The chance to shine
Joanna Sankari and Sharon McIntyre of The Salvation Army’s Youthlink Follow-On Youth Recovery Support Team (FYRST). (Photo: Lauren Martin)
“Everybody deserves a chance and that’s what The Salvation Army does. They give you a chance,” says Belinda*, a determined young woman who has dramatically turned her life around in the last year and a half.
“They say ‘people don’t change’, but that’s rubbish! Sometimes you are in a place in your life and you can’t get out of it on your own. You just need some help,” she says.
In a perfect world, every baby born would be offered a life full of nurture, protection, learning, play and love. But sadly, not every child gets that chance.
Belinda’s parents loved her, but were both drug-addicted, and so instead of stability and joy, Belinda’s young life was full of insecurity.
She explains: “I was born to two heroin addicts and every person in my family looked after me at one stage until about five and I (finally) ended up in foster care. My mum was in jail a bit and dad passed away when I was eleven.”
Almost inevitably, at the age of 16, Belinda chose a partner with a heroin addiction. She soon became a drug user herself.
Against huge odds, she managed to hold down a supermarket job until an injury meant she could no longer work in the position. She finally left her dysfunctional relationship and ended up homeless and living in her car.
Although not always the case, unfortunately Belinda’s life pattern is not uncommon, according to Joanna Sankari Case Manager Salvation Army Youthlink Follow-On Youth Recovery Support Team (FYRST).
“Many of our clients have very similar backgrounds,” says Joanna.
But Belinda was determined not to let her past to determine her future.
In late 2011, Belinda found the FYRST number on the internet. She desperately wanted to be drug free.
FYRST is a Salvation Army support service for young people 16-25 years who would like to address their drug and alcohol issues. It also offers support to those who are completing, or have completed detox or rehabilitation.
Joanna and the team not only supported Belinda in becoming drug free, which she has now been for more than 18 months, but also helped the determined young woman with
advocacy to find a unit for her to live in. The service helped with food and rent until Belinda was stable, then referred her to a service that placed her on a six-month TAFE course.
Joanna and team then referred Belinda and into work placement through The Salvation Army Oasis' Pathways program. The programs is a partnership between the Property Industry Foundation, Oasis and Youthlink, and it assists young people who have experienced homelessness get jobs within the property industry.
Joanna attended and proudly cheered at Belinda’s Oasis graduation.
The program led to work experience, a probationary part-time job and finally a full-time role.
Today Belinda has a job she loves and has just been promoted.
“There is no way I’d be where I am without The Salvation Army,” she says. “I reckon I was at my wits end. I was trying my hardest to get anywhere and it just wasn’t falling into place. Then Joanna appeared like an angel.”
However, Joanna says that while Belinda gives her and The Salvation Army great credit, she believes it was Belinda’s determination to make the most of every opportunity given that is the real reason for her success. “For Belinda to get to this point shows so much character,” she says.
“She was so motivated to do something with her life. It was just amazing to see how brave she was – how courageous and how positive!”
* name changed
Comments
What an inspirational story and both equally inspiring women, Joanna and Belinda! God bless.