PressRelease:16/02/2017
Mediacontact:KellyWhittington
[email protected]
WorldDayofSocialJustice–Monday,20thFebruary
FromHealthy&HappytoHomeless&HelplessandBackAgain
In2000,Davidhaditall–abeautifulhomeonthewater,agreatcircleoffriendsandsupportnetworks,awellpayingjoband,mostofall,hewashappyandhealthy.Flashforwardamerefiveyearsandthepictureisremarkably
different.Davidwasfrailandexhausted,hisbodywreckedbyhisalcoholaddictionandhewashomeless.
WhenDavidfirstconnectedwithFSGAustralia(FSG)lastJune,hewasadefeatedman.Hewassleepingonafriend’s
couchbutthatrelationshipwasstartingtobreakdownandhehadnowhereelsetoturn.
“AtFSGAustralia,weneversayno,weneverjudge...wesolution.Itismyjobtolisten,learnandgenuinely
understandsomeone’ssituation,sotogetherwecanidentifypossiblesolutionsandworktowardsachievingthem,”
explainsKarlieHarris,FSGDreamweaver.“MycolleaguesandIassistedDavidinfindinghisownaccommodation,as
wellasacounsellingservicetoaddressandhelpwithhisalcoholaddiction.Afterthat,wedidn’thearfromDavidfor
afewmonths.It’sacommonscenariointhehomelesssector,”saysKarlie.
ThenlateSeptember,DavidwalkedbackintotheFSGoffices.Thingshadprogressivelyworsenedforhim.Hesat
downandsaid,“Ican’tdothisanymore.Ineedhelp.”HisCentrelinkpaymenthadbeensuspendedandhe’d
exhaustedallhisoptions.TheteamgaveDavidasandwichandcoffeeandspenttherestofthatafternoonwithhim,
attemptingtoreconnecthimwithvariousservicesandgovernmentdepartments.
“Wedidnotstopuntilwefoundanaccommodationservice,withavacancy,willingtointerviewDavid,”saysKarlie.
Karlierecountsthedaysleadinguptotheinterview,“WaitingforthatinterviewfeltlikealifetimeforDavid.Hewas
sleepingroughnearouroffices,drinkinghiswaythroughthedaystonumbhispain.Iwouldoftensitwithhim
outsideontheconcrete,encouraginghimtostaypositiveaboutthatupcominginterview.Irememberonthedayof
theinterview,Davidsaidtome,‘IfIdon’tgetthisplace,Iamgivinguphope.’”
Davidwassuccessfulinsecuringthataccommodation,however,hisroadtorecoverywasjustbeginning.
Evenwiththerightassistanceinplace,theproblemsbeingexperiencedbyapersoncanstillprovetoobigaburden
toovercome.“Thereisoftenaperiodwhenapersonhastowalkthelastpartofthejourneyontheirowninorderto
successfullymoveforwardintheirlife,”saysNikkiJones,anothermemberoftheSocialJusticeTeam.
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PressRelease:16/02/2017
Mediacontact:KellyWhittington
[email protected]
“WeworkedwithDavidtohelphimunderstandthisanditwasnowuptohimwhichpathhewantedtochoose.”
EarlyDecember,DavidwalkedbackintotheFSGoffices.“ItwasaversionofDavidIhadnotseensincemeetinghim.
Hehasnowbeensoberforthreemonths,livinginhisownDepartmentofHousingunitandseeinghisSocialWorker
andDoctorweekly.Hehasstartedtomakelongtermplansforhisfuture,enrollinginaCertificateIIIinCommunity
Services,”Karliedescribes.
“ThegueninuecareandcompassionthatKarlieshowedmeiswhatmadethedifferenceformepersonally.When
youhavenoloveforyourself,noself-worth,youcangotorehab,seeacounsillororpsycologist,butyou’renot
fixingthepartofyourselfthat’sessentiallybroken.Whensomeoneletsyouknowthattheyreallycare,something
changesandyoustarttofillthatemotionalandspiritualspaceagain,”reflectsDavid.
“Thelastfiveyearshavebeenlong,extremelydifficultattimesandfilledwithobstaclesalongtheway.SomedaysI
wantedtohaveadrinkandnotwakeup.IfoundKarlieandNikkiandtheyshowedcompassionandpatience,
genuinelywantingtolistenandbeinvolvedinhelpingmethroughthisdifficultpartofmelife,”reflectsDavid.
“Davidisnowlookingathisfuturewithacompletelydifferentsetofchoicesinfrontofhim.Thiscoupledwitha
newfounddetermintation,welookforwardtosharingacoffeeandconversationwithDavidagainsoon.”saysNikki.
-Ends-
Notestotheeditor:
WorldDayofSocialJustice.Thisdayisannuallyobservedtoencouragepeopletolookathowsocialjusticeaffects
povertyeradication,andfocusesonthegoalofachievingfullemploymentandsupportforsocialintegration.Social
justice,equalityandequityconstitutethefundamentalvaluesofallsocieties.
FSGAustralia(FSG)isanot-for-profitcommunityorganisationfocusedonbuildingthecapacityofindividualsand
communitiesandoffersawiderangeofinnovativeservicesindisability,mentalhealth,agedcare,familyservices
andchildren’sservices.FSGstandsforFreedom,SocialJusticeandGrowth.Freedom…tobewhoyouare.Social
Justice…equityandfairnessforeveryone.Growth…tobethebestversionofyou.
FSG’svisionisforacommunitythatconnectswithallpeopleandisfreeofsocialinjustice.Everyday,forthepast40
years,staffhavewalkedalongsidepeopleinourcommunityandDavid’sstoryofjustoneofthecountlesspeople
FSGhasassisted.
All1000staffadvocateforandcelebratesocialjusticebywearingorangeeveryWednesday.Wearyoursupportfor
socialjustice.WearorangeeveryWednesday!
FSGwebsite:https://www.fsg.org.au/
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