I had never expected my daughter Lexi to be able to get into an ADE – but now, after almost four years, I can't imagine her not being there.
Lexi, 23, has almost no speech, although she certainly can communicate! She's a social butterfly, in fact. She loves working at ausdesigns in Yarrawonga, outside Darwin, which does screen printing with Indigenous designs of products like conference bags, aprons, coasters and napkins, as well as other tasks like tagging products, paper-shredding and sorting of items like nuts and bolts. Ausdesigns grades the job types according to skill levels. Lexi can't do all of the tasks, but she really enjoys the work she is able to participate in. She attends ausdesigns two days a week (they don't have more places available), and goes to a life skills program for the other three days.
Lexi and all people with disabilities are entitled to the same expectations and have the same right to work the rest of us take for granted. People with disabilities benefit hugely from being treated as valued members of society, who are able to work and give back to the community. In Lexi's case, there really are no other support options for her.