This story reveals what our Community Connections Program can achieve with individuals in our community to help them rekindle belief in themselves.
Skylight Mental Health’s Community Connections team recently told us about Annie*, a Whadjuk Noongar woman now living in Adelaide.
Annie became involved with the Community Connections Program (CCP) as she wanted support to improve several areas of her life. She was seeking culturally safe and social connections, sobriety, improved health and financial circumstances and a return to studies.
Annie had many challenges to overcome. She found herself living in a new city, lacking strong connections to people or community and no transport system knowledge. This was compounded by complex mental health concerns developed from childhood traumas and family instigated stigmas around being an Aboriginal person.
It's all about support
Keryn, the support worker Annie worked with at Skylight, built a trusting relationship with her. Keryn connected Annie with 10 different service providers who all played a part in supporting Annie to achieve her goals.
“I’ve certainly got out of the house more. I’ve had access to places I really wanted to go to with the support to see it through. The conversations between my support person and I have been thought provoking and transformative. It’s made me think about old cycles I was trapped in and gave me tools to begin the work out of them,” says Annie.
Meeting every goal
At the time this article was published, Annie had successfully completed an in-home withdrawal program and achieved six weeks of sobriety. She has attended multiple social outings and, in doing so, connected with a fellow member of her Whadjuk Noongar Mob.
Annie has rekindled a lost joy in cooking nutritional meals and is feeling healthier as a result. She has successfully applied for government concessions for utilities and became more financially secure, bringing great relief to her life.
Annie also attends medical appointments which led to improvements in her self-care and health. She even underwent scans and examinations that she was afraid of before and is aiming to have dental work done too.
Annie is becoming a regular at her local community centre, where she discovered several activities to enjoy, including music and yoga. She has assistance with transport and is learning to navigate the public transport system in her area.
One of the barriers Annie experienced with regards to finding support independently was the fact that she didn’t have photo identification. Now, with photo ID in her pocket, she has expressed an interest in getting a learners’ licence.
One of the support services Annie connected with has helped her to look after the health and wellbeing of her pet cat, for which she has now bought a leash so that they can enjoy walks together. And in partnership with her neighbour, Annie is re-vegetating their shared garden as part of the Bringing Back the Butterflies Community, providing her with an extra incentive to get out of the house more often.
Looking to the future
She’s wanting to return to study and would like to study Peer Work, so that she can use her lived experience to support others.
Importantly, Annie has chosen to accept a circle of supports from various services to assist with her application for the Redress scheme and is booked in for formal, therapeutic supports for the emotions that may arise from the process.
“I am now no longer worried about my bills, which lets me focus on the good stuff and the bigger stuff. I am working through my to do list and it’s because of having a person there with me, not judging and providing real feedback. It has helped me to believe in myself.”
*Not her real name