Industry Leaders Lend Their Support To projectABLE As Ambassadors

Aug. 26, 2011 - PRLog -- Manly Pavillion's Head Chef, Jonathan Bathelmess; Dinosaur Design's Director, Louise Olsen and Home & Away Actor, Jaclyn Albergoni; join projectABLE's 2011 ambassador and Olympic medallist, Elka Whalan.

All experts in their field, they will support three secondary school students who have been selected as Young & ABLE student ambassadors for their dedication and achievements throughout the projectABLE program. Each ambassador will use their expertise and knowledge in their professional field to guide the Young & ABLE student ambassador through their first project supporting a person with a disability.

The projects have been designed around a common interest between student and person with a disability that will focus on each person's ability to succeed and realise their full potential. The projects will be captured on film as a short-form documentary that follows the journey of the Young & ABLE student ambassador and their experiences, new found skills and knowledge of the care sector. On completion of the short films, the student ambassadors will use their films to share their journey and to inspire and educate their peers and local communities on opportunities and possible career paths in the care sector.

Head chef from Manly Pavillion, Jonathan Bathelmess, will work with Shayama Jayaweera from Cherrybrook Technology High School and client, James Meagher, on a cooking assignment.

"I'm excited to be part of projectABLE and feel honoured to have been asked to join as an ambassador in 2011. The program's objectives are fantastic and I am looking forward to taking part and working with everyone involved," Jonathan said.

Dinosaur Design Director, Louise Olsen, will work with Kyrillos Kaleeny from St Mark's Coptic Orthodox College and client, Amy Cincotta, on a jewellery design based assignment.

"I'm very honoured to be a part of projectABLE. It's easy for us to forget how many of us so often rely on the dedication of the people who work in the care community. projectABLE is an uplifting way to show young people how rewarding and fulfilling a career in caring can be," Louise said.

Home & Away actor, Jaclyn Albergoni, will work with Holly Smith from Southern Cross Baptist School and client, Robert Mockler, on a performance based assignment.

"I am really looking forward to being involved in projectABLE. I think it's very important that people become more aware of this industry. I have been working for a group home for about a year now. This job has taught me to see life from a different perspective and appreciate what I have. I have understood why life isn't easy for some and it has never stopped teaching me - you always learn something new," Jaclyn said.

Elka Whalan, projectABLE 2011 Ambassador, said "I am really excited to work with Jonathan, Louise and Jaclyn and our three very eager Young & ABLE student ambassadors. The films will provide great insight into the opportunities and exciting experiences young people will be exposed to if taking on a career in the disability and community care sector."

About projectABLE:
projectABLE (http://www.carecareers.com.au/community/projectABLE.aspx) was developed in 2010 by carecareers, in conjunction with NDS, as a response to the growing demands on the sector's services. Encouraging younger skilled workers into the industry, projectABLE provides secondary and Allied Health university students with the hands-on work experience needed to evaluate their career development options and also provides a pathway to future employment within the sector.

projectABLE encourages students to apply their passions, skills and abilities to not only enable the lives of people with a disability, but also enrich their own lives and careers along the way. In 2011, 354 students from 34 schools in greater Sydney attended the projectABLE half day school workshops and of these, 85 students completed the Young & ABLE Certificate Training Program.

In NSW alone, the predicted increase in demand for more skilled paid care workers will create an additional 40,000 full and part time positions in the sector in the next 5 years (2011-2015) as the number of people using these services is expected to rise to 350,000.

For further information please view the following video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4YQM-xes70M or visit the http://www.carecareers.com.au/ site.



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carecareers is a not-for-profit recruitment initiative aimed at increasing attraction and retention within the community care and disability sector, funded by the Department of Human Services (NSW) and delivered by National Disability Services (NDS).