JAMES Randall has never been more content than he is in his new environment.
After a negative experience in foster care, James, aged 23, is now thriving with support workers.
Hope is being chased and slowly conquered by the 23-year-old, who has autism and an intellectual disability.
“I was with my mum and dad, who weren’t my real parents, but they kicked me out of the house and had my bags packed,” James said.
“I moved to Swan Hill and people like me better here.
“I got my own house and all of my needs.”
James attends Vivid three days a week and says he’s happy to admit he’s chasing money.
“I pay my bills,” he said with pride.
“I do many projects at Vivid.
“I mow lawns, do some gardening – growing cabbage and beans and other vegetables.
“I just love being outside.”
James had the opportunity recently to travel to the Mt Buller snowfields – he’s saving up to go again next winter.
He notes it wasn’t as cold as he thought it would be, but just feeling the snowflakes was enough to warm the heart.
For the summer, he’s planning a camping trip, but perhaps he’s most looking forward to his favourite beer, zero-alcohol Great Northern.
His two-bedroom unit is where James feels purpose, making his own meals and washing.
Support worker Ken said James was a “much happier man”.
His disability support service has recently leased a Moulamein property beside the Edward River, and Ken said it was a game-changer.
“There is a jetty there, there’s quite a lot to do over there for clients,” Ken said.
“There are canoes and life jackets; many weekends will be spent over there at times.”
It’s just as well the property is driving distance from home because James loves travelling in the car.
“As long as he has access to Spotify,” Ken added quickly.
“If he’s in control of the music, he’s the happiest man in Australia.”
James enjoys a broad range of music, but artists Sam Fischer, Pink, Adele and a “bit of” Taylor Swift come to mind.
“I don’t care what anyone says about Sam, he’s my favourite,” he said.
Ken said James had become more relaxed and his communication skills had advanced.
“He can now comfortably introduce himself to people,” he said.
“We have been over to Echuca and Balranald and when we walk into a shop, he will introduce himself and tell them where he’s from.
“He makes friends quite easily, whereas before he was maybe a bit frightened and nervous to talk to people, given where his background was from.
“I don’t think he was allowed to do much of that in the past.”
Ken said if James wasn’t in the right mood for being sociable, the unit set-up allowed separation from each other.
“He doesn’t hold a grudge,” he said.
“If he’s happy to socialise, we can go to the property, go down the street … leave it to what they would like to do.
“If he suggests something, we make sure it’s possible to make it happen for him within reason.
“He’s watched a few of those Getaway shows and asks where they are in the world and if he could go there.
“We went to the airport because on one of those shows, he thought it must be overseas because we didn’t have an airport.
“So we drove out there and he was taken on a tour of the Swan Hill airport.
“No-one thought he didn’t know we had an airport.
“If you ask the question, you can make it happen.”
Life is better for James under a new direction, with doors opened wider, “because they are the best”, James said.
Ken was quick to add, “We will pay him later for that.”
