Young adult independence support
Build real-world capability for adult life.
We support young adults with disability aged 18-25 to practise the everyday, community, study and work skills that matter to them — one to one, in real situations.
- Where
- Western & South-Western Sydney
- Funding
- Self-managed & plan-managed
- Format
- Structured one-to-one support
Greater independence is practised, not simply provided.
The idea the whole service is built on.
The transition moment
Adult goals don't automatically create adult-life capability.
School finishes. The plan changes. The goals get bigger. What often has not changed is the number of real chances to practise any of it.
- Knowing how a bus worksis not the same asTravelling to TAFE alone, on a Tuesday, in the rain
- Understanding moneyis not the same asPaying for lunch and still having the fare home
- Wanting a jobis not the same asArriving on time, three shifts in a row
A young adult can know exactly what they want from adult life and still need practice, prompts, repetition, the right worker, and genuine opportunities before it happens consistently.
That distance between knowing and doing has a name here: the Practice Gap — the difference between knowing what to do and being able to do it consistently in real life, with the right level of support.
It is not a gap in intelligence, effort or motivation. It is a gap in practice — and practice is something a service can actually be built around.
See exactly where that gap is for your young adult — free, about four minutes, no phone number needed.
Take the ScorecardThe difference that matters
Support that fills a shift, or support that builds a capability
Plenty of support helps in the moment. The question is whether the same activity, repeated for a year, adds up to anything.
One common pattern
Activity-led support
- An activity is chosen
- The worker helps
- The shift ends
Everyone did their job. Whether capability changed is nobody's specific responsibility.
How Waymaker works
Capability-led practice
- Where things stand now is mapped together
- One real capability is picked to practise
- It gets practised for real, and the change is tracked
Same hours, same real settings. A structure that makes change visible — then repeats. This is the STEP Method, explained in full just below.
The mechanism
The STEP Method
Snapshot, Target, Experience, Progress — then round again. A cycle, not a program with an end date.
Snapshot
Where are things now?
What matters to them, what they already do, what support is in place, and where there is room for more participation.
Target
What matters next?
A broad goal becomes one specific, real-world capability worth practising - specific enough to know whether it is changing.
Experience
Practise it in real life.
The same capability, practised in the actual setting, with the level of support that fits the moment.
Progress
What is changing?
Initiation, participation, assistance needed, confidence, consistency, problem-solving, asking for help.
What gets practised
Real-life capability looks different for everyone.
Examples, not a curriculum. The participant decides what matters.
- Getting ready for work or study
- Public transport, and what to do when plans change
- Shopping, money and everyday decisions
- Planning and preparing a meal
- Appointments, and organising yourself to attend
- Speaking up and self-advocacy
- Community activities they chose
- Workplace and study routines
Who chooses?
The young adult does. A goal someone else picked is the fastest way to make practice stop happening. Families and referrers add context; the participant sets the direction.
Photography to come
Adult life, in a wide frame
Fit
Who Waymaker is for - and who it isn't
You already know your young adult better than any website could. Being specific here is more useful than claiming to suit anyone.
Likely a fit when
- Aged roughly 18-25 and moving into adult life
- Has goals about daily life, community, study or work
- Wants more choice and control over everyday situations
- Benefits from one-to-one practice rather than group programs
- Currently needs prompting, guidance or graded assistance for some tasks
- Able to take part in the same practice repeatedly, over time
May not be the right fit when
- The support needed is primarily clinical, therapeutic or behavioural
- The need is 24-hour care or supported independent living
- The support required is beyond what our workers can safely provide
- The young adult does not want this kind of support
If it is not a fit, we say so early — more useful than starting something we cannot deliver well.
For parents and families
Not sure what to focus on first?
Most families are not short on goals. They are trying to work out which one to start with, and how much to help along the way.
The Young Adult Independence Scorecard is built for that decision. Twelve plain questions about everyday situations, and a capability profile across six areas of adult life.
- A capability profile across six adult-life areas
- Where they are already building capability, and where support is doing most of the work
- Up to three suggested priorities, shaped by what they want
- Practical next steps you can try without a provider
Free, about four minutes, useful whether or not you ever contact us. Not a clinical assessment, a Functional Capacity Assessment, or an NDIS eligibility or funding assessment.
For referral partners
Referring a young adult?
Waymaker works in one niche: young adults roughly 18-25 building real-world capability for adult life, one to one, on capabilities the participant chose.
You get a clear answer on fit, a structured Snapshot rather than a generic intake form, targets written as observable capabilities, and progress described in terms you can use at a plan review.
Getting started
How starting works
Independence Call
Goals, context, and whether Waymaker is genuinely the right fit.
Snapshot
The starting point, mapped together - strengths, supports, and what matters.
Match
A worker matched on goals, interests, communication style and availability.
Pathway
Real-world practice begins, and the STEP cycle keeps running.
Being straight with you
What we can tell you, and what we won't pretend
Waymaker is a young organisation. Rather than borrowed credibility, here is what is true today.
One specialty
Young adults roughly 18-25, building real-world capability. Not every support, for everyone.
A method you can inspect
STEP is written out in full on this site, including what it is not. Read it before committing to anything.
Published fit criteria
We say who we are not right for. You should not have to discover that after signing.
No testimonials yet
We would rather show none than invent any. Quotes appear when real families consent to publish them.
Waymaker supports Western Sydney and South-Western Sydney. See the areas we support, or read about who runs Waymaker.
Questions
Common questions
Who is Waymaker for?
Young adults with disability, roughly 18-25, who are moving into adult life and want more choice and control over everyday situations. Support is one-to-one and built around practising real tasks.
What age group do you support?
Our focus is approximately 18-25. If someone is a little outside that range, ask us - we would rather tell you honestly whether it fits.
Is the Scorecard or the Snapshot a clinical assessment?
No. Neither is a clinical assessment, a Functional Capacity Assessment, an NDIS eligibility or funding assessment, or a diagnostic tool. The Scorecard is a conversation starter. The Snapshot is our own planning step.
Does independence mean doing everything alone?
No. Independence here means more choice, more self-direction and the right level of support at the right time. Needing support is not a failure, and less support is not the goal by default.
What can we work on?
Everyday routines, money and decisions, travel and community, communication and self-advocacy, social participation, and work or study routines. The participant chooses what matters.
Do you support self-managed and plan-managed participants?
Yes - both. Whether a particular support can be funded still depends on the individual plan and circumstances, so we will always be upfront about that.
Which areas do you service?
Western and South-Western Sydney. See Areas We Support for the current list, and ask if your suburb is not shown.
How do you choose a support worker?
We match on the practical things that decide whether practice actually happens: the goals being worked on, interests in common, communication style, language, and availability that fits the routine.
Can parents or Support Coordinators be kept updated?
Yes, with the participant’s agreement about what is shared and with whom. We set that up at the start rather than assuming it.
What happens if Waymaker isn't the right fit?
We say so. If the support needed sits outside what our workers can safely provide, we will tell you directly rather than taking it on.
How do I start?
Take the Independence Scorecard, or request an Independence Call. Referral professionals can use the referral form.
Three ways to take the next step
Whichever one fits, you will get a straight answer about whether Waymaker is the right fit.
Parent or family member
Six areas, about four minutes, a capability profile and up to three suggested priorities.
Take the Independence ScorecardSupport Coordinator or professional
Minimal referral details up front. We review fit and come back to you either way.
Refer a young adultReady to talk it through
A short Independence Call about goals, fit and how practice would actually work.
Discuss your goals