Rodney’s Remarkable Progress with AimBig Employment

At AimBig, we are proud to share the heartwarming story of Rodney, a determined individual who has made incredible strides in overcoming his challenges. Rodney, who is completely illiterate, joined us in June last year with the goal of learning to write his name and address.

Rodney’s journey began with Tanya, one of our dedicated team members, who sat down with him to create his very first resume. This was a significant milestone for Rodney, marking the start of his educational journey. In July 2024, we helped Rodney create an email address and commence an online short course on food safety, which utilised pictures and spoken word to aid his learning. Rodney proudly completed this course in September, earning his first certificate—a moment he will always remember.

We then focused on teaching Rodney to write letters using visual aids and stencils. In September, Rodney expressed his desire to learn how to text so he could send a Merry Christmas message to his children. We shifted our focus to this goal, and I assisted Rodney in learning how to use his mobile phone, particularly the ‘voice to text’ function.

Today, we are thrilled to report that Rodney successfully sent a text message to his daughter, created entirely on his own. Additionally, he was able to write his name with some assistance. Rodney shared that he has learned more in the past 6 months with us than in all his years of schooling.

Throughout this journey, we have worked together on letter identification, dot-to-dot lettering, and repeated practice. I have coached Rodney on using his mobile phone and supported him in learning the text function and voice-to-text feature. Rodney’s progress has been remarkable, and his newfound skills have greatly impacted his life, especially in his ability to contact his family, which is crucial given his social isolation in a rural and remote region.

Rodney’s story is a testament to the power of perseverance and the impact of dedicated support. We will continue to work with Rodney in the new year as he pursues more goals. His journey serves as an inspiration to anyone facing similar challenges. Congratulations to Rodney on his incredible achievements! This is just the beginning of a bright and fulfilling journey.

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