Phoebe Davis & Angela Celenza. Photo: Jon Hewson. d493214 communitypix.com.au
Camera IconPhoebe Davis & Angela Celenza. Photo: Jon Hewson. d493214 communitypix.com.au Credit: Supplied/Supplied

Disability no barrier to employment thanks to partnership

Jessica NicoCockburn Gazette

PHOEBE Davis and Angela Celenza love getting up in the morning to go to work.

But life could have been a lot different for the two young women had it not been for a partnership between not-for-profit disability employment service BIZLINK and Dome Cockburn.

Finding some independence alongside their employment, typical duties for the pair include helping with food preparation in the kitchen, general cleaning, setting up tables and attending to customer enquiries.

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“I have been working at Dome for five years, the people are friendly and care for me,” Ms Celenza said.

“I really enjoy working at Dome it the best place for me to work and the people I work with are friendly.”

Ms Davis agreed.

“I like working together as part of a team and I like how everyone supports each other, especially when other staff help me out,” she said.

“I like that Dome Cockburn staff treat me the same as everyone else, they make me feel included and part of the team.”

BIZLINK marketing manager Steven Mangan said it was important that people living with disability were given a chance in the workplace.

“There are 2.1 million Australians of working age with a disability but of these, just over a million are employed,” he said.

“It is imperative that all employers do what they can to champion diversity and inclusion, whether they employ one person or 1000.

“Having a job creates a sense of self-worth and purpose, creates hope and gives individuals the opportunity to further develop their skill sets and reach their full potential.

“Focusing on a person’s ability as opposed to their disability is the key.”