Disability support aims to focus on people

THE owners of the newly founded Persona Personalised Support Services have said they are focused on providing support to people with disabilities.

Cait Nichols and her partner Tim Teoh launched the business in August after feeling like other disability support services could be more focused more on making money than supporting people individual.

“It seemed like a lot of the people in the industry where there just for the money which was really upsetting,” she said.

“In this industry we’ve got really vulnerable members of the public and people who are easily taken advantage of.”

The organisation offers a range of one-on-one and group services like day trips, opportunities to learn new skills and socialising.

“Our main goal is to be able to bring empathy to the sector and ensure our staff have that care for the people that we work for,” said Ms Nichols.

“I think it’s quite clear that we can see progress with most of our participants.”

A Summer Days Out program is also set to launch which includes trips to the Melbourne Aquarium, Halls Gap Zoo ,and the Great Ocean Road.

“People with a disability love to have fun and often don’t get to go do these things in a group setting,” said Ms Nichols.

“They’ll be doing it with people they can relate to so they’re more likely to make friends.

I want to make them feel like they are a part of the community and can do these things.”