Independence looks different for different people. For one, it might be having a home that suits their needs. For another, it could be taking music lessons.

Mable’s mission is to help clients and support workers to find their kind of independence. Here’s how some of our community members have found theirs.

Pursuing their passion

Freedom can mean being able to do what you love. For many clients, finding support on Mable has made it possible for them to pursue their hobbies, whether it’s hiking, learning a new language or going to the movies.

Penny and her love for hiking

Despite a permanent disability after a hiking accident, Penny’s love for mountains has continued to grow. 

For Penny, being able to continue hiking has meant being in control of her life. Rachel, her support worker on Mable, supports Penny by accompanying her on hikes. She also assists her with other tasks, such as driving to and fro from the location.

Penny says, “We need the resources and social structures that support adventures such as my hiking. The diversity of Mable’s support workers enables me to achieve my aspirations and goals.”

Find out more about Penny’s story.

How Jacob pursues his hobbies and new interests

By finding support workers that suit the skills Jacob needs, he has the freedom to pursue his hobbies, current and new.

Jacob says, “For example, I want to learn how to speak Mandarin, so I have found a support worker that can teach me the culture and language.”

“And they’re flexible too – which is good, because my business changes all the time,” he explains.

Learn more about Jacob’s story.

Travel, museums and more – support that Samantha wants

Samantha finds independence through her support team in many ways, whether it’s daily chores or special events.

“My support team is fantastic – we do everything from meal preparation and laundry together, to going on shopping trips or to art classes, museum shows or the movies. They’ve even supported me when I needed to travel up and down the coast for work by making sure I wasn’t overdoing things, and supporting me in places that aren’t always accessible,” Samantha says.

Find out more about Samantha’s story.

Doing what he loves – how Henry is thriving with autism support

For Henry, who is diagnosed with autism and ADHD, being home-schooled was the best pathway to education. To encourage him in having social relationships and support him at home, Henry’s mother Annabel found Mable support worker Darryl, whose grandsons live with autism.

Darryl spends time with Henry doing practical activities and has taught him a range of ‘life skills’ including woodwork and how to safely build a fire and use tools. Annabel says Darryl has been instrumental in helping Henry to regain trust in adults, other than family and friends.

Learn more about Henry’s story.

Freedom of self-employment 

For many, independence means being able to support themselves and their family financially. With support from Mable, clients have been able to follow their career path and support workers can choose how they run their small business.

Self-employment support for Kory

For Kory (previously Kathy), getting support from Mable was key to focussing on work. 

She says, “One of my main goals is to increase my self-employment opportunities and I’ve been thrilled to find support workers on Mable who are keen and dedicated to assisting me in reaching my goals.“

With her support workers, Kory was able to publish a book as well as continue publishing her magazine.

Kory adds, “My main support worker, who works with me on my business goals, assisted me in learning more about graphic design and worked with me on my publishing projects. She also attended a major festival where I was delivering a presentation, to provide support.”

Learn more about Kathy’s story.

Tools and support Ben gets to to run his business

Being self-employed and running your own business can be challenging.

As an independent support worker on Mable, Ben has access to tools provided by Mable so he can run his small business the way he wants.

“Thankfully, it’s a great platform that can assist us in those early stages. Yes, you have your flexibility with starting to structure your week, but you also have the opportunity to learn about business,” he says.

Learn more about Ben’s story.

How Pete found a career he loves

For Pete, independence meant finding a job that’s more than just a job.

Pete chose to be an independent support worker on Mable because he wanted “more holistic satisfaction and enjoyment” compared to his previous job.

“Being a support worker also gave me better pay, more flexible hours, more chances to be creative, and it’s been so much fun,” he says.

Learn more about Pete’s story.

Independence to stay at home

It’s natural for us to need support as we get older. For older Australians, there is nothing more important than to continue staying at home. Older clients have been able to stay independently at home, thanks to support through Mable.

Living life on their own terms

For Mable clients Carol and Dinah, independence is all about being able to stay at home and living life on their terms.

Carol lives in Spencer (NSW) while her daughter Pieta lives in Melbourne.

To continue staying at home, Carol needed a little support, which she found on Mable. Her team of support workers help her with daily household chores, driving to appointments, grocery shopping and community participation.

Dinah too found support for daily tasks and travel on Mable. Since last year, the 82-year-old has been using her Home Care Package funding to get extra support from her Mable support worker so she can continue to live independently. 

Learn more about Carol’s story and Dinah’s story.