When Lauren joined Jigsaw in 2020, the world was in Covid lockdown.
But that didn’t stop her from pursuing her goal of mainstream employment. Instead, Lauren hit the ground running, jumping into both the learning and work programs at Jigsaw Melbourne, in an effort to build her skills and prepare for mainstream work.
A love for detail
Lauren quickly found that her strengths were a natural fit at Jigsaw, excelling in tasks that required precision and careful attention to detail.
Her attention to detail meant that tasks involved in the digitisation process came easily to her, in turn becoming a source of enjoyment and fulfilment.
“I’m doing file management, scanning and quality control, and sometimes inventory,” said Lauren.
“Scanning is one of my favourite things to do,” she says. “And quality control… you’ve got to have good attention to detail.”
Lauren achieves mainstream employment
Lauren’s attention to detail serves her not only at Jigsaw, but also in her mainstream job. Since April, Lauren has been working as a data entry assistant, remotely from the comfort of her home.
She enjoys the work as she feels well-equipped and confident in her ability to do her job to a high standard.
“I get to do data entry, which I love. I also get to work from home. It’s a more relaxed environment and I feel comfortable there. My dog Lily loves it too,” said Lauren.
“I’m good with numbers, and good with dates and historical events. I’m an independent and hard worker.”
A supportive environment
Beyond well-matched tasks, Lauren credits her success to the supportive environment at Jigsaw.
“It’s a great environment to be in, with little pressure and lots of support.”
Trainers also assist trainees with resume writing and job interview preparation, helping them gain the skills and confidence to transition into mainstream roles.
“I did some interview prep with Steph. It was a while ago, and so I needed more practice with that – it’s really not easy.”
Personal wins
Lauren has also achieved personal milestones along the way. Recently getting her P’s has given her freedom and independence, while balancing work with her personal life.
“It’s a very good feeling. It’s given me independence and freedom,” she says.
Her experiences at Jigsaw have helped her grow both professionally and personally, building confidence in her abilities.
Message of inclusion
Lauren is passionate about creating more inclusive workplaces for people with disability.
“More workplaces should be wheelchair accessible, and same with the toilets like we have here at Jigsaw. And employers should allow people to have breaks during the workday, because we are encouraged to do that.”
“Everyone should get a chance. You should not be discriminated against based on disability… We are people too, with the same rights.”
Lauren’s journey shows how a supportive, flexible, and skill-focused environment like Jigsaw can help trainees not only thrive but also confidently step into mainstream employment, equipped with the necessary skills and self-belief.
Want to learn more about how you can make your workplace more inclusive? Head to jigsawaustralia.com.au/jigsawbusiness/
About Jigsaw
Jigsaw is a social enterprise that provides an innovative pathway to mainstream employment for people with disability. By embedding a comprehensive skill-based training program within our commercial document and data management business, Jigsaw enables people with disability to achieve their employment goals at their own pace. Jigsaw’s holistic approach starts from the very basics of core work skills and supports trainees all the way through to transition to open employment with ongoing support and coaching once they have transitioned. Jigsaw is located in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, and Canberra.