Peter is a true blue Aussie with a heart of gold. He lives in regional Australia where the landscape can be hard but where people look out for each other.

Peter was born with an intellectual disability. When he was young he lived on an isolated farm with his family. Peter used to help out a lot on the farm and as a result has developed a strong work ethic. “At times you’d forget he had an intellectual disability because he was so handy. He just loved being involved. He was like my shadow”, says Jim, Peter’s dad.

However, it became obvious to Jim that Peter needed to become more independent. Jim tells us “I realised that if anything happened to me, Peter would be in big trouble and so I had to let him learn to be independent.”

 Peter’s drive for hard work was recognised by the House With No Steps Lawn Maintenance business and he was given a job. The positive influence and camaraderie of the lawn maintenance team has had a huge impact on Peter’s life. Work gives Peter much more than a wage at the end of the week. Work gives Peter dignity, self esteem, independence and an opportunity to meet friends and have social interaction.

The support provided by House With No Steps has not just helped Peter to succeed at work but has also helped him develop other vital skills that enable him to live independently.

When Peter first came to us he was in tremendous debt. His big hearted nature meant that he believed any salesperson who crossed his path. He often signed up to contracts he couldn’t afford. His unit was filthy and Peter was run down by bad eating habits and a poor lifestyle. Peter needed some support to get on his feet.

House With No Steps’ Independent Learning Program (ILP) provided support to Peter by teaching him how to budget, how to keep a tidy house and what food he should buy and eat to keep at the top of his game. Peter still attends cooking classes with ILP and delights in coming in to work and boasting about what he cooked the night before!