Meet the Team

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Meet the Team 〰️

Meet Nel

Hey! I’m Nel (he/him).

I reside on Wurundjeri land in Naarm. I was born in Portugal, am a descendant of the Forro people of West Africa, and have lived in South Africa, Mozambique, Singapore, and Perth (where I grew up).

As an AuDHD gay man, I have lived experience with CPTSD, dyslexia, and chronic pain. After a late diagnosis, I navigated complex systems alone. This taught me the exhaustion of masking and the value of sensory safety. For me, this might mean noticing how bright indoor lights affect mental clarity, or knowing that a bed made "just right" supports a better night of sleep.

My background is a mix of the technical and creative, shaped by experience in engineering, performance, and multimedia. More recently, I attained a Certificate IV in Mental Health and an Advanced Diploma of Community Sector Management, and I am interested in furthering my studies in Counselling or Psychology.

In my spare time, I volunteer within the queer community, plane watch, or hike on moderate days. I also enjoy "resurrecting" plants, palaeontology, and cosmology.

My approach is centred on humour, curiosity, and attunement. I view our work as solving a puzzle together, moving at a pace that lets you be yourself in every moment.

(And if you see me in a tiara, it is because my nieces in Perth crowned me, and I take that role very seriously).

nel
(he/him)

Peer Support Coach

Nel from Neuroqueer

What’s a Peer Support Coach?

Neuroqueer Peer Support Coaches are trained to support you with your daily life, accessing the community, social and recreational activities, mentoring and therapy assistance.

They’re good people with lived experience ready to give you feel-good support.

  • Our Peer Support Workers are here to help with day-to-day activities, like personal tasks, household chores, and staying connected to your community.

    With their lived experience and affirming approach, they’ll work alongside you to meet your goals.

    Funding for Support Work comes out of your Core funding (Assistance with Daily Life or Assistance with Social, Economic and Community Participation).

  • Our NDIS Mentoring supports you through key life stages, whether you’re building independence, learning new skills, or navigating big transitions like moving out, starting study, or changing routines.

    We offer hands-on, peer-led support tailored to your goals, helping you grow confidence, decision-making skills, and self-advocacy along the way. This is real-world mentoring grounded in lived experience.

    Funding for Mentoringcomes out of your Capacity Building funding. You might see things on your plan like:

    • Improved Daily Living Skills

    • Finding and Keeping a Job

    • Improved Living Arrangements

    • Increased Social & Community Participation

    • Lifelong Learning

  • We provide practical and emotional support to help you apply what you’ve learned in therapy to your daily life. Whether it’s building routines, practicing new skills, or creating positive habits, our Peer Therapy Assistance is here to bridge the gap between therapy sessions and real-world outcomes.

Join Neuroqueer
Make a Referral

FAQs

Can I do a meet & greet?

We value paying people fairly for the time they work, so we don’t do free meet & greets. Instead, you can book a paid trial shift where you can get a feel for what support from Neuroqueer will actually be like.

Where can I get support?

We have Peer Support Coaches all over Australia. We provide support in-person and also online telehealth support through video and phone calls or SMS.

How do I make a booking?

You can contact us or fill in our referral form:

What kinds of things can I do with my Peer Support Coach?

Our service is completely customised for you. When you join Neuroqueer, we’ll spend some time getting to know you and what you need from us.

To give you some ideas, some people love in-person support with things like attending community events, like body doubling (remote or in-person).

I want support but I’m a bit unsure?

It’s very normal to feel a bit nervous about meeting a new person, especially if it’s your first time getting support or you’re unsure what to expect.

We will share a Social Story with you at each step so you know what to expect.

We will also spend time getting to know you and part of that will be helping you to figure out what kind of support you need, and how we can give you that support in a way that is comfortable for you.

What will happen on my first shift?

Your first shift is a great chance to get to know what ongoing support from your Peer Support Coach might feel like.

We suggest using your first shift with us a trial, so it can be helpful to plan some things to do together that you might do on a typical shift.

If you’re not sure, we’ll help you plan your first shift. Your Peer Support Coach will always be ready with some ideas as well.