At 19 years old, Trey is your classic sports fan and now, since working with Afford, he is not only kicking goals in a work experience placement, he’s on his way to his dream career.
A positive future
Trey joined Afford’s School Leaver Employment Supports (SLES) program early in 2024. And the partnership, well, it’s going gangbusters.
“I’m having the best time and I’m learning so I can get myself a real job that I love,” Trey says.
Getting job ready
Trey’s success comes after he joined forces with Afford employees, who made it their mission to find him meaningful and fulfilling work experience.
After getting to know Trey’s goals and interests, his SLES support team connected him with The Holt Bolt, a centre for physical training and exercise physiology in Caboolture. They were confident that the centre was a great match for Trey’s job readiness training. And they were right.
With assistance from the SLES employment coach and family encouragement, Trey has gained first-hand experience in a role which combines his passion for the fitness industry and his commitment to helping others.
“Trey has focused on cultivating crucial soft skills, including effective communication, problem-solving, and teamwork,” says SLES coach Matt.
“With guidance, Trey is exploring strategies for self-advocacy, workplace etiquette, and fostering positive interpersonal relationships with colleagues.”
Michelle Schneider, a trainer at The Holt Bolt, has welcomed the opportunity to show Trey what it’s like to work as a fitness coach. She’s also been more than happy to take any extra steps to ensure Trey is comfortable and confident in his new gig.
“I wanted to ensure we could create an environment for Trey to thrive,” says Michelle.
Being part of the team
Trey now works at The Holt Bolt every Friday and is a happy member of the team. He loves being part of the work gang and proudly wears his Holt Bolt uniform when on shift.
Like all new team members, it took a little time for Trey to find his feet. But within a few months he was smashing it out of the park.
“Now, Trey can self-start easily, shows a great deal of initiative, communicates effectively and manages his time efficiently with limited support from his coach or other Holt Bolt staff,” Michelle says.
“We’ve not only seen Trey develop his practical skills in these domains, but also seen him develop his confidence, communication, social skills and work ready skills.”
Taking the lead
In recent weeks, Trey has even taken the lead on several client training sessions.
“Rather than get Trey to be her right-hand man, Michelle has been giving him the opportunity to pick an activity and set it up for the clients,” says Matt.
“She has become Trey’s assistant for some of the activities,” he adds with a laugh.
Trey is enjoying every minute, but he’s especially keen on helping other young people when and if he can.
“I like helping kids,” Trey explains. And he’s good at it too. For example, when taking the lead with younger participants, Trey puts on Top 40 tunes. This motivates them to complete their required fitness routines, before moving on to the more fun stuff.
It’s not only Trey who is benefitting from this dream career placement. One young client has gained a swag of confidence thanks to Trey being hands on at his exercise physiology sessions.
“They have formed a great connection,” says Matt.
“This client is largely non-verbal, but we can see how he feels. He used to have a lot of anxiety but now he’s actively participating and enjoying his session.”
Helping others achieve
Trey’s role involves promoting active engagement and helping clients develop their physical, social, and cognitive skills, aligning with their personal and NDIS goals. His keenness for helping others is clear and he always brings positive energy to the training sessions.
Trey’s commitment to helping people was obvious at school, where he was the go-to person for the younger students when they had problems. He supported teachers too.
“I volunteered to help teachers on playground duty,” reveals Trey.
Trey also encouraged junior students to play basketball at lunch time, when he wasn’t helping with playground duty or competing in one of the many sports in which he’s a bit of a legend. He has represented his school in a variety of sports during his senior years, including soccer, T-ball, and golf.
Attending activities
“Now my favourite sports and activities are go karting, bowling and table tennis,” he says. Trey competes in all three and represents Moreton North Special Olympics in both table tennis and bowling.
He goes bowling twice a week and to table tennis training once a week and regularly attends Special Olympics competitions throughout the state. He travels to go-kart races in Gladstone and Maryborough with his parents. The Holt Bolt has started sponsoring Trey and its logo is now proudly displayed on his go-kart.
“Trey is extremely competent on the track. He’s very careful and courteous and follows the rules,” Matt says.
“When at home Trey is very dedicated to his racing simulator, which keeps him racing fit. He also is very interested in designing racing liveries (sticker kits) for both racing cars and go karts, he really enjoys the computer both for fun and researching his hobbies.”
Taking the learner’s test
Trey attends a course at a simulated driving centre and plans to get his learner’s licence soon. He is gaining knowledge of road safety and working to increase his confidence so he can sit the physical test at Transport Main Roads.
“I practice (the multiple-choice learners test) with Matt at the training room on the computer,” he says of his preparations. “And I observe when driving with Mum.”
Considering qualifications
With support from Matt and Michelle, Trey is also considering pursuing the Certificate III in Fitness he needs to qualify him for future paid employment.
“I feel Trey will do great (with his Cert III) as he has a great support base around him and he is a fast learner,” Michelle says.
“It will give Trey a fantastic opportunity to gain employment, potentially even with us here at The Holt Bolt.”
Explore SLES with Afford
Afford’s School Leaver Employment Supports (SLES) program empowers young people with disability to transition from school to the workforce. This exciting time in young people’s lives is filled with opportunity and possibility, and we are here to realise your dreams as you leave school and make your way into the world of work.
Learn more about School Leaver Employment Supports (SLES)
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