At MaudCare, we believe meaningful support starts with understanding each person’s interests, strengths and goals. Whether it is building independence, developing new skills or working towards future employment, our peer mentors are there to encourage participants in a way that feels practical, supportive and person-centred.
Recently, Tommy has been developing his skills in car detailing with the support of his peer mentor, Matthew. What started as an interest has now become a regular opportunity for Tommy to practise his skills, build confidence and explore what a future business could look like.
Every Thursday, MaudCare peer mentors are able to book their cars in with Tommy for car detailing. This gives Tommy the chance to keep learning in a familiar and supportive environment, while also gaining hands-on experience with real vehicles and real customers.
For Tommy, car detailing is about more than cleaning cars. It is about helping people, taking pride in his work and seeing the result of a job well done.
When asked why he enjoys cleaning cars, Tommy shared:
“I learnt from my mum and dad to be neat, and I like to help people and make people smile. I also like things looking nice.”
Tommy has named his business idea Horkings Detailing and is already thinking about how he could grow it in the future. His goal is to one day own his own car detailing business. He knows there are still steps to take, including having access to a vehicle so he can travel to jobs, but he is excited about the possibility and motivated to keep learning.
With Matthew’s support, Tommy has already started building a range of practical skills. He has been learning how to check a car’s fluids, clean different materials and surfaces, and understand the care needed for different parts of a vehicle.
Tommy explained that he is also still learning more about the business side of car detailing, including time management, pricing and how to judge the cost of each job depending on the condition of the car.
Each car takes Tommy around 45 minutes or less, depending on how dirty it is. Through this regular practice, he is continuing to develop his attention to detail, confidence, communication and independence.
Tommy’s journey is a great example of how the right support can help turn an interest into a meaningful goal. With encouragement, consistency and practical experience, he is building skills that could support him well into the future.
We are proud to support Tommy as he continues working towards his goal of one day owning his own car detailing business through Horkings Detailing.
