The teen kicking goals in spite of adversity

IF BEING A PARENT CAME WITH AN INSTRUCTION MANUAL, TIPS ON HOW TO AVOID WORRYING ABOUT YOUR CHILD’S FUTURE WOULD BE NEAR THE TOP, AND NO DOUBT A FEW CHAPTERS LONG. Unfortunately, no such

go-to novel exists, and the act of worrying becomes a skill and talent most parents thrive in. Sharon Mitchell can attest to this. Throughout her daughter Maddy’s life, Sharon has watched

her overcome adversity to grow into a confident and passionate young woman. “Maddy’s had a few challenges in her life – she was born with cerebral palsy, an intellectual disability and

epilepsy,” Sharon said. Yet as every parent does, she wondered what opportunities would be available to her daughter after school, with this worry heightened as she knew Maddy might be

overlooked because of her differences. Maddy was moved to a school that offered her the support she needed to thrive, however, Sharon remained nervous about her future. As for Maddy, the

confident teen was aware of her strengths and weaknesses, and she had her own set of goals she wanted to achieve. “A job to me is that I know I can stand on my own two feet eventually,” she

said. This goal is coming along swimmingly, to say the least. A career session with APM, Australia’s largest provider of disability employment services, opened doors, allowing Maddy to

leverage her love for swimming and working with kids. A work placement with her local swim school has quickly transformed into a permanent paid role for Maddy as she completes her training

to become a qualified swim teacher. Sharon’s worries were put to rest, and she couldn’t be more proud. “It feels fantastic to know Maddy, for the future, has not just a job, but a career,”

she said. “She’s actually going to be a qualified swim instructor which is something we didn’t ever expect. “Even when she was first doing work experience at the swimming pool we never

envisioned she would be able to be an instructor and actually be able to take a class on her own.” _APM is dedicated to opening doors to employment for people like Maddy, who face challenges

such as injury, illness, mental health issues and disability. For more information on their services, head to their __website__._ GET THE LATEST NEWS FROM THEWEST.COM.AU IN YOUR INBOX. Sign

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