Living in the small country town, Coonabarabran was all Marissa knew until she moved to Sydney to finish school and went on living there for 20 years of her life. The Momentum Collective’s new starter recently joined the Supported Independent Living team in Coffs Harbour and shared her story about overcoming challenges and finding her purpose.
Marissa dipped her toes in various unique careers while living in the big city, from acting in the theatre and music world to the funeral sector and hospitality jobs. She found love in Sydney, and in 2012 she longed to move back to the country to raise a family out of the hustle and bustle.
After experiencing some unforeseen circumstances after moving back to her hometown, Marissa found herself at a crossroads with limited career opportunities. Living in a remote town and navigating life as a single mother of three boys wasn’t easy.
“I worked at the bakery and made great connections with regular customers. The Manager from my previous job approached me one day and asked if I wanted to work as a disability Support Worker at where she worked. She liked my outgoing and bubbly personality,” says Marissa.
After a few years of experience working in the disability sector, Marissa finally found a meaningful career environment. Her ambitions made her want to look for a company that offered further career development opportunities.
Fast forward to 2023, Marissa’s dream career goals became a reality. She recently relocated to Coffs Harbour, secured a SIL worker role, and had the opportunity to complete certificate III in Individual Support.
“To me, finding a job that gives you purpose and helps you get out of bed every day is imperative. We spend a big majority of our lives working, so why not do something that is making a direct impact in someone’s life? It’s a real privilege and doesn’t even feel like work.” – Momentum Disability Support Worker
So far, one of the biggest highlights for Marissa has been taking her clients out on memorable community outings to the park, beach, markets and many other places her clients have on their lists. She loves supporting her clients to integrate with the community while focusing on increasing their independence and social skills.
If you take a lot of self-fulfillments from work or want to make a difference in someone’s life, disability support work is the right career path for you.
We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the lands on which we live and work, and pay respect to Ancestors, Elders both past, present and the emerging Jarjums.
