Aaron originally came from South Logan. When his family decided to relocate to the Sunshine Coast he picked up some temporary accommodation at a training college. When his accommodation became unsuitable for his needs, he then applied for housing with the Department of Housing. Initially his application for housing was rejected.
Then one day out of the blue Aaron received a phone call from the Department advising him there was a potential vacancy at Common Ground Queensland. He spoke with his parents about the opportunity, who decided to drive by the building to check it out. When they saw the building they became very excited about his potential placement and were supportive of Aaron moving in. Aaron explains that when he was interviewed by Common Ground he had a good feeling and knew that this was the place for him.
Aaron moved into the South Brisbane Common Ground building in July 2012 and 12 months down the track he is still enjoying the experience. Aaron states that in general he likes living here, but the main drawcard for him is the security and the visitor protocols Common Ground has in place around guests entering the building. Aaron feels that Common Ground has given him opportunities to be able to associate with many different people that he may not necessarily have had the opportunity to associate with if had not been housed in a high density building. Aaron states that it has taught him that there are many different personalities in the world and the experience has given him the tools to have a more open mind. Aaron believes that often society can place people in groups and that the minority can lose out.
Also important to Aaron is having a support person on the front desk to help assist him with the day to day tasks that he needs to get done. For example, something as simple as receiving documents in the mail can be a struggle for Aaron and having people on Concierge that he can trust to read his mail and to keep the information confidential makes his life easier. Aaron also enjoys having access to a chef in the building who is willing to teach him to cook as he explains that it would be hard for him to find this type of service somewhere else. In general, Aaron feels that the services that are provided at Common Ground are fantastic as tenants don’t lack for anything if they are willing to put the effort in.
Aaron envisages himself staying on here as he has access to study opportunities and facilities that are close to home. He has formed new relationships and associates with a number of people but also states that the beauty of being here is that he can choose to associate or not associate with people as it suits him and his guide dog Barry.
Aaron feels that being at Common Ground has brought him a lot closer to finishing his studies and has given him his independence.