ANNUAL REPORT 2014-15
21 year old Bianca is a great example of triumph over adversity, overcoming long-term
problematic drug use and other issues to turn her life around.
Someone recommended Bianca to visit YFS when she was looking for a place to live back in February this year.
“Before coming here I was pretty much everywhere. I had everything out of place; I wasn’t concentrating on my two children, I didn’t know how to control anything. I'd had enough,” she says.
“From day one, I was helped straight away. My YFS worker helped me get a roof over my head; showed me how to handle my money. He helped me be ready to get help so I went to rehab. If it wasn’t for YFS I wouldn’t have done any of that.”
Bianca went through rehabilitation, which helped her overcome her drug addiction and improve her mental health. Bianca has experienced abusive relationships in the past, but her determination has helped her stand up straight.
Bianca has embraced a clean life now. She´s also found love again; she sees herself as a different person and really enjoys living a successful life.
From her drug problem, she was diagnosed with an Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. “I had a lot of psychological things going on in my head and I was trying to cover them up. I didn’t smoke because of peer pressure. I was 100% aware of what I was doing. I know I did it because I didn’t want to deal with things that were going on.”
Rehabilitation and working closely with her worker at YFS has given her the capacity to take things as they come and deal with them as needed.
“My case worker made me realise that I can’t always cover things up. I need to solve them in order to move on with my life.”
Today, Bianca is glad she freed herself from her dependency and she says she can manage her feelings. She can’t wait to start her studies; she takes joy in life’s simple pleasures and in spending
time with her children.
“I feel more independent. I used to rely on everyone around me.
I have learnt how to cope with things in my own way."
"If it wasn’t for YFS I wouldn’t be where I am. YFS has changed
my life completely.”
“The biggest thing my worker really helped me with, was my drug problem. He was my guidance to why I should be clean. He helped me be ready to get help so I went to Rehab and if it wasn’t for YFS I wouldn’t have done any of that.”
“YFS really bends over backwards to help people. It’s not just connecting all the services. You put your heart out there. It’s not just a job to you. Every time I see my worker do his job, makes me want to do what he’s doing because that job would actually make you feel good about yourself, where every other job you just feel like you’re working for the money.”
“I want to see myself in three or five years’ time, having a full time job, a licence and being financially stable. They’re not real big dreams, they’re just basic dreams. I don’t want some
massive dream because I’m not that sort of person. I appreciate what I have around me and just if I had that little bit more then I’ll feel like
I'm winning.”
YFS is funded by the Australian Government and the Queensland Government.
YFS acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are Australia's First Peoples and the traditional owners and custodians of the land on which we meet and work.
