Rob
'It took a lot of the pressure off. It was transformational because at the time I was unemployed and homeless, and it was good to be able to change all that.'
I was in crisis and in real need of assistance. I was experiencing homelessness and was also unemployed. I’d put an application for housing, but I just felt like I wasn’t getting any traction.
I was trying to find support services in the MacArthur area, and I found Neami online. After a little bit I thought these guys are probably going to be the best ones to help me out.
It was pretty much starting from scratch and building myself up again. I was hoping to get support with a house in some way and also someone to help advocate for me. And it’s turned out to be a lot more than just advocacy and support.
It’s someone to discuss things with, whether that’s the homeless situation or my career or where I was going. It was good to get that support about what I could do and what were some of the pros and cons of each decision. It took a lot of the pressure off.
It’s been good to be able to clarify things in my mind and have that sounding board to bounce things off.
I got to understand, through life experience, what homelessness was. It’s really hard to untangle all of those issues which occur during the heightened state of emotion. You tend to focus on smaller issues rather than look at the big picture.
With support I was able look at all the issues, untangle them and tackle them one by one by one. By breaking it down, the tasks which looked huge at the beginning because a little bit more manageable.
I’ve got a secure place to live, and that’s a starting point, to place to start afresh. I’ve got employment which feeds into your feeling of security because with work you gain a sense of purpose a sense of accomplishment and that forms part of our wellbeing. I’m studying through one of the local employment services and I’m planning to start up a small business.
I came into the process looking for accommodation, but I found more than just that one aspect I was seeking. It was also employment and mental health support. That support has made it a lot easier for me to get through that tough stage and see that light at the end of the tunnel, because before it was pretty stressful.
Rob accessed the Macarthur Accommodation and Access Program and the WorkWell employment program.
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