At fifteen, Cameron was facing homelessness – again. When his school introduced him to two YFS youth workers he was currently living in a temporary housing arrangement which he knew was on the cusp of breaking down.
He had previously contacted a couple of other organisations but the experience hadn’t been positive, so he had gone on for another year before reaching out for support.
“I met YFS at a key intersection in my life. It could have gone in a totally different direction but they helped me get housing, a unit in Marsden I could call home, and that was huge.”
“When you’re homeless, school’s really hard to maintain, but they were so supportive of my schooling and even helped me maintain part-time work.”
Over time, Cameron sometimes found himself calling his case workers just to talk things through or explain a situation he was navigating.
“When you’re young – having those people in your life you trust – it’s a strength. It brings resilience when you know there is someone in your corner.”
Cameron went on to university where he studied psychology before moving into the human services sector.
“I remember thinking, when I was on the streets, if I ever get out of this I want to do something to help other people experiencing the same thing. Feeling like there’s no place for you – it’s lonely.”
“I wanted to connect with other people navigating their own challenges and bring empathy and compassion. But that was only one side of the coin. I also wanted to bring skills. I realised I needed to go on my own education journey and I’m so glad I did, because now I don’t just come to work, I’m coming to the cause.”
Since 2021, Cameron has been CEO of Karakan, a service provider in the Logan and Brisbane South region that supports people with complex mental health needs. His professional role brings him full circle, working with YFS again – this time leading a partner organisation.
“YFS are a vital part of Logan’s social infrastructure. They’re part of the furniture. There’s a real legitimacy around the work they do because it’s being informed by people in the community.”
“And their leadership is mission-driven and very genuine. YFS are passionate, and skilled too. They use data to continuously improve what they do by deeply understanding the community and delivering programs that meet needs.”
Recently, Karakan began delivering a new program called STEPS, a transitional recovery and support accommodation service for people who require support with their mental health and living circumstances. Engaging with the STEPS program can help prevent hospital admission for some people and support others who have recently experienced inpatient treatment as they continue their recovery and build meaningful connections with community.
The program includes supported accommodation in three residential homes, with the high-intensity 24/7 support accommodation situated in a semi-rural home on an acreage property in Greenbank which offers lots of space, gardens, a pool, and animals as part of the therapeutic experience.
Cameron is passionate about challenging the status quo to understand the unmet needs in community.
“Bringing the research and evidence together with the right partnerships to support people in a changing community environment – that’s what we’re about at Karakan. Innovating so we can be there for people falling through the gaps.”
Cameron is part of the Logan Housing and Homelessness Strategy Group and has seen firsthand the power of diverse members coming together to support the community.
“YFS provided data insights that informed our proposal and strategy for STEPS, as well as letters of support from the previous CEO Cath Bartolo. All of that was vital to support our advocacy and provide evidence of the need within Logan.”
“STEPS has now been established as a partnership between Karakan and Metro South Health, and seeing clients engaged and smiling – there’s laughter and there’s hope, and it’s a beautiful thing.”
Reflecting on his experiences as a teenager, Cameron encourages those in Logan currently doing it tough to persevere. He is adamant that there is hope, even if they haven’t received the support they need yet.
“It’s hard when you’re in survival mode and maybe you’ve been knocked back many times. You can feel invalidated, and that can add to trauma that you’re experiencing.”
“But in my experience YFS is an organisation that genuinely cares and will listen to you. At the end of the day, there are things that we all need help with and we can’t just do it our own.”
