Okay, I hope we don’t have the same problems we had before. Welcome to my podcast about resilience jess. Could you tell us a little bit about your story? Jess: sure, thank you very much David. It’s an honour to be on your podcast, so I was born three and a half months premature and I was given oxygen which was great because it kept me alive, but it actually detached the retina’s in my eyes so I had a little bit of vision till about three years old, then they actually tried to do surgery to keep the retina’s from detaching but it was unsuccessful so I lost all my vision at three but I don’t actually have a memory of seeing so as far as I’m concerned I’ve been blind all my life. David: what is your earliest memory? Jess: my earliest memory probably standing in the lounge room in a unit where my mum and dad were living. We had just moved up from Melbourne, I was born in Melbourne and we moved up to New South Wales, and I remember standing in that unit in the lounge room when I was about three years old David: and when did you notice that there was a bit of an issue? When did it become apparent? Jess: apparently, I used to walk with my hands up when I was about three, but I don’t remember that my mum knew that it happened, but I don’t have a memory of that so primary school was the first time I noticed things were a bit different. I obviously knew I couldn’t see. I started using a cane when I was about five, and I began learning Braille , so I’d say when I was about five in terms of activities with the other children at primary school, I knew that not many of them wanted to walk around with me or run with me in the cross country. They would have to lead me around and that would take them longer. David: it’s a bit dangerous to be different at that age. I found that also, I think that’s where a lot of your resilience comes from. You decide you’re going to get up and give things ago. Jess: I completely agree. I was actually the first blind student to go to that primary school, and I was in a country town in New South Wales, so they actually made a lot of accommodations for me to go there They put railings in and I learnt my way around the school and that sort of thing and I was actually quite lucky. David: so, did your education go smoothly an did you go to ordinary high school? Did you? Jess: yes, I did. Education went quite well. I loved learning I particularly loved learning, reading and the social aspects of school and high school I had friends , I could get around independently at both primary and high school I didn’t feel like I was treated any different or that I was disadvantaged in anyway academically or otherwise at all because of my blindness. David: that’s very important and you finished high school then you went onto University, did you? Jess: I did when I was in grade 7, I moved up to Queensland First part of year seven I was in high school and I moved up here and I ended up back in primary school. I went to uni after high school. I initially started studying creative writing because I wanted to become an author. I later realise as I progressed through that study, that my talents were better suited towards journalism, so I focused on journalism and I wrote a few investigative pieces as my assignments that I was passionate about social justice in the environment and after that uni degree. I got a job working at a local radio station at the Gold Coast riding general news, copy and information pieces and after a while there I thought I’m not really enjoying the sensationalism in journalism. I think I want to do something else and study social work so then I went back to uni again and I started And got a masters in social work and then I got a job working at headspace on the Gold Coast as part of the intake team and I found that quite rewarding. It could be a very challenging job at times but it was very rewarding after a while there, I started to realise I would like to work with people with disabilities, so we move to Toowoomba, mum Astra and I in 2015. David: Astra was your guide dog was it? Jess: Yes, she was. David: she’s no longer with you, is she? Jess: know she passed away sadly in 2020, nearly 14 David: that’s old for a guide dog. Jess: she retired when she was nine, and I kept her is a pet until then David: what are you doing now? You’re working for the NDIS are you? Jess: yes, I am. I’m working for a local coordination partner, not the NDIA itself. It’s a partner of the NDIS. My role is intake supporting people to get onto the NDIS and teaching them on how to use their plans. I went back to uni once we move to Toowoomba and I studied a masters in human services in mastering in disability, and then not long after that I was lucky and got this job and now, I’ve been in it for Nearly 6 years. David: your parent’s were obviously very helpful in your upbringing? Jess: very much, so they both encourage me to be independent Mum learned Braille, and they both encourage me along. you can do anything you set your mind to is what Mum often said, and dad had a famous saying or saying, he used often, a winner never quits in a quitter never wins. David: that’s a great quote. What achievements are you most proud of? Jess: that’s a tough one, I’m really happy that I went and pursued social work rather than staying with journalism. There’s a lot of merit in journalism, but I feel like my passion is more with social work so I’m glad I pursued that, I’m proud of the connection and the relationship I had with Astra. She was a wonderful companion and my best friend and she did a wonderful job as a guide dog. David: are you keen to get another dog or are you happy to use other methods? Jess: I love dogs, and I am definitely looking in the future getting a pet, but not another guide dog and that is purely because I have better spatial awareness of my environment and I get more tactile feedback from the cane David: I guess that just depends on a lot on the individual and how they have good spatial awareness or whether they’re more comfortable with a dog I suppose I don’t know a great deal about it only through my friend George he had a dog and he’s looking to get another one. Jess: yes, he is. I actually spoke with George this morning and he is looking at getting another dog yeah David: what’s the thing that you can say gets you up in the morning? Jess: I want to help people I love, connecting with people and learning and sharing and helping to make their lives feel a bit better so yeah, that’s what gets me up in the morning David: You seem to be a quite inspirational person you’ve got three college degrees and a masters that’s pretty exceptional for anyone regardless a blind person doing that. How do you view your achievements would you like to do another education in degree? What is your passion? Jess: my passion definitely is social work and connecting with others. I am trying to complete my accreditation in disability social work. It’s not a uni degree. It’s just an extra add on to my current social work degree, and it basically means that I will be an expert in working with people with a disability, so in the next couple of weeks I’m going to submit my application for that accreditation. David: that’s fantastic. As you go along in life you find different things different interests. I think it’s important that everyone keeps on learning in life to get you further places I believe; do you have any special quotes That you like to try and live by? Jess: I have indeed, I’ve got a couple, one is the only disability in life is a bad attitude, and the other one is anyone can be normal, but it takes a strong person to be different. David: yes, excellent, on the same lines, your attitude determines your altitude in life. If you have a poor attitude, you’re not going to go very far in life, are you? Jess: that’s quite clever. Thank you for sharing that. David: that’s okay I’m full of quotes. Jess: I love a good quote. David: it’s been very inspirational talking with you jess you’re certainly an inspiration and I hope you go on and inspire further people which I’m sure you will with the path that you’re taking. Thanks for taking the time and to be on my podcast, we will be in touch I’m sure in the future. Jess: it’s been a pleasure David and it’s been lovely to speak with you also. David: thank you jess. Jess: thank you David. David: have a good evening.