Mable saved my career: Para-athlete Julie Charlton

Julie Charlton is a 22-year-old para-athlete and disability rights advocate.

From her sporting journey, two experiences stand out for Julie. The first was at 16, when she competed in the World Junior Championships in Prague. “It was all self-funded, my mum was my team manager and my cousin was the chef de mission. I was the only Australian representative,” she recalls.

The other is the 2022 Commonwealth

Games in Birmingham. “Watching those athletes do what they do was mind-blowing,” she says. “Basically, my entire sporting career had led up to it. I had put in 17 years' worth of preparation.”

Getting to the Games itself was quite a challenge. “I was struggling to get support workers to help me get to my training ahead of the Games,” she says.

That's when Mable came to her rescue. “I wouldn't have gotten to the Games without Mable. Mable basically saved my career.”

She adds, “The support workers I found on Mable picked me up from my house, drove me to training sessions, helped me set up my chair, helped me do the things I needed to do to get to the Games. I used them all the way up to the week before I left.”

“I wouldn't have been the athlete I am today without Mable.”

FINDING MABLE

Julie found Mable through an online search and TV ads, she says. “I found it really appealing because I wanted to find support workers I could gel with. That's really important to me as a person with disability. I want to feel comfortable with the support workers I work with.”

“The platform is so good, it makes you feel safe to pick that person you want on your journey. I haven't looked back since,” Julie says.

BUILDING A SUPPORT TEAM ON MABLE

Julie has a team of five support workers on Mable and they support her in different ways.

“I have two support workers for community support, like going out for movies, theatre, basically experiencing the life I want outside of sports. The other three support workers are for sports, so they help me get to training, set up my equipment, things like that. It's a really good mix of people and a great team.”

Julie is particularly happy with one of her support workers from Mable, Sonali. “She was a light for me. She made me comfortable and happy in my own skin. She brought so much of myself out of me in terms of confidence. Without her, I wouldn't be as confident as I am today, I was really lucky to meet her.”

For Julie, it's really important that her support workers be ‘queer-safe'. “As a queer person myself, I want to feel comfortable in my own skin and the person I'm with. The other thing I look for in people is that either they love sports or have a passion to learn about and try new things, new ideas.”

To anyone looking for support on Mable,

Julie says, “My advice is to take your time, read the support worker bios, you will definitely find someone.”

“Don't be scared to use a platform like Mable; it's there to help you, to make sure you're comfortable choosing who supports you, that's why I love it so much.”

To find support and live your kind of independence, visit mable.com.au