Joshua’s story
The power of support and connections: Joshua’s transformation with the help of Youthlink
“I’m proud of myself for escaping the hole that I built. Having a nightly routine, planning for the next day, and having goals are all important to me. I’m doing much better now.”
Joshua was first referred to YFS’ Youthlink program by Education Queensland as he wasn’t attending school.
At the time he would barely leave his house. He was gaming, sleeping lots, had no energy and didn’t want to interact with anyone.
Joshua’s Youthlink case manager Shabir says, “Initially he wasn’t ready to engage with the support offered and after a few months his case was closed. However, he came back six months later. Joshua showed a lot of courage in reaching out to come back to YFS when he was ready.”
Shabir worked with Joshua to help him identify some goals and build back his confidence. He encouraged him to start with small steps, such as just being outside, then going for a walk and building up from there.
At the same time, he started going to the gym with encouragement from a friend and eating more healthily, and this helped him get his physical health back on track.
Shabir says Joshua has come a long way. “He’s really taken on board the advice that I gave him and has done the hard yards to get where he is today.”
Now Joshua feels much more confident, his health has improved, and he has more energy. Shabir also linked him to the Braking the Cycle program and to MAX Employment Services and he is working towards his goals of learning to drive, getting a job, and keeping fit.
“I thank Shabir for being there and giving me a big push to start doing what I needed to do. That first boost of confidence of being able to go outside really kickstarted me on my journey. He was very supportive. Having someone you can talk to and relate to was the biggest thing for me.”
“I’m proud of myself for escaping the hole that I built,” Joshua says. “I built a lot of confidence from going to the gym. Having a nightly routine, planning for the next day, and having goals are all important to me. I’m doing much better now.”
Having connections with people has also helped him. Building positive relationships with family and friends, as well as changing his own self-belief have all contributed to his wellbeing.
When asked what he would tell other young people coming to YFS, he says he would tell them to take the support offered. “They are there to help. A lot of people don’t know where to start so they procrastinate. You just need to start.”
