Dubbo resident Sammi, 34, has autism and cerebral palsy and is living life on her own terms – and succeeding.

She recently moved into her own home in Dubbo, has a job she loves, a growing list of skills, and a dream holiday to save for. Getting to this place, however, took courage, support and a belief in herself that she didn't always have.

Sammi describes herself as a slow learner.

"It takes me a while to learn a job," she says. "But I finally get there."

Before she connected with Social Futures' Inclusive Employment Australia (IEA) program, life looked different for Sammi.

She lived on a farm outside Dubbo with her dad, where getting to appointments meant catching a ride on the local school bus. She was isolated, and she felt some of the people around her doubted what she could do.

"No one believed I could get a job because of my disability," Sammi said.

"People would tell me that I wouldn't survive in a job. I didn’t have a lot of support until I came to Social Futures.”

However, Sammi was determined to build a life of her own.

"I didn't want to spend my whole life having other people do everything for me," she explained.

Sammi applied for a job at KFC and was thrilled when she got it. But she soon discovered that landing a job and keeping it are two different things.

The early days at KFC were challenging for Sammi. Because she has a hidden disability and appears confident and capable, people can often assume she doesn’t need any extra help. Sammi also experiences anxiety, and she found it difficult to advocate for herself.

“I was scared to speak up before,” she says.

Realising she needed support with communicating her needs, Sammi reached out to Social Futures' IEA program.

The team helped her find her feet at work and build confidence, and worked with Sammi’s employers to help them understand what adjustments can be made to support people with disability in the workplace.

Working closely with Sammi and her employer, Social Futures IEA Team Leader Terri-Lee Baker put workplace arrangements in place and helped managers and crew better understand Sammi’s individual needs, so everyone knew how to help her succeed at work.

“The KFC team have been great to work with. They really wanted to learn and understand how best to work with Sammi so she can do her job well,” said Terri-Lee.

“The shift has been remarkable. All we get is positive things from work," she added.

Sammi now texts the team after every shift to share how her day went.

"In the last three or four months, she's saying, 'I'm so proud of myself. I can't believe how good I am.' She's never said that before," Terri-Lee said.

"That actually brings tears to my eyes. I'm very proud of her."

For Sammi, the future is looking very positive.

"I just love all the support that Social Futures gives me, they’ve been able to listen," Sammi said.

"It's just like I have a Social Futures family."

Further information about Social Futures’ IEA program can be obtained from socialfutures.org.au.