The Next Step program has been a great success across The Disability Trust footprint and the ACT group has worked hard towards achieving employment goals.
We have had many fantastic outcomes in work skills development as participants strive towards their dream roles. Sam is one of the success stories that has emerged through the program, proving hard work and
persistence can lead to incredible opportunities.
Sam was born to be an entertainer. He is a charismatic, energetic and simply joyous young man who greets people with a theatrical pose and an infectious smile.
Between spending time with his dog and hanging out with his friends, you will find Sam singing along word for word with his favourite musical and telling anyone he can find about the most recent performance he has seen.
His passion for the theatre and immediate charm upon meeting new people drove his employment journey.
The first major success came in January 2023, when Sam started volunteering as an usher at The Street Theatre in Canberra.
Sam worked with other ushers at the venue to greet patrons, show them to their seats, check tickets and be on standby for any emergency evacuations.
Sam completed several shifts over the following two months before unforeseen circumstances led to this ending.
For the remainder of the year, Sam pursued other avenues of employment, such as a volunteer walking dogs with the ACT Domestic Animal Services.
At the start of 2024, the opportunity to volunteer at The Street Theatre arose once again.
At a similar time, Sam and the Next Step team got in contact with the Canberra Theatre Centre, Canberra’s biggest theatre. They reviewed Sam’s resume and agreed to have him come in for a trial with the team in March.
After a busy month ushering at The Street Theatre and practising for the main event, the day finally came for Sam’s trial shift. The shift was a daunting challenge, moving from ushering in a 50-seat theatre to a venue with over 1,200 seats.
Sam rose to the occasion with his trademark enthusiasm, impressing his supervisor and obtaining an open employment position. Since then, Sam has been working hard with the Next Step team, honing his ushering skills and learning the layout of the Canberra Theatre.
His first shift as a paid employee occurred in September, ushering for the Chicago musical.
If you ever make a trip to the Canberra Theatre Centre and spot a tall, young attendant with a toothy grin, be sure to say hello – Sam will be able to give you a thorough rundown of the shows on the program and just how wonderful they are.
