Supported employment helps local comic artist Josh work towards his Tokyo dreams.

Josh has a passion for drawing and art inspired by Tokusatsu superhero culture, an art style originating from early Japanese theatre involving fight scenes and puppetry, which he shares on his self-managed Facebook page called The Grand Teams Page.

A client of Support Solutions Australia for the past 3 years, Josh has achieved his first two big goals since joining the organisation: to live independently, and to find a job he loves. 

He is currently working towards and saving up for his third big goal: his dream to visit Tokyo, Japan – the home of Tokusatsu culture. 

‘I like to draw superheroes because they give me creative inspiration,’ Josh said.

Assisted by one-on-one support staff from the Cup of Kindness Café, Josh initially began working one day a week in the café.

After being made aware of Josh’s travel goals, our team worked with him to increase his workload to two days per week to assist Josh in reaching his travel goals faster.

Josh has been working on Tuesdays and Thursdays in the café for the last year. 

Operations manager Irene Pearce said Josh has demonstrated how supported employment opens doors for NDIS participants.

‘Josh initially began working one day a week,’ Irene said.

‘Since then, he has grown significantly in his autonomy and confidence, which has enabled him to increase his work schedule to two days a week,’

‘This progression has greatly supported him in building independence not only within his ILO environment but also in his workplace,’ 

‘This increased independence has also brought him closer to achieving his personal goals, such as saving for a holiday to Japan, where he hopes to explore his passion for creating a comic book,’

‘He is a talented artist and a dedicated worker, and it has been wonderful to see his growth in both areas,’ Irene said.

Click the link to hear more about Josh’s journey. Josh’s Success Story