I’ve gone on two Ikea trips since moving down to this city.. They reel you in and you’ve got no chance of escape…. Immersing yourself in the those little display bedrooms, kitchens and living rooms…you feel like the world is your oyster (even though deep down you know the wallet's a little skint and an entire IKEA kitchen is a little out of your price range at the moment). Endless options, endless possibilities. Should I go for the white MIKIE desk? Black for the BILLY bookcase? Usually you end up leaving after five hours with 15 more items than you planned on purchasing or just a cactus and a hot dog (or cinnamon donut in my case). I’m sure most people can relate. The IKEA visit is almost a right-of-passage for young person, first time out of the family abode, ready to start paying all the bills and actually cleaning the toilet yourself. Most of us go home from time to time (or once a week) to chill out, get a ‘Mum made meal’ and use everything (like Foxtel) that you can’t afford at your new pad. Still, you’re living independently, you are officially a grown up.
Having the choice to live independently – I guess we all take that for granted. I did it in 2007 for the first time, three years into my 'recovery'. Just Kat Moss and I. Awesome little place right in the thick of it. An art-deco pad in an 70 year old building that was originally a brothel. Ahhh...I love a bit of history. It was trying, scary and frustrating at times...watching every season of the depressing (albeit amazing) Six Feet Under during those periods probably wasn't the best idea..but come on, anyone who has watched that series knows it's addictive. I had to move back home 6 months later for surgery but hey, I had fun, plenty of rooftop parties, taught myself to cook in my little kitchen and when I failed, there was great Thai around the corner. But, unfortunately a lot of young folk with a disability don't have the luxury of choice - that choice of their living situation is made for them. Usually a stranger who has no concept of what it’s like to be dependant on another for everyday things. Where they live is out of their hands. Imagine that…This is a perfect opportunity to acknowledge the fantastic work organisations like Youngcare do for Australian's with a disability. Read about them here. I recently interviewed an amazing young girl who's life was changed through the help of Youngcare. Find it on the interviews page.