At 33, Fran knows what she likes.
She loves history. She loves art galleries, museums and visiting historical landmarks. She loves being in front of a camera. She loves fashion, movies and the idea of a good sleepover with friends.
And, like plenty of other women her age, she’d love to have a group of girlfriends to go shopping with, see a movie, hang out and do some ‘girly’ things together.
Bottom line, when it comes to how she likes to spend her time, Fran is just like any other 33-year-old woman. And that’s the whole point.
People with disability have their own interests, personalities, ambitions and dreams – just like everyone else. Yet sometimes, the things people with disability want to do is overlooked. Or assumptions are made about what they might enjoy.
Fran loves to sit by the pool at home. We can see why …
At Afford, we believe the starting point should be much simpler. Simply ask people what they want. Then support them to pursue it.
For Fran, that has meant having the opportunity to follow her interests, build her confidence, achieve her goals and create a life that feels like her own.
Finding her place in front of the camera
One of the things Fran is particularly passionate about is television.
She is one of the hosts of AbiliTV, Australia’s only disability community TV show hosted and crewed by people with disability. For Fran, being involved is about much more than appearing on screen.
“I feel like I’ve made a difference. I could be an inspiration to other people who want to do this sort of thing,” says Fran.
She loves being on camera and enjoys inspiring other people who might be interested in producing television programs themselves.
Fran is a co-host of the disability community TV show abiliTV and she absolutely loves it.
Since joining AbiliTV, Fran’s confidence has grown enormously.
“It has been amazing to see how Fran has come out of her shell and is blossoming into the confident woman she is who is not afraid to chase what she wants from life,” says Mae
It’s a great example of what can happen when someone is given the opportunity to explore an interest that genuinely belongs to them.
And Fran’s interests don’t stop there. She is fascinated by history and she loves learning in general. Art galleries, museums and historical landmarks give her the chance to indulge that curiosity and discover more about the world around her.
Turning a goal into a job
Fran has also been working towards something that has been particularly important to her: employment.
She recently completed her Certificate III in Business through a traineeship, undertaking her placement at a local op shop and her hard work paid off.
After completing her traineeship, Fran was offered a supported employment position at the same op shop. She now works two days a week, earning her own income and building her workplace skills and experience.
That’s an achievement that has made Fran, her parents, her twin sister Liz and her support coordinator Mae incredibly proud.
For Fran, it represents something she worked hard to achieve – and another step towards the life she wants for herself.
Dreams that are uniquely hers
Fran has been supported by Afford for five years and began receiving support coordination from Mae in January 2023.
Like anyone, her goals have changed and grown along the way.
One of Fran’s hopes for the future is to build lasting friendships with other women her age who share similar interests and experiences. She would love to find female companions she can connect with, laugh with and simply spend time with.
She has a very clear picture of what that might look like: sleepovers, going to the movies, shopping and enjoying plenty of those everyday activities with friends.
These are simple things – but they are the things that make up a life.
Because having friends. Going shopping. Seeing a movie. Going to work. Earning your own money. Discovering a new museum. Getting dressed up. Having a laugh with people who understand you. They’re not ‘disability goals’. They’re just life.
Fran absolutely loves her home. And her fashion. And this furry friend.
Supporting people to choose their own lives
Fran’s story is a reminder of why individual choice and genuine inclusion matter.
Good support isn’t about deciding what someone should be interested in or steering them towards activities simply because they are considered suitable for people with disability.
It’s about listening, understanding what makes someone tick. Afford support workers get to know what their clients dream about, what they’re curious about and what they want their life to look like. Then they help them pursue those things.
For Fran, that means history, television, work, friendships, movies, shopping and the possibility of finding a great group of girlfriends to share it all with.
Oh, and actress Anne Hathaway. Fran is a serious fan.
Fran particularly loved Hathaway’s portrayal of Mia Thermopolis in The Princess Diaries, a character she relates to. She thinks she looks a little like Anne Hathaway’s version of Mia, too.
It’s another insight into who Fran is. That’s great because ultimately, Fran doesn’t want a life designed around her disability.
She wants a life designed around Fran. And we’re determined to honour that.
Fran kicking back in her open plan Afford home. She loves to look out at the view.
