In describing her favourite colour Jackie might have just given us a profound metaphor for her life so far. Knowing something wonderful exists, and whilst out of reach for the moment, envisaging herself in it all the same.
Jackie has just graduated from Year 12 when we meet her, and she is excitedly awaiting her ATAR results. She has been an exemplary school student. Studious while positively contributed to school culture. In fact, she has been asked back next year to be a Cultural Support Worker at her school, having held the Cultural Captain role in her final year.
A proud Wiradjuri young person with cultural ties to the Torres Strait Islands, Jackie is hoping that her hard work will see her secure a position at a prestigious university. She has it all mapped out with undergraduate and postgraduate studies already in mind.
Jackie is very focused and goal-driven, a self-described ‘quiet achiever’ that likes to get involved. “I keep to myself but I like to do all of the stuff as well.”
From playing bass guitar to all ranges of sports, from basketball (her favourite), netball, volleyball and ice hockey, while also working towards becoming a youth leader at her local church. Jackie is involved at so many touchpoints and is a well-rounded 17-year-old. But it has been her experience growing up that seems to be one of the biggest drivers for her to create these meaningful connections in her community.
“School has always been my safe space. It’s where I can always be good at something. Home wasn’t always a safe space,” Jackie shares.
Growing up primarily with her Mum and brother, Jackie’s family experienced domestic and family violence, so seeking involvement in varied sports and other after-school activities like book clubs gave Jackie valued time away in safe spaces. And it was where Jackie shined.
As Jackie moved through high school, she found herself experiencing homelessness for about two years. She spent a significant amount of time couch surfing at an old primary school friend’s house where she would get up at 4 am to travel to school. And in the last 6 months, before meeting the inCommunity Connect team, Jackie was sleeping rough in the park and showering at a friend’s house nearby. All the while staying focused on her studies and school life, knowing that it was a pathway towards a brighter future.
Through her connections at her church in the Ipswich community, Jackie was referred to the inCommunity Connect team with the possibility of finding a bed at Hargreaves House Youth Crisis Accommodation.
“I felt an immediate connection with the Case Manager who I interviewed with and it just grew from there. I could see she was really driven, and throughout my stay, she really supported me and the other young people.” says Jackie.
She further shares, “I was given the run down and the expectations including the curfew which I was a little bit nervous about. I had so many extra-curricular activities, I didn’t know if I was going to be able to make it work. But I liked the structure and routine and knowing everyone else had the same structure and routine was really comforting.”
Staying at Hargreaves House, Jackie found she really enjoyed the Case Management support provided, where Case Managers work with the young people to support them on their pathway to long term housing.
She shares, “I was open to it from the start because I was very aware that I didn’t have all my ducks in a row. I had my ID, but I knew I was a bit behind in other things. So I looked forward to the Case Management meetings and the goal setting. I set my eyes really far ahead and then just worked on the little steps.”
One vital step in the process was Jackie undertaking the Tenancy Skills Institute course. “I really needed to do that course. There was a lot in it about the expectations as a tenant and I didn’t know a lot about managing the moving in and moving out process. I also saved all the numbers into my phone for organisations like the RTA, in case I run into any other questions. I think it helped me with my rental application for my current house. I think it was the cherry on top and showed that I would be a suitable fit.”
As Jackie mentions, she has now transitioned from Hargreaves House to a sharehouse in a supported accommodation program, and in turn, she has ticked off her biggest goal set while with the inCommunity Connect team, that of longer-term housing.
Reflecting on the other goals she worked on while at Hargreaves House, Jackie shares some of her biggest goals were self-care and her emotional wellbeing. She says, “Fixing my sleep routine was a big one, I was used to getting up so early for school, so ensuring I had enough sleep was an important change. Also learning self-advocacy and how to manage dispute resolution. Knowing how to keep my emotions out of things, like when I needed some quiet time in my room so I could study for my exams. The Case Managers really helped with all of that.”
So after her 4-month stay at Hargreaves House, when we meet Jackie, she is glowing. She has a wonderful new place to call home and with several uni offers already on hand, she’s excited to find out if she has secured a place at her preferred campus.
When asked to reflect on her time at Hargreaves House Jackie says, “I really appreciated everything they did for me. The Case Managers gave me consistency and I was able to connect with each of them in different ways. I would say to anyone considering Hargreaves House to give it a shot. I’m in such a better spot all around after being there than I would be if I were still living on the streets.”
And of the future, “I’d probably envision a house that’s close to the beach, say a 30-minute commute. I will have two fluffy golden retrievers and fish. The fish as they are calming and the golden retrievers as they are playful. I also want to help people, children like me and be able to refer them to services like this.”
It seems to us that the bright future Jackie is working towards may have just arrived, and it’s looking sunny, just like her.