Thi’s story of finding employment is the beginning of a whole new chapter

CoAct service partner MTC Australia helps people with disability across Australia find sustainable work that suits their individual needs.

• MTC Australia’s solutions for Thi’s challenges
• How CoAct and our service partners can help

When Thi was referred to MTC Australia from Workforce Australia for disability employment services (DES) she was 61, spoke no English, and had never worked.

Thi was facing a few challenges too and though you wouldn’t know it from her cheery personality and determination to get working, these were some of the most severe for disability employment services, including cross cultural and language challenges.

Thi’s confidence was low and her pain levels were high, but her MTC Australia Workforce Partner Kim knew exactly how to help her.

MTC Australia’s solutions for Thi’s challenges

Kim’s approach to finding a job that would suit Thi started with meeting her and, with the help of an interpreter, listening to her needs and understanding her skills and capabilities so she could figure out exactly what would work for her specific situation.

I do have my little stash of employers I can approach with new candidates but first I ask what a person wants to do, and then I go out and find it for them.

With Thi I knew of a nearby Vietnamese restaurant who I had approached for someone else and I knew she’d probably be a good fit because they want people who can speak Vietnamese in the kitchen.

Thi has now been in the job for a while and her employer is also feeling the benefits of his new recruit:

The feedback is that she’s fantastic. The employer absolutely loves her and she does more than she’s supposed to, sorting washing out if it’s not done and picking up after other people who have just left things.

Thi now stops by regularly to keep Kim updated as the two have developed a genuine bond, with Kim continuing to support her as she works.

I don’t speak Vietnamese and Thi still doesn’t speak a word of English so we get an interpreter for anything serious, but usually we just… communicate.

Kim loves the changes she’s seen in Thi, “Her confidence has picked up dramatically and she shows me pictures on her phone of beautiful birds and flowers and things that make her happy. She’s giggly, stylish, a real character, and she’s fabulous.”

How CoAct can help

Register here today to find out more about how CoAct and our service partners (like MTC Australia) in your local area can provide dedicated support, resources, funding, training and programs to help with reaching employment goals.