Stories from our community

Nathan is a 23-year-old man from Frankston who has been connected with BSL’s youth and employment services over the last five years. In 2022, BSL supported Nathan to attend and share his personal experiences of disadvantage at the federal government’s Jobs and Skills Summit.

I was totally shocked when BSL asked me to come to Canberra and be involved in the summit. I didn’t really believe it – it was kind of crazy.

I spoke on a panel about people who have faced disadvantage coming into the workforce – the problems they’ve had and how they’ve gotten around it. I talked about how I had grown up with domestic violence and there were people on the panel with all sorts of different backgrounds. It was really cool and inspiring to hear everyone talk there.

The crazy part for me, was everyone you would expect to see in Canberra was there – the Prime Minister, Treasurer, a bunch of people from government and business people. I also got to have a brief chat with the Prime Minister and Treasurer individually afterwards. It was unbelievable to have them hear directly from me one-on-one. I told them how appreciative I was to be there and it was really important, and how it meant a lot that someone like me could be talking to all these people that make decisions.

I hope that by sharing my story, other people won’t have to go through a lot of the things I have in the future. It was really good to have people hear me, so it’s not just people reading facts and numbers but they understand our real experience.

Now, I’m doing all sorts of personal and professional development stuff, including hosting events around social issues. It’s the most significant thing that’s happened to me in forever. Overall, I’m just very appreciative of what BSL has done for me and is doing for other people.

Carol is a 56-year-old woman who was experiencing financial hardship before getting financial training from our SEED (Sustaining Economic Empowerment and Dignity) project in Seymour.

I have a workplace injury that has had a significant impact on my mental health, confidence and ability to secure employment. Given these challenges, I have had ongoing and varied contact with employment agencies. It has often caused much anxiety and stress, and I haven’t always been sure which direction to proceed.

I found many of the requirements of employment agencies to be punitive and punishing in nature. The offices were uninviting and intimidating, and I felt like the providers were looking down on me.

Since being part of the SEED project, I found a sense of belonging and empowerment that every woman needs. I found it inspiring and encouraging as I learned to recognise my skills and strengths, and how these can be translated into employment or a small business. Unlike other employment services programs, I did not feel pressured or coerced into doing things that would tick a box or meet criteria.

The biggest change I have found is how I manage my finances. I also have connected with other women and local resources that have helped me build my confidence. Throughout the program I became part of a community and regained hope for my future.

*Pseudonym

Coming to join BSL has actually been quite special to me. My family is from Fitzroy and grew up in a large Aboriginal community in the high-rises near where BSL first started in Melbourne almost 100 years ago – so I feel really connected with the local area and its people.

My family – my dad, aunties, uncles and grandparents – all experienced living in poverty. My nan still lives in the same government house in Collingwood! And even though they don’t live in poverty anymore, I can see how that experience affected them and the challenges and struggles they had to face.

It’s for these reasons that I really enjoy being part of BSL. A big focus of my work is growing and strengthening our First Nations workforce and helping them to thrive. We know that when you hire a First Nations person, you’re not just hiring them but you’re also supporting their family and community – there’s a big trickle-down effect. So, we’re continuing to look for practical ways to open up opportunities at BSL and help First Nations people develop their careers.

To do this, we’re drafting a First Nations Strategy that sits alongside our Stretch Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) to look at our retention and recruitment, and workplace culture and impact. I’m passionate about also looking at the different transferable skills mob have that could apply to different jobs – it’s hard to put that lived experience on a CV, so we need to look outside the box.

The future is really exciting. I feel like people at BSL are really on board and with our collective passion for social justice, we can help create real change for First Nations people here at BSL and out in the broader community.

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Rita is 20 years old and relocated to Australia from New Zealand in 2020 because of family violence and childhood trauma. When she arrived, she was not eligible for Centrelink payments, so was supported by a minimal allowance from her sister.

When Rita was first referred to BSL, she wasn’t taking part in education or employment, lacked confidence and spent a lot of time gaming. After exploring her interests and finding that Rita likes hands-on work, she joined our Building Youth Pathways program working at caravanning manufacturer, Jayco. Rita impressed the managers at Jayco from the outset and was immediately offered a role in general assembly. She has since had three managers all wanting her to work on their line.

Now, Rita is mentoring new starters at Jayco and relishing every opportunity. She is grateful for the support she has received at BSL as before ‘she had no idea how to find or get a job’ – and now, she is helping others find their way in the workforce.

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Our BSL Jobs Victoria First Jobs project helped Ahmed build his confidence and get started in employment.

Living in Flemington Public Housing with a Somalian and Ethiopian background, I found myself at a crossroads at 18, just emerging from the COVID-19 lockdowns and completing high school. I found myself in the uncertain territory of a first-time job seeker.

I first came to know about the First Jobs project through a flyer in my building. Upon meeting up with my mentor, I was able to craft my resume and start applying for roles. Eventually, I secured my initial work experience in a retail op shop in Prahran, then gaining an additional two roles alongside it, while balancing my studies.

Now closing in on two years working with BSL, I have been able to develop and further hone my interview and workplace skills, giving me the ability and confidence to become job-ready and a valuable addition to any workplace. Moreover, I’ve been given new perspectives on gaining employment and what makes a person a superstar employee that’s irreplaceable, which I’m extremely thankful for.

For anyone who has the opportunity to be part of this program, I strongly encourage you to seize it. BSL’s mentorship program is a supportive, straightforward approach to employment that I’m grateful for. It has made job hunting simple and accessible.

If you’ve visited our BSL Brunswick op shop, it’s likely you’ll have met Sonia. She’s a talented actor and thrifting enthusiast, loves a good chat, and is extremely passionate about volunteering in the local community.

Her journey with BSL began in 2022, when she joined us with the vision of changing the face of disability through volunteering. Sonia is a proud advocate for people experiencing the everyday challenges of living with disability. And she certainly shines in her role at our BSL Brunswick op shop.

‘I like to educate people, and to help others find confidence in getting into the workplace – no matter what challenges they face’, says Sonia.

It’s people like Sonia who are the heart and soul of our op shops and are a big part in helping make our communities a better place to live.

When Dennis was looking for volunteering work online, he came across an ad for a Digital Literacy Trainer at BSL and decided he wanted to get involved. Now semi-retired, Dennis saw this opportunity to volunteer at BSL as a perfect fit for his skills, interests, beliefs and values.

Dennis lives in New South Wales and although many of BSL’s programs and services are primarily based in Victoria, this was no barrier to him coming on board as a volunteer. With the Digital Literacy Program run remotely, volunteers can be anywhere across the country helping others – no matter their location.

Since starting in the role in March 2023, Dennis has now successfully trained two participants in the program. He also helped the participants further explore their interests and learn new skills by connecting them with an online learning program offering free courses from leading universities and corporations.

Dennis’ skills and knowledge are helping others achieve their goals, with one participant commenting that ‘he has taught me how to be a self-taught person… it has boosted my confidence, which has helped me a lot’.

I love what I do. I enjoy the real impact that we have, seeing young people who have previously struggled to find something meaningful in their lives or who are finding it challenging to pursue their aspirations, to actually discover what their goals are and then achieve them. I love the impact that has and how it really changes a young person’s life. You really see them grow in confidence.

I’ve been working with BSL for almost three years now, managing a suite of programs for young people primarily from refugee and migrant backgrounds – and the joy of seeing the impact of our work for young people never gets old. In the future I want to continue to have that same impact, so we can continue to support young people in the community to reach their goals and thrive.

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Sally and her carer and wife, Di, live in the Cranbourne area and access BSL’s aged care services through a Home Care Package.

My wife Sally has dementia and when we moved to Cranbourne about 18 months ago, we chose BSL as our service provider. Our case worker, Geraldine, was just so friendly and helpful with us.

We got Sally into the day program and that’s really stimulated her. She’s much more alert and plus the staff are just so helpful – nothing’s too much trouble for them. The support we get for Sally is fantastic. Everyone’s so friendly and welcoming.

We’ve also got Sally into respite sometimes, just to give us both a chance to recharge. Geraldine also checks in regularly to follow up and see how we’re doing. She’s concerned with how I’m going as well as Sally, because it’s very important as a carer that I’m doing okay. Dementia’s a horrible thing and you lose the person that was – but I’m very lucky Sally is a healthy, happy person.

BSL’s aged care services have just helped us so much and made our lives easier. It gives me what I call ‘Di time’, where I can go and do the shopping, doctor’s appointments and so on without worrying. Sally also gets stimulation and mixing with other people at the programs, interacting with staff and others that come in. It gives me real peace of mind knowing Sally is somewhere where she’s happy.