent indoors, Alan says Jack has been developing his fine motor and culinary skills, cooking up a storm in the kitchen at Gateways Support Service’s Werribee office.   

‘In a recent cooking session making pancakes, Jack demonstrated great precision and focus while measuring flour and milk, and while scooping and pouring batter into the fry pan,’ Alan says.  

‘He appeared even more delighted in himself when he was able to flip pancakes in the fry pan after it had been modelled to him.’  

He says the indoor activities have also given Jack an opportunity to develop his functional communication skills using ProLoQuo2GO.  

As well as supporting Jack, his family says the individual support has also provided much needed respite for them.   

‘It has been an amazing help getting Jack out and about. Getting out of the house with support workers has really helped his mental health and his cognitive development a lot,’ Ginnine says.  

‘Jack just loves it and he is progressing towards all his goals. It’s just coming in leaps and bounds. Fortunately, the support team that Jack has is just amazing, so we are very lucky.’ 

To find out how Gateways Support Services can help you make the most of your NDIS plan and meet your goals, contact your support coordinator or nearest Gateways Support Services office.