Jamie and APM Communities transcript

Jamie: My name is Jamie Garlett. I'm a proud Ballardong Noongar man. I was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa when I was 18. I went completely blind by the time I turned 27. I got five children. Three of them have got it mildly. The NDIS supports me by giving me support workers.

Got granted a phone. The phone talks back to me. It's changed my life. I've got emails, I can use all that, I could do messages. And my cane brings a lot of independency back.I could walk from one side of town to the other with my cane now.

Mykala: When Jamie first came into APM, I got to know him a little bit, understood that he had a major passion in music and his culture. So from that I helped him establish his business and now he goes out in the community doing acknowledgments, performing in gigs, things like that in the community. Through that he's able to support his family.

Jamie: Me and Mykala sat down every Monday for six months. And we made a plan, got my business going and I've got a letter from one of the elders in Northern to perform the Welcome to Country’s. Harmony Day means a lot to me because it's cultures joining together as one. I represent the Noongar people in Northam. I'd like to acknowledge the traditional owners of this land, the land we are on today, Ballardong land. I’d like to pay our respects to past, present and emerging, and extend that respect to all surrounding tribes around us. Welcome today guys. Thank you. Last year I done 34 gigs in one year. One every 10 days.

Mykala: Jamie is thriving now.  He has basically - you can just see it - he's lit up. With the NDIS support and APM support it's been able to develop Jamie's confidence and abilities. So now his family can see that he's actually - he can do it. They can do it and it's just such a big change for them. He is more confident and able to get out in the community and do things more independently.

Jamie: Dream big. NDIS is here to support you with support workers that will help you to achieve your goals and anything that you want to do.

So just dream big and go for it.