For Chanan and Steve, it’s one of those small, familiar moments that quietly shape the rhythm of their lives.
When people ask Chanan what she does for work, she’ll often say she’s a carer. But that doesn’t quite capture the extent of it. Through Uniting Communities’ Individualised Living Service (ILS), Chanan and Steve support Amy* in their home as part of her NDIS-funded supports.
Amy is in her mid-thirties and lives with the couple full-time, sharing in the routines and rituals of everyday life. A rare genetic condition affects how she communicates and moves through the world, so Chanan and Steve play an essential role in supporting Amy to live the life she wants.
Through the service, people with relevant NDIS funding are matched with an Individualised Living Options (ILO) Host who lives alongside them, supporting them to build skills, make their own choices and work towards living more independently. Across the program, these supports are tailored for each participant’s needs and goals.
For some, it’s about building confidence, developing everyday skills, or having someone alongside them as they try something new. Arrangements can be short-term or longer, shaped around what’s needed at the time.
In Chanan and Steve’s home, it’s life as most of us would recognise it: meals shared around the table, walks along the beach, and evenings on the couch watching movies.
The sense of familiarity is what sets this model of support apart. There are no shift changes or rotating workers, just continuity and stability. This gives Amy and her family the confidence that she is genuinely understood and at home.
Chanan became an ILO Host in 2018, at first offering short-term respite for people with disability and their carers. She soon found the role offered the kind of flexibility and sense of purpose she’d been missing in her previous job as a Quality Control Officer. She embraced the change and decided to step into her new career more fully.
Today, that means supporting Amy in her everyday life – from meals, personal care and appointments to building routines, trying new experiences and finding ways for Amy to communicate what she wants.
Steve plays a key role behind the scenes as a delegated ILO Host, helping to coordinate appointments, keep on top of training and requirements, and make sure everything runs smoothly.
At the centre of how Chanan approaches each day is something simple, but important – making sure Amy has a say. That might be as small as giving her the choice of breakfast cereal or what to watch on YouTube, but those choices matter.
Amy is non-verbal, so being heard takes patience and creativity. Working alongside her occupational therapist, Chanan and Steve have supported her to develop new ways of communicating, like a hand gesture to ask for her iPad.
“It’s a small thing, but it means she has a voice,” Chanan says.
That mindset carries through everything they do. Walks along the foreshore have become walks on the sand, as the couple has supported Amy to step outside her comfort zone. Now she loves nothing more than sitting at the water’s edge in her bathers, being washed over by waves.
“We never want to assume that Amy can’t do something, and she often surprises us,” Steve says.
Being an ILO Host isn’t your typical 9-5. It sits somewhere between a profession and a way of life, requiring a genuine partnership with the person you’re supporting. For some Hosts, it might mean offering short breaks or ad hoc support. For others, it can grow into something more consistent over time.
“The role is a combination of offering a safe place where Amy can feel comfortable and being the point of contact for her family, health professionals and other supports.”
That level of responsibility can feel significant, but it’s not something they carry on their own. Behind them is the Individualised Living Service team who provide guidance, oversight and support, helping them navigate both the practical and emotional aspects of the role.
“Although I work independently, I feel like I’m part of a team,” Chanan says. “I’ve got people behind me who want the best for me and for Amy.”
People come into the role from all kinds of backgrounds. Some have experience in disability or community services, while others bring lived experience, parenting or informal caring roles. What matters most is a willingness to connect, a flexible mindset, and the ability to see what’s possible.
Chanan is honest about what the role asks of you. It’s not something you step into lightly. It requires patience, commitment and a genuine willingness to understand another person on their terms.
“It’s not for everyone,” she says. “You must care from your heart first.”
For those who do, the rewards are rich and meaningful. Over time, you get to know each other. The routines settle in, communication becomes easier, and Amy’s wins become Chanan and Steve’s.
“Amy brings more than you could imagine to our lives,” Steve says. “We’ve come to understand her personality, what she enjoys, and what matters to her.”
For Chanan, that connection is what stays with her. “Even on the hard days, we smile a lot. Amy brings joy to our home,” she says.
And that, more than anything, is what makes this work different. It’s not just about supporting someone to live their life, but being part of it – sharing in the ordinary, the challenging, and the joyful moments that make a life feel full.
To learn more about the Individualised Living Service and becoming an ILO Host Contractor, click here.
