Coming from a Filipino background, we have a big family wherein we care, support, and help each other. Being compassionate, caring, and empathetic comes naturally to me. I am passionate about helping and supporting people in the community as I have been surrounded by a lot of relatives/family and friends who help each other, especially when in need of any type of support. I have enjoyed working with children in the early years' education sector for the past 5 years and now would like to continue serving the wider community by being a support person most especially for people with disability. Years ago as a teenager, I was always asked by relatives to look after my younger cousins which I enjoyed as we get to bond as well as make sure they are safe under my care. I also had the privilege to look after my late maternal grandmother who at that time had asthma, diabetes, very poor vision, and hypertension.
Having recently experienced (April 2021) being in the vulnerable side of life after my knee surgery, made me realise how important it is to have an amazing group of support people through my sister and close friends after being discharged from the hospital. I have experienced not being able to drive myself for about 8 weeks post-surgery to the doctor's appointments, rehabilitation therapy sessions, specialist appointments, to buy my medications, and even do my own grocery shopping. But with the help of my support system, my rehabilitation and post-operative progress became easier. And now that I am able to drive around for quite sometime now, I would like to 'pay it forward' by providing the support to the wider community. Not just to drive and accompany around, but to be able to share my other life skills to the people who needed help and support.
Being a mum of 3 (aged 21, 17, and 12) and an early childhood educator for quite some time, I enjoy interacting with the children in my care through play, singing, reading them books, some simple gardening, teaching them basic cooking skills, making some DIY activity toys as well as being there to provide them support doing some arts and crafts.
Having the skills of providing facial treatments (using clients' own products), I would be able to teach/show them how to look after their skin in the comfort of their own home. Also, as I love watching movies whether in the cinema or through Netflix, I would be able to accompany them if they want to. We could go for a drive to the local park, go for a walk, and I would be more than willing to drop them off (and accompany them if needed) to their appointments as I enjoy driving around with my clean driving record of 20+ years. I may not be one of the best cooks, but I can certainly teach basic cooking skills and may be able to share my own cultural (Filipino) dish.
