If you haven’t heard about 13-year old Ivy and the trail she is blazing, then you should!

Through her Facebook page Inspired by Ivy, she shares her experiences with her 1.3K followers. Ivy is a high school boarder, drama and theatre lover, Roblox playing teenager who adores her family and friends, reading and music. Ivy has Cerebral Palsy - Spastic Dystonic Quadriplegic GFMCS4.

When dreams come true

In January 2024, Ivy fulfilled her dream to become a St Ursula’s girl and a boarder! It’s believed that Ivy is the first wheelchair user who needs support to transfer between chair, toilet and bed to board in Australia.

Xavier Support Workers stay with Ivy at boarding school, four nights a week, providing the support that she needs to make her boarding school dream a reality.

Either Shakira or Katlin support Ivy from when the school day finishes at 3pm to the start of the next school day at 8.30am. They each help Ivy with personal care, transfers and food preparation as well as the life admin that comes with being a boarder! This includes, helping with fine motor tasks like putting on headphones, organising school bags, helping with homework and transporting Ivy to where she needs to be for both school and recreational activities.

Shakira and Katlin also provide, emotional and social support for Ivy as she navigates the great adventure that is boarding away from family as a thirteen year old.

What’s next for Ivy?

Ivy’s dreams don’t stop there, as Ivy hopes to be an actor when she is older. An avid lover of drama and performance, Ivy has participated in drama lessons with the Empire Theatre for the past three years and competed in the Dalby Drama Eisteddfod on multiple occasions, achieving many ribbon placings.

She received the Sponsors Choice award for Queensland in the Focus on Ability Short Film Festival in 2023 and the Young Actor of the Year for Australia. In recognition of these awards, Ivy has received coaching sessions with acting mentors and agents here in Australia and in America. She is currently working on her entry for the 2024 Festival.

At the end of the year, Ivy and her family will be taking a trip to Hollywood and Broadway to explore the stage and screen over in the US!

A word from Ivy’s Mum

We asked Ivy’s Mum Michelle what Xavier’s support means to their family.

“Choice, Control and Opportunity. Our family values a single gender education for high school. Xavier's support enables us to give all of our children equal opportunities, matching the values of our family.”