Kim Hunter moved from Melbourne to Katandra West before the pandemic, but needed a hand to find work once restrictions lifted.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
K is a special letter for Kim Hunter and her son.
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The two decided to move from outer Melbourne to regional Victoria in 2018 and ended up in Katandra West.
Why Katandra West?
“We pulled the letter K out of a hat and picked from that,” Ms Hunter said.
“It could have been S for Seymour or B for Benalla but it was K for Katandra.”
Moving from Melbourne was a big leap and after getting a house sorted and school set up for her son, the nation found itself in lockdown as coronavirus swept the world.
Once lockdowns lifted, Ms Hunter — who had several years’ experience in the disability sector — went looking for work.
She realised she had no idea where to start.
“I was like, oh my god, wait, how? Where do I go?”
Kim Hunter moved from Melbourne to Katandra West before the pandemic, but needed a hand to find work once restrictions lifted.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
She started doing volunteer work and from there met the people at atWork, an organisation which helps get people into work.
At their prompting, she went back to TAFE, a process she called “very daunting” and she is now a qualified trainer, building on her certificate IV in disability services.
Following the training, atWork Australia helped Ms Hunter to secure a new role at Goulburn Ovens Institute of TAFE Shepparton as an equitable learning support lead.
“I feel so confident now in my new role especially after completing my training,’’ she said.
“It wouldn’t have happened without atWork.
“I would never have even attempted to do something like this before.
“It made me feel good that someone could help me to see my strengths and the things I’m capable of.”
Despite using a wheelchair herself, Ms Hunter doesn’t see herself as having a disability.
“I don’t have a disability, I’m just me. I just choose to roll ... I’m just really short,” she said with a laugh.
“I try and empower that into the people that I work with saying to them, ‘hey, you don’t have a disability, you’re like everyone else.
“Don’t say that you have a disability.
“You’re gonna make boundaries for yourself.
“I love my job, I really do.
“I work with people who are autistic, who have Downs syndrome, schizophrenia and more.”
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