For Rachel Ovari, her experience as a Customer Service Officer within the Knox Leisureworks team allows her to support her community, as well as thrive as her most authentic self. Rachel, who lives with a disability, was recently celebrated in a profile video hosted by Belonging Matters, an initiative run by The Community Employment Partnership.

Belonging Matters is dedicated to diversity and inclusion within the workplace and showcasing the benefits of hiring staff who live with a disability. It opened up the opportunity for Rachel to join the Knox Leisureworks team in December 2023. Watch Rachel’s feature in the video below at 2.58 minutes.

Rachel said, “I’m 22 years old and I had help from Belonging Matters to get this job. I am very proud of getting to do the video profile which showed people who I am. I’ve made a lot of friends with this job and I like the people I work with. My favourite people at Knox are Caitlyn, Clint and Sophie.

“I also love arts and crafts, music and movies. I love going to musicals and concerts and catching up with friends and family.”

Over the years, the role has allowed Rachel to take on more responsibilities within the team and build strong social skills and connections. She said, “I love chatting with others and meeting new people. I used to hate talking to others, especially those I don’t know, but I have loved getting comfortable with conversations. My money-handling skills are also getting better.”

When asked about plans for her future, Rachel considered the question thoughtfully. “Hopefully still working at Belgravia Leisure but I haven’t really thought that far ahead to be honest.”

However, it’s clear that she feels empowered within her role which has enabled her to grow her confidence. She continued, “Getting the job in the first place was one of my proudest moments as I didn’t think I would ever be working for lots of reasons. I love working here.”

Belgravia Leisure and Belgravia Foundation is committed to connecting people from diverse backgrounds to a career where they feel valued and all people are provided access to opportunities that can contribute to improved health and happiness, irrespective of any personal characteristic or circumstance. The Belonging Matters initiative shows what is possible when access and inclusion are put at the forefront of what we do.

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