Jasmyn, who identifies as a person with autism, has worked with Employment Coach Kelly since August 2022 to find a job that matched her interests (reading books), and her love of animals (especially birds!)

“Jasmyn is unique and has a dry sense of humour. She has a strong personality and knows which direction she wants to go in life,” said Coach Kelly.

“When we first met I did a lot of cold calls, reverse marketing, and researching in the industries that were of interest to Jasmyn which is how I came across the volunteering role with Parrots for Purpose. Jaz and I chatted about the opportunity, then organised a call with Michael (from Parrots for Purpose), and her Support Worker Greta so we could all discuss the next steps.”

Soon after starting at Parrots for Purpose, Jaz reached out to Kelly about another job, this time at her beloved bookshop!

“Jasmyn sent me a photo of a job vacancy on QBD Books and asked me to reach out to see if I could get her an interview. I phoned the Robina store, spoke to the Manager Karen, and emailed a copy of Jaz’s resume plus a brief profile on Jaz and her passion for books.”

“Before Jaz went for a meet and greet in-store I spoke with Karen to introduce Jasmyn and explain the support that HELP can offer to employers for staff with disability,” said Kelly.

Though Jasmyn didn’t have as much experience as other candidates, the team at QBD was impressed with her drive and passion.

“In my experience with hiring, I’ve found that sometimes the right candidate isn’t always the one that looks perfect on paper – and this was exactly the case with Jasmyn. After interviewing her, Tegan and I felt that she had a lot of potential to become a strong team member and would fit right in with the team,” said Karen.

Creating a more diverse workforce, together

To ensure Jasmyn’s smooth transition into her new roles Kelly worked alongside her Support Worker Greta from GenNow, and her new employers.

“Prior to offering Jasmyn the position, I called and had a chat with Kelly to discuss any accommodations that we could implement to help make her transition as easy as possible, and from there, we extended the offer to Jasmyn to join the team,” said Karen (QBD Books).

“Working with HELP meant that any questions I had regarding these accommodations and ongoing support were able to be answered in a timely manner.”

Michael said HELP also played a key role in creating a “mutually beneficial” solution that catered to both Jasmyn and the Parrots for Purpose organisation.

“HELP stands apart from other employment agencies because they’re personable, communicative, professional, and committed to their clients. My advice to other employers- don’t hesitate to engage HELP!” he said.

“[Creating a more diverse workforce] aligns perfectly with our values and vision. At Parrots for Purpose, we operate transparently, empathetically, and in a non-judgemental and safe manner. Just as our mission is to ‘connect the right bird with the right person, one bird at a time’, we also strive to connect the right person with the right role in our workplace.”

What’s next for Jasmyn?

Both workplaces have been incredibly supportive of Jasmyn during her first weeks on the job and impressed by her passion and ability to pick things up quickly.

Kelly recently spoke with Michael from Parrots for Purpose, who was eager to sing Jasmyn’s praises.

“It has been an absolute delight watching Jasmyn grow in confidence both around the birds and other people. Jasmyn is like a bird whisperer; many birds who don’t/won’t take to other people seem to build an instant bond and rapport with Jasmyn due to her empathetic, gentle, and patient nature. She has achieved absolute trust at Parrots for Purpose, including the responsibility of opening our premises on occasion. Jasmyn has proven, reliable, effective, quick to learn, and embrace direction as well as building rapport with clients and staff at Parrots for Purpose,” he said.

“Her people skills have shone through and she has been faster to adapt to change than when she first started. Jasmyn has become more trusting of her environment and at times exhibited leadership skills. It has also been noted that Jasmyn has more confidence in her ability to delegate and educate people than when she first began”.

Support Worker Greta (Gen Now) has been working alongside Jasmyn for 2.5 years and has also witnessed Jaz’ transformation since starting work.

“Jaz had already adopted a cockatiel called Ducky so this was a perfect fit for her,” she said.

“I am beyond proud of Jazzy. She has worked so hard to achieve everything that she has, and she is amazing. Her ultimate goal is to be a library assistant and I have no doubt she will achieve this. I can’t wait to watch Jaz continue to grow.”

Jasmyn’s Manager Karen (QBD Books) mirrored these sentiments stating, “I am already very impressed by Jasmyn’s work ethic and commitment to the role. I hope to work with her for a long time to come and look forward to seeing how she learns and grows through new tasks and circumstances.”

We can’t wait to see what Jasmyn achieves next in this exciting new chapter of her life!

Learn more about employment support for people with disability, injury, and health conditions.