If you’ve ever visited Avenue Botany, there’s a good chance you’ve met Izack.
A participant at Avenue for four years, Izack is often the friendly face greeting visitors at reception – bringing his trademark enthusiasm and a bright first impression to everyone who walks through the door. Avenue support worker, Zoe, describes him as a ‘ray of sunshine’.
Izack is often enlisted by Michelle, Avenue’s Community Engagement Lead, to help run hub tours for visitors and potential participants. “I show them around… the kitchen, the market’s team room, the animals room… all the rooms,” said Izack.
But the confident, outgoing person visitors meet today isn’t the same Izack who first arrived at Avenue.
When he first joined Avenue, Izack’s support team described him as initially quite nervous and shy – a stark contrast to the bubbly, confident person he has become.
So, what changed?
For Izack, it was finding a place where he could truly belong, try new things and be part of a community.
He credits the variety of his week, across both Avenue’s work and social programs, with helping him grow in confidence and independence.
“Everything got better,” he says.
Building practical skills and independence, one goal at a time
An inclusive environment is the first step towards greater confidence, but the work doesn’t stop there. Participants at Avenue are supported to hone their skills and, in turn, build independence in both work and social programs.
For Izack, that means taking on real-world responsibility. Across his week, whether he’s counting the market float, budgeting for social outings, or practicing navigating public transport, he constantly puts new skills into action. He thrives on the personal interactions that come with it, too: “I love talking to people.”
Beyond his daily responsibilities, Izack is supported to set and achieve personal goals that matter to him, particularly around digital skills and financial competencies.
“I’m saving up for an Xbox… I’ve saved $83. I’m working on checking my bank balance too… on my phone app.”
Izack is also building greater independence by developing his communication and everyday technology skills. “I do TypingClub and I write emails to my mum to tell her about my day.”
Reflecting on his journey, Izack is proud of the community he has built at Avenue and the confidence he has found along the way. When asked about his work across reception, the animals team, and the markets team, he doesn’t hesitate: “I love Avenue.”
For anyone considering starting their own journey with Avenue, Izack has a piece of advice to share: “100% join… Everybody here is awesome, and you learn good stuff.”
If you or your person would like to learn more about Avenue and how we can support you to achieve your NDIS goals, please visit avenuecoworking.org.au.