Eddie’s New Start
Sit down with a smiling Eddie in his new ‘bachelor pad’, and you would never know that he was in a much darker place just six months ago.
Back then, Eddie was being bullied by a volatile housemate and living in accommodation not suited to his needs. Eddie has cerebral palsy, is unable to speak and has intellectual disability. His very difficult home situation meant he didn’t want to go home at the end of the day and had caused him to become depressed and withdrawn.
Enter Endeavour Foundation, fast-forward a few months, and Eddie is a different man. He is enjoying life with his new housemate, John, a co-tenant carefully chosen to match Eddie’s interests and needs.
“Once we were happy that they would make a good match, we started approaching John’s family and also talking to Eddie and his support coordinator,” said Rowena, Eddie’s Manager, Service Delivery.
“The gentlemen met, they started doing some different activities together… and yes since then they’ve built a pretty good friendship. They live in their little two-bedroom purpose built bachelor pad and yeah, they’re getting along great,” she said.
Eddie and John are now settled into their Supported Independent Living arrangement (SIL) with the help of Endeavour Foundation’s handpicked team of support workers.
“Everybody’s got different interests, different skills; everybody’s got different personalities. We talk to our customers as they come on board and we find out what their interests are and what they’re interested in achieving out of their life. And we find support staff who have similar interests and are passionate about different life areas, so as we know when we’re matching customers and staff, they’ll be working together to achieve a common goal,” explained Rowena.
Eddie is now happily participating in the community and taking part in a whole range of activities, from music and martial arts to cooking classes. The change in him has been dramatic.
“When he came here, I don’t think you would call it shyness… he was just withdrawn… Now, he comes into the office and he pulls a karate stance on us. He has a great time; he’s always got a smile on his face.” Rowena added.
“He’s got a different life now and he’s living life to the fullest,” she said. “That’s what we’re here for. That, for me, that’s what Endeavour is.”
Eddie smiling
Every day, we make a difference in the lives of people like Eddie.
Last year, Endeavour Foundation provided accommodation services to more than 4,000 people with intellectual disability.
We work with our customers, like Eddie, to understand their unique needs and offer them the right support. Our dedicated team of support workers and service operation managers make sure that every person who supports a client is the right fit and that every service provided is tailored to their needs.
While Eddie’s life is definitely now on the right track, many more people like Eddie need our support. There are 830,000 people living with a disability in Queensland and not nearly enough suitable housing.
People with disability are more vulnerable to homelessness because they have lower incomes, are more likely to be unemployed, and have specific housing needs. Without the right support, they are at risk of being isolated from their local community, unable to live a fulfilling life and make their possibilities a reality.
With the help of our supporters, Endeavour Foundation is working to help more people with disability to live independently and live up to their full potential.
This Christmas, give people like Eddie a home they deserve
Everyone wants a safe place to call home. People with disability are no different. You can help to give someone like Eddie a place to call home this Christmas – simply choose from two easy ways to make a difference:
Enter our $1.1 million Christmas Prize Home Lottery
Click here to purchase your tickets today for your chance to win a $1.1 million eco-friendly home in the Sunshine Coast hinterland. If you’re the lucky winner you will also find a Jayco Journey Deluxe pop top caravan parked in your driveway and receive $10,000 in cashable gold.
Book your tickets online or call the call the Endeavour Foundation support team on 1800 63 40 40.
Make a donation to our Christmas Appeal
Click here to give now and enjoy the feeling of knowing you are making a difference. All donations over $2 are tax deductible.
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