A South East man with an intellectual disability is juggling a variety of employment thanks to organisations like Wallara and Wintringham.
Camilo and his family may not have guessed he’d land a job, with his father Sergio nervous that people might ‘take advantage of him’.
Now the 35-year-old has landed his dream job at Wintringham, a not-for-profit welfare organisation that provides care and accommodation to elderly men and women who are financially disadvantaged, homeless, or at risk of homelessness in Dandenong.
With the right support behind him, he’s finding success in four different work environments, has learned new skills, and developed the confidence to step into open employment — all on his own terms.
He also works in supported employment across three Wallara divisions — Hospitality, Land Management, and Logistics — and spends one day a week in open employment at Wintringham Residential Aged Care in Dandenong.
“He absolutely loves being involved in the community and, from what we hear, all the people he works with love having him around too. If he’s happy, we’re happy,” his father Sergio says.
Whether he’s making coffees, maintaining gardens, packaging products, or supporting older residents, he is said to bring energy, care, and his signature smile to every role.
“I like doing different jobs — it makes the week fun. And I’ve learned I’m good at more things than I thought!” Camilo said.
From helping out with the laundry to managing the morning tea cart, Camilo spends a lot of time with the residents, contributes to staff meetings and social events, and says he has made ‘so many friends’.
Wallara is a disability employment and education provider, which helped Camilo and his family gain confidence in open employment as a safe and beneficial option.
Bernadette Eddelbuttel from Wintringham says Camilo is valued by both their team and the residents and seems to love the job he is in.
“Having him on the team is good for everyone as it brings more diversity and certainly more happiness to our team.”
Wallara Australia has been leading the way in creating open employment pathways for Melburnians living with disabilities – it comes as the most recent ABS data found less than 50 percent of Australians living with profound disabilities were employed.
Carolyn Bloch, Open Employment Advisor at Wallara, says, “Wintringham is a unique environment, and it needed someone exactly like Camilo—personable, kind, friendly, inclusive, and focused on his work. He was the perfect match.”
