Not-for-profit shop opens to provide space for people with disabilities and teach valuable skills

Having had two sons with additional needs, Ms Robinson knows first hand the impact that appropriate support services can have on people.

Her own two sons have seen immense improvements since working with a support worker through the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).

For around two years now she has run her own disability support service called Cheryl's Personal Support Service and helps her clients in any which they may elect through the NDIS.

She often does cooking workshops, craft workshops or may assist people with the medical appointments or personal errands.

Ms Robinson said that although there are other disability providers in the community, there were many people accessing the NDIS who wanted to do other tasks or activities that were not offered by their existing providers.

"The NDIS offers a part of their [her clients] plan for social inclusion activities and some people just drive around but I thought I would make it a bit more worthwhile so they are actually learning stuff, not just walking around doing nothing," she said.

The idea to run a small shopfront which would showcase some of her own photography artwork as well as the art of others had been on the cards for a couple of years.

She decided to combine her love of art with a shop that could give her clients living with disability a chance to do a little work experience and learn retail and interpersonal skills as well as come for their social sessions.

"I put a shop front on to teach the ladies I work with the skills needed to work in a shop. They need one-on-one support so we mix it up a bit and might do some craft or jewellery making and then also teach them how the shop works," she said.

The shop also allows her to host her clients in a space that is separate from her own family home.

"I was doing it at home and it was a bit hard because I've got two boys with disabilities and it was a bit hard having people in my house all the time so I wanted to move into town."

Although she had put off the venture for some time due to the uncertainty around the pandemic, around a month ago she decided to lease an old optometrists shopfront on Carp Street.

Although the optometrist sign is still up, she hopes the store will eventually be able to afford it's own signage and claim its name- 'Unique Creators on Carp'.

It was the perfect location as it had a shopfront and a small meeting room that could be used for her sessions with clients. It also had a little patio out the back which could be used as a place for exercise or outdoor workshops.

She is in the process of setting up the small office space to be appropriate for the type of activities her clients like to do such as craft or painting, as well as for more practical uses like a meeting room for online appointments.

She is also hoping that eventually some of her clients might like to display and sell some of their own work such as jewellery or homemade cards in the shop.

Currently there are around four other artists who have displayed their work in the store who also live with disability or have children who live with disability, but the shop is open to anyone wishing to showcase their creative work or handicrafts.

The store is full of knitted wares, homemade bookmarks, second hand vintage clothing, personalised mugs, soaps, jewellery, and clocks.

The artists who sell their work pay a small fee of $20 per month and a small commission is deducted from sales, both of which are used to pay the rent and utilities to keep the place up and running.

One of her current clients is Anna Kettles who moved to the Bega Valley around 18 months ago.

"It's a great thing for your mental health. Before I started working with Cheryl I was at home all the time. I was pretty much a hermit and being able to go out and about now has done so much for my mental health."

Sometimes the two women are soap making, other times they are boxing, and occasionally Ms Kettles just needs help with childcare.

"It feels like I've got support and that someone's got my back," said Ms Kettles.

The shop is located at 239 Carp Street and is open on Wednesday and Thursday from 1:30pm until 4pm and on Fridays from 10:30am until 4pm. It is also open on Saturday and Sunday from 10am until 1pm.