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What daily grind?

Alex finds fun in every day and is rarely seen without his captivating smile.

It is hard to believe that there was a time, not long ago, when Alex admitted to being shy and self conscious about his disability.

Alex was born with Microtia, a deformity of the ear structure causing complete hearing loss in his right ear. Later diagnosed with dyspraxia and developmental delay, school wasn’t always an easy place to fit in and Alex often struggled with being different.

Not long before completing his final year of school in 2013, Alex became the first person under 18 in Australia to be fitted with a magnetic bone anchored hearing aid that provided an immediate improvement to his hearing and ability to communicate. After leaving school Alex registered with Edge and three weeks later was presented with an opportunity to apply for a position at Dôme Café Eastend. Although somewhat nervous at the prospect, he had a good feeling after meeting with the café manager and decided to go for it.

Alex believes the experience of working at Dôme has allowed his confidence to grow and agrees that it has provided the perfect platform for his vibrant personality to shine. He will tell you unequivocally that the people make his job most enjoyable and he looks forward to interacting and having a laugh with his colleagues and customers.

Alex leaning against the door at Dome

“There is no reason why I can’t do it all!”

And they love him too. Although officially employed at the Eastend café, Alex is highly sought after by other Dôme franchise managers. “They always ask for Alex” says Lisa Johnson, Edge Job Coordinator. Lisa credits his popularity to his fun loving and infectious personality. He readily accepts all shifts offered to him and thrives on meeting new people. “Alex is a shining example of a person with a disability who doesn’t let it hold him back”.

When Alex isn’t busy working shifts from one Dôme café to another you will find him at TAFE learning to speak Australian Sign Language (AUSLAN) or volunteering his time at Australian organisation Hear for You to mentor high school students who are deaf and hard of hearing.

When asked what the future holds, Alex is full of ideas and excited about the opportunities that await him. In Alex’s own words, having a job offers the “independence and freedom” to choose his own path, whether it be trying his hand at a supervisor role within Dôme, managing a franchise or even becoming a disability support worker and opening his own café that hires people with a disability? “Why not? is my motto now” asserts Alex. “There is no reason why I can’t do it all!”

If you want to learn more about how Edge can help you, please contact us.

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