Opening up Luikas’ world

Our Skills 4 Life program has been the perfect after-school activity for Luikas, a young Indigenous participant from Taree. While learning everyday skills, he’s been building his independence, growing in confidence and making new friends.

Luikas was born genetically deaf and at 18 months old, he received bilateral cochlear implants. Now aged 15, he is non-verbal and has been attending Skills 4 Life with our Taree team to improve his social skills and participate in the community.

“We were having trouble with Luikas connecting with other people. He could connect with adults really well, but with kids there was a barrier. Now that they are older, they take a lot more time [to connect with],” explains Michelle, Luikas’ mother.

What is Skills 4 Life?

Skill 4 Life is a skill development program that supports teenagers with disability to gain independence by learning practical life skills in a fun environment. It runs two afternoons a week during school terms.

Michelle says the program appealed to her for Luikas because it rolled a range of different activities together, all of which she knew Luikas would benefit from.

“It’s been hard to get Luikas interested in doing things that could benefit him outside of school. I knew this program would offer things that would be good for him. They would cook with him, take him shopping and teach him about money,” she says.

Michelle also liked the idea of Luikas interacting with other kids with disability and being part of a community.

How Luikas has benefitted

Michelle has seen big changes in Luikas over the past year. She says he loves going to the program and always come home happy.

“He has changed a lot. He’s more independent and he does a lot more for himself. It’s his social skills and the community participation that’s seen the biggest benefit,” she says.

“I think he enjoys just being out. He gets picked up from school [by Northcott] and that gives him a sense of independence.

“When he first went, he really liked it. He had a worker named Brody, and he got on really well with him. He hadn’t had male workers around him previously.”

Interacting with the other participants has also been beneficial for Luikas, who uses Auslan. The group has been learning Auslan to be able to communicate together.

A world of potential

Although Luikas has attended mainstream schooling since year 2 and is doing well in many of his classes, Michelle admits she had “a lot of doubts” about his future before he reached high school.

Thanks to support from Northcott and a supportive community around him, Michelle says she can now see Luikas finding work after finishing school.

“With a lot of help, I think getting a job is definitely possible. He’s changed. He’s really capable.

“I say to him all the time, ‘Me and dad are really proud of you, bud.’”