LIFELINE WA is well known for helping people in their hour of need but for Swan View’s legally blind Tammey Candeloro it wasn’t the organisation’s crisis support line that came to her rescue.

It was the agency’s willingness giving the then 31-year-old a placement at the suicide prevention agency to complete her bachelor of counselling when no other workplace would give her a chance.

The two-year internship was the glimmer of hope Mrs Candeloro, who was born with congenital cataracts, needed after years of discrimination threatened to derail her education and her ability to forge a career.

“Lifeline WA was the only workplace willing to focus on my abilities and not my limitations which was so empowering,” she said.

“That placement gave me on-the-job experience and allowed me to practice the theory and practical skills I had embraced while studying for my degree.”

Sadly, after completing her degree in 2008, she was still unable to find a job, with countless employers believing it was too hard to accommodate her impaired vision.

After she married she focused on motherhood as a mum of two before a cruel blow saw her lose her left eye to cancer in 2015.

Twelve years after completing her placement and having lost a close friend to suicide, Mrs Candeloro decided to return to Lifeline WA – this time to train as a volunteer crisis supporter.

“Once my children started school and I had more spare time up my sleeve, I wanted to give back to the community,” she said.

After 170 hours of crucial training, she became a fully qualified telephone crisis supporter helping Western Australians in their time of need.

“My time as a crisis supporter increased my level of empathy, my problem-solving skills and out of the box thinking.”

She believes the critical skills and experience she gained helping those in need were vital to her landing her first ever job in December last year as an alcohol and other drugs counsellor and educator.

“Without volunteering at Lifeline WA I would have never been able to enter the workforce as nobody wanted to hire someone who couldn’t see.

“They made my computer screen and cursor larger to make it easier for me to use through a setting which would activate as soon as I logged into my account.”

Lifeline WA chief executive officer Lorna MacGregor said the agency prided itself on building a diverse workforce and disability isn’t a barrier to joining its volunteer crisis supporter team.

“In fact, people like Tammey who have faced their own challenges can bring a special level of understanding and empathy to the role of crisis supporter,” she said.

“Modifying aspects of the workplace environment was an easy way of ensuring we did not miss out on the skills and compassion Tammey could offer to people contacting us during their darkest and often lonely hours.”

Lifeline WA has been included in the Diversity Council Australia’s annual list of inclusive employers for 2024-2025.

“We are committed to providing a safe and inclusive environment to ensure that our employees and volunteers, regardless of their abilities and backgrounds, are treated with respect, dignity and empathy,” Ms MacGregor said.

Lifeline’s 24/7 telephone crisis support service is available on 13 11 14, text 0477 13 11 14 or online chat at lifeline.org.au/crisis-chat