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Frances overcomes barriers

In 2001 on a flight from London to Sydney, Frances Duke had her world turned upside down. The Sydney office manager and mother of two suffered a stroke and slipped into a coma. When she woke in hospital she was paralysed down her right side.

Following the stroke Frances suffered from aphasia, a disorder causing loss of speech; she was mute for over a year. She spent the next eighteen months in England with family who nursed her through the initial rehabilitation process.

When she returned to Australia, Frances wanted to find a job; she knew that keeping her mind active was important to her recovery. To help her do this she was referred to CRS Australia in Sydney, NSW.

After undertaking physical and vocational assessments with CRS Australia it was clear that it would be difficult for Frances to attend job interviews due to her limited speech. To give her the best chance of finding employment, CRS Australia suggested she undertake an on-the-job training program. This would give Frances the opportunity to receive supported training in the workplace, identify her strengths, and demonstrate her ability to do the job.

In 2006 Frances began an on-the-job training program with the University of Technology, Sydney, as a library assistant. After 12 weeks on the program, Frances was offered a permanent position on the roster.

Frances said work helps her to learn and retrain her mind, 'I like stacking the shelves at the library, putting books together and training to get them in the right place. It requires discipline and is fabulous because it is part of the re-learning'.

To get a job after her first training program was a real achievement for Frances and has helped to improve her speech, confidence and self-esteem.

Frances continues to overcome barriers and is making progress in her recovery. In June 2009 she completed a bookkeeping course and keeps her mind active with Soduko, gardening and reading.