A new initiative has been launched designed to support Year 10 to Year 12 students with disability and their families as they prepare for life after graduation.
Lead by Personal Advocacy Service, Belonging Beyond School works in collaboration with Catholic Youth Ministry, Catholic Family and Justice Support Services, Identitywa and Catholic Education Western Australia.
Reflecting the Church’s commitment to ensuring every person is welcomed, valued and included within the wider community, Belonging Beyond School recognises that true belonging is about more than finding work or completing further study – it is about building relationships, discovering one’s God-given gifts and remaining connected to communities that nurture hope and purpose.
Speaking at the recent launch event, Personal Advocacy Service’s (PAS) Community Development Officer Rachel Boon outlined the range of programs that PAS offers to foster social and community participation.
One of the key and long-standing initiatives is the SPRED (Special Religious Development) program, where adults with intellectual disabilities are supported in one-on-one relationships with volunteers, fostering friendship, confidence, and spiritual growth.
Manager of Catholic Families and Justice Support Services, Adrian Martino, explained the recently formed CFJSS provided support to families across the entire life cycle, from birth to death.
He said the agency sought to help foster and build community in a world that was increasingly focussed on self; putting Catholic social teaching into practice and sharing that information with individuals, families, schools and parishes.
Director of the Catholic Youth Ministry, Adam Phillips, explained that CYM was focussed on supporting young people aged 12 to 30 years across parishes, schools and a range of cultural communities and movements, to build and foster enduring relationships, share the Gospel, and develop a relationship with Jesus.
The key to the agency’s offering is peer-to-peer ministry; youth ministering to youth, sharing their faith and creating places of belonging and encounter.
From faith formation to leadership, volunteering and youth ministry, CYM seeks to empower and connect young people across the archdiocese under a Christ-centred culture.
Wendy Cox, Manager of Identitywa said support for people with disabilities and their families was at the core of their offering – “looking at the opportunities rather than seeing barriers.”
While transitions or milestones in life can feel overwhelming at times, Wendy said Identitywa was committed to sharing the journey with individuals and their families to achieve the best possible outcome.
Based on feedback from a recent survey of people whom they support, Wendy said Identitywa has focussed on developing meaningful programs that foster belonging and connection with peers, build skills and capacity, boost confidence and readiness, provide pathways to education, employment, and community activities, and provide space for parents and families to connect and learn.
