Tip 7 - Get support
- We all need support from others, especially when we are planning for what we are going to do after school. Get support from your family, friends, and people at your school – teachers, career advisers and counsellors.
- If you have had help at school, you may also need some support in your future study or work.
- Disability support is often called adjustments or accommodations in study and work settings.
- There are people who can help you to access adjustments, for example each TAFE and university has a disability service that you can contact. Now is the time to check out who to contact and what support will be available. You can make contact with disability services even before you start at a TAFE or university.
- Your local NDCO can help you make contact with these supports if necessary.
- Make contact with people who can provide you emotional and practical support and help you find support services. Check out the supports available in your local area.
- Find out which potential future study or work settings will be able to give you the most appropriate support.
- Different adjustments may be available to you in different environments.
- It is important that you understand what support you can realistically expect to receive.
- Many young people find having a mentor very helpful. A mentor is usually someone who is older and more experienced, and can offer advice, support, direction, advocacy, encouragement and role modelling.
- You may find a mentor informally through a school, community, sporting, or family contact.
- There are also formal mentoring programs which you may be able to get involved in. An example is the Willing and Able Mentoring program.
- Local services may be able to help you connect with mentors in your area, or trying searching for a mentoring program on the Youth Mentoring Network website.
