Term-based days in Mortdale for school leavers and young adults. Attend with your Support Worker, build practical life skills at the Academy, then practise them out in the community with support!
MortdaleSt George area, Sydney
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Term-basedA routine you can rely on
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1:1 continuesYour own Support Worker attends
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NDISRegistered provider
Build routine, practical skills and confidence for life after school.
The Academy adds structure and purpose to the week, with opportunities to work towards individual goals and practise skills in everyday life.
A structured and relaxed day tailored to your goals. Every participant comes with their What Ability Support Worker.
Each participant will work on their own individual goals and skill development. Progress and achievements will be tracked throughout the term, celebrated with the participant and shared with parents, carers and your support team.
Each term focuses on a variety of key life skills through structured, purposeful learning. Bookings will include cooking, employability and relationships, trust and boundaries.
Understanding what helps you feel your best. Emotional regulation, healthy routines, movement, food and wellbeing.
Getting out in the community with confidence. Transport, grocery shopping, local activities and building social connections.
Building employment readiness and skills for the future. Turning up, following tasks, working with others and building confidence.
Finding ways to communicate, connect and express yourself. Building communication skills through conversation, creativity and activities that work for you.
Each term focuses on a set of practical skills. For example, during Independent Living, one participant might practise making breakfast, another folding washing and another cleaning their space.
Participants can attend one or more days each week, working on the skills that support their individual goals.
Join us for Term 4, starting on 12 October 2026! Choose the day or days that work for you. Participants attend Academy on their selected days each week, building skills towards their individual goals.
What Ability participants must attend with your What Ability Support Worker every booking during the Academy Term.
Most post-school programs describe similar activities. The difference is who is with the participant and whether anything is actually being worked toward.
The Academy is in Mortdale, open to families across the St George area and across Greater Sydney. Skills are practised in the same local community the participant already knows.
Our Academy Manager and NSW Behaviour Support Practitioners work collaboratively to support all participants in working towards your individual goals.
Academy Manager, New South Wales
Academy Manager at What Ability, Brooke develops and delivers structured programs for young adults living with disabilities that build the skills, confidence and independence needed for adult life. With a professional background in UK education and behaviour support, Brooke’s grounded, person-centred approach focuses on understanding the individual, building genuine connection and creating opportunities that recognise ability rather than limitation.
National Clinical Manager, New South Wales
George leads our behaviour support team across the country and still works directly with participants. He started at What Ability as a Support Worker while finishing his psychology degree at the University of Sydney.
Behaviour Support Practitioner, New South Wales
Anouche is a Proficient Behaviour Support Practitioner with six years’ experience across disability, education and life-skills development. She takes a person-centred, strengths-based approach, working closely with participants and allied health professionals to support individual goals and build confidence, independence and everyday skills.
Behaviour Support Practitioner, New South Wales
Giorgia is a Behaviour Support Practitioner with over five years’ experience supporting children and young people. She takes a person-centred, trauma-informed approach, building trust and understanding to support positive outcomes for participants.
Visit before you decide anything. Come with your Support Worker or family if that helps.
Your Area Manager and our allied health team will develop a plan and set goals for the term with you.
The Academy will be booked in your Supportmate app, so you have routine amongst your other Community Access bookings.
Community Access is led by the participant’s individual choices, goals and interests. The Academy adds a structured curriculum, with individual learning goals and skills that are practised and built on throughout the term.
Participants continue with their 1:1 What Ability support, with learning taking place both at the Academy and out in the community. The Academy can complement a participant’s existing Community Access days or become part of their regular weekly routine.
NDIS funding may be available for your 1:1 support and Academy costs, depending on your individual goals and plan.
The Academy has a separate program fee alongside your usual 1:1 support. Tell us about your plan when you enquire and our team can talk you through the options and any costs before enrolment.
No. What Ability Academy is a broader life-skills program, not a dedicated employment program. The curriculum focuses on independence, community participation, communication, wellbeing and work readiness.
Participants may build work-readiness and employment-related skills where these align with their individual goals, but the Academy is not designed solely around finding or placing participants into employment.
Our Mortdale centre in Sydney’s St George area, close to home for families in Hurstville, Peakhurst, Penshurst, Oatley and Kogarah.
Academy runs across the school term. You choose the day or days that suit, and the same curriculum applies whether you come one day a week or five, just at your own pace.
Built with school leavers in mind, and open to anyone post-school who would benefit from a structured routine in their week.
No referral maze. Get in touch directly and a real person will walk you through what is needed. The Academy is booked as a normal Community Access booking through your Area Manager.
Yes. If you are already with What Ability, your Area Manager can arrange a visit before you commit to anything. Come along together if that helps picture it.
Ready to try the Academy? Register for Term 4 or book a trial day to experience the program and see if it’s the right fit.
New participants are welcome too. Start with our Get Started form and our team will help you take the next step.
A trusted break for families while you enjoy personalised support.
