What makes you happy?
BY MELISSA SLIMMING
—
I would like to think of myself as someone who has empathy. I tend to get into conversations with friends who are having issues relating to someone and I am always saying ‘maybe they are thinking with a different perspective?’
Those friends usually have a lightbulb moment. The benefit of being a behaviour support practitioner is I am able to analyse a situation and decipher a language. That language is behaviour. Call me a philanthropist, call me a woman of the world, call me a magician, whatever you would like to call me, I get to figure out the need of people and give them the skills to tell their story.
The purpose of my role is to understand the function of behaviour and give the person the needs they are trying to accomplish. Have you ever been to a cafe, ordered a coffee and they made a mistake? That morning coffee you were hoping to kick start your day has now turned into an unfavourable taste. What will you do? Will you drink it and stay upset? Will you ask them to make it again? Will you never return to that cafe? What you do, you choose to do. You have the skills to make a decision that fills your needs. Now, imagine you weren’t able to show how you felt. You were in a clear box and no one could hear you. They could see you but they couldn’t hear you. It breaks my heart to think that there are some special people in my life who I have worked very closely to, who experience this daily. There is one person who comes into my mind. A young girl who I have taught as a teacher. She is the most beautiful young girl with a heart of gold but she has some challenging behaviours. I’ve always understood her behaviours and can give her what she needs by understanding her actions yet as she moves through her life, she is faced with new support workers, new challenges and if I could, I would be her teacher for the rest of her school years however she and I would not grow, would not change, would not be comfortable breaking our routine and we need these to gain confidence to be the best person we can be.
The purpose of founding 2inlcude was to give people a voice. I want to give people the skills to make a choice. I have been in situations where choice has been taken away from me, and I’ve felt disappointed. This is life and you have to work hard to get some things in life. We are lucky, we are able to do that. I think about all the people I have worked for in the past – families, children, young adults, adults and the elderly. I think about the needs they have and the needs they cannot do themselves. Basic, routine, mundane activities to me are activities that some people work so hard to do themselves. Now, I wanted to be the leader of my own business, making decisions for myself and what I believe is true to my heart. I have written many behaviour support plans for people and enjoy getting to know the person through the depth of analysing their life, their past, their future, their relationships, their day to day routines, their interests and what makes them truly happy. This is me. This excites me. What makes me happy is knowing I can make a positive change for someone and that change can give them a better quality of life. If you want ice cream, eat ice cream. If you want to go outside and go for a walk, well… You go for that walk and let us make it a priority of your day. I am here to listen and to help. I am here to create happiness as I am doing something that gives me happiness.
Now, what is it that makes you happy?
