Charmaine – Building Respect and Relationships

Charmaine has been working for Diversity South for 3 years and joined Interchange WA as part of the company merger. Now it’s time we tell her iThink You Are Awesome to celebrate what she has accomplished with her customers by going above and beyond.

Of the Interchange WA values, Respect is her number one.

“It is the foundation of all meaningful relationships. By listening without judgement and valuing each person’s experiences, culture, and choices, we create trust, safety, and positive support outcomes.”

So, when she respectfully listened to one of her customer’s dreams, she learned more about what she could do to support them to meet them. The dream in question? Going clubbing in the city.

From the outset, this presented some difficulties. The club her customer wanted to visit had limited accessibility, such as only having a small elevator to transfer people between levels. This would make it difficult to get into and navigate the venue in the customer’s wheelchair. But this didn’t stop them.

Her customer embodies the belief that a person is never defined by their physical limitations. This spirit of strength, determination, and positive spirit drove Charmaine to focus on what she could do to overcome obstacles to give this person-centered support she was seeking.

So, with the aid of careful planning, the nightclub venue staff, and community members around them, they made it happen.

Together, they caught a train into the city and went up to the club. Not just on any night, but on the busy night of Halloween, to see a burlesque show that her customer had wanted to see for a long time.

“The joy on her face was absolutely priceless. In that moment, it didn’t feel like a job at all — it felt like being part of something truly meaningful. Supporting her to experience inclusion, independence, and genuine happiness reinforced for me why I do this work and how powerful person-centred support can be in helping people live full and fulfilling lives.”

Celebrating Personally and Professionally

Charmaine recently married her best friend, Dean. The most beautiful day of her life was improved by a brief congratulatory visit by two customers from one of our Interchange WA SIL houses. This mix of professional and personal lives was a reminder to her that the connections we form stay with us. Her role isn’t limited to only supporting others to reach their goals, but they celebrate her in turn when it comes time for her to reach her own.

This balance plays into what she wants out of life. To live meaningfully while continuing to grow, supporting others, and staying true to her values.

Thank you for your hard work, Charmaine. We know that seeing your customers smile is reward enough, but winning iThink You Are Awesome is a nice bonus.

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Charmaine – iThink You Are Awesome

Charmaine on her wedding day, with her daughters either side of her.

If you want to nominate someone YOU think is Awesome, you can nominate them here!