My son is physically disabled and uses a walking frame for mobility. He also has a moderate intellectual disability. He becomes stressed and anxious when his routine changes. For 2 years after finishing school he attended a TTW program where he learnt office skills. For example, to photocopy- but when the paper ran out or the settings needed changing he needed help, to shred paper- but if there were staples to remove or the paper jammed he needed help, to post the mail-but he needed to cross a road so needed supervision, to even go to the accessible toilet he needed an escort because it was downstairs in a lift and through a heavy door. My son has been trained to be as independent as possible in his daily activities but most work environments restrict his independence because they are set up for the mainstream employee. The positions that would suit him such as mail sorting & delivery, answering telephones have pretty much become extinct with the utilisation of technology. For the past 4 years he has been employed in an ADE where he is in a work place geared to accept the needs of his disabilities, he is supported in his work, he is challenged by learning new skills, he is with like-minded people providing a safe, friendly, sociable & rewarding workplace. It is not an institution, it is no different to any other workplace in principle, it is setup to address the needs of people with disabilities who want to have-a-go. My son has a strong work ethic & expects to be out each day earning money. The money he earns will never cover his cost of living but it makes him feel as though he is doing his bit and brings him a great deal of satisfaction. Working in an ADE has not stopped my son from dreaming of job in the general work force but we all know that could take years, perhaps a lifetime! So thank you for ADEs where people like my son can at least live half their dream.