When Dan started at Beacon Laundry – one of Whitebox’s social enterprises – he found more than a job. He found a teammate in Gordon.
Dan developed an acquired brain injury and vision impairment after having meningitis as a baby. At Beacon, he works alongside Gordon, who provides the support Dan needs to do his job well.
Gordon helps Dan stay focused, checking that he has the correct number of products in each bundle and hasn’t missed any stains, which can be hard to spot in a fast-paced commercial laundry, especially if you’re visually impaired. And when laundry is packed into the tall cages, Dan helps Gordon reach the higher sections from his wheelchair. Together, they have found a way of working that works for them, and the laundry.
Their experience is not unusual at Beacon. Today, the Bangalow-based laundry has created more than 240 jobs for people in the region, including 178 for people with barriers to work.