In The Media | 25 May 2016

Townsville’s ‘Master Shredder’ shows how work can change the life of people with disabilities

At 21 years old Emma Lynam is kicking goals — she has her own flat, her own small business, and recently hired her first employee.

These achievements are significant for any young person, but they are especially so for Emma, who has Down syndrome, mild autism, is unable to read and write, and communicates through sign language.

Emma runs a business shredding documents for other local businesses.

The ABC profiled Emma and her mother Jo in September, when she had four clients and was just finding her feet in the working world.

She now has eight clients, lives independently in a flat under her parents’ home, does her own grocery shopping and is earning enough that her disability pension has been decreased.

Late last year Emma received some more funding from disability services, which enabled her to hire someone to help her at work.

“I’ve been made redundant,” Emma’s mother Jo laughed.

Source: abc.net.au