Denied opportunities

Over the past 3 months, a gentle 38 year old woman has been participating in sessions at DONKEY LOVE THERAPY. She is quiet, respectful and lives independently. I began to notice that she has difficulty in remembering instructions within a short space of time. I also noticed that she struggles with putting instructions into actions.

I asked her to tell me the story of her life.

From the age of 5, when she first attended school, she was diagnosed as having an intellectual disability. She is not able to comprehend instructions therefore making her unable to learn through traditional avenues. Her attendance in a special school never eventuated, so throughout her primary and secondary years she was subjected to main stream education. Each year she was moved into the next level up without ever gaining the education she required.

After finishing year 10, she attended a TAFE Work Education programme where she received some assistance; however years of educational neglect prevented her from obtaining a successful outcome.

This fabulous woman has survived through part time employment doing simple, labour intense tasks in the hospitality industry.

Her participation at DONKEY LOVE is making a difference. She has learnt how to conduct research into animal lifestyles and how to draw their images. We cannot physically repair her difficulties but we are able to repair the belief in herself. The pride she feels from what she is achieving is priceless.

She is part of our HIDDEN TALENT team at “Talk to the Animals”.

Story by Michelle Lowe.