Cara’s Skills Enhancement Service consists of Skills Trainers who can assist people with a disability to learn or maintain a skill that will increase their independence and participation at home or in the community.

Who can use the Service?
The service is available to people with a disability who currently use Cara’s services or who have been referred through Disability Services SA.

How to get started!
Upon a referral, the Skills Enhancement Service will assist the person & their family, advocate or carer, to identify the skills they would like to develop & assist them to
prioritise their personal goals.

What types of training support can the Skills Enhancement Service provide

Training support can be provided to learn a variety of skills, including the following:

• Shopping & Food Preparation
• Household Cleaning & Maintenance
• Time Management & Planning
• Garden Care
• Recreation
• Choices & Planning
• Budgeting & Money Handling
• Communication & Social Skills
• Managing Support Workers
• Community Inclusion
• Relationships & Sexuality
• Behaviour Management
• Meeting Procedures & Participation
• Resource development
• Clothing Care & Laundry
• Computers
• Staff Training

Where does the training support occur?
Training support can be provided at home, in supported accommodation or respite environments or in other parts of the community. If a person with a disability wants to experience more independent living, the Skills Enhancement Service can provide the opportunity through Cara’s community based Training Unit.

Does the Skills Enhancement Service provide any other services?
The Skills Enhancement Service has a pool of Adapted Equipment, Assistive Technology & Sensory Equipment, which can be borrowed on short-term loan for people with a disability to trial.

Types of equipment include:

• Built up handles for cutlery & kitchen utensils
• Food preparation equipment ie: cutting boards, kettle tipper, peelers, knives etc
• Crockery ie: scoop plates, suction bowls

Types of assistive technology include:

• Power box (link) for switch/electrical appliances
• A variety of switches ie Jellybean, Big Red, Big Mac, Discovery
• Various keyboards, mice & keyguards to access computers

Types of sensory equipment include:

• Bubble tubes, mirage projector, fibre-optic mat,
• Massage mattress & cushions
• Ball pool, musical instruments & Sound Beam

The Skills Enhancement Service also has various catalogues, books and videos to browse and/or borrow.

To find out more information about Cara’s Skills Enhancement Service, please click here.