As a stay-at-home mum, Sarah prioritised caring for her family, which included two young children. She was struggling with PTSD, and had been taking time away from work to focus on herself and watch her kids grow.
In February 2022, when Sarah first joined Asuria’s ParentsNext services in Noarlunga, she didn’t know what the next step in her career would be. She had explored the idea of returning to work after having children but didn’t know what work she would be suited to.
Meeting ParentsNext Support Mentor Angela, Sarah shared her journey and dreams for the future. Angela asked about Sarah’s goals to learn more about her interests. Sarah explained that her aim was to find a career she would love. Thinking about some of the negative experiences that led to her PTSD, she voiced the idea of helping others through the same trauma she faced.
A friend introduced Sarah to the industry of youth work, which offers a career path that overlaps with Sarah’s goal. Angela encouraged this interest and suggested Sarah undertake a Certificate IV in Youth Work, which would give her the formal training and knowledge base to match her passion and lived experience.
After enrolling in the course, Asuria provided Sarah with a laptop so she could have the same starting point as her fellow students. This made it easier for her to complete coursework and learn everything she needed to pursue a career in Youth Work.
“I felt happier and more relaxed about doing something for myself and furthering my career,” shared Sarah.
With Sarah’s study underway, Angie turned her attention to finding suitable work to match Sarah’s new career. After searching for youth-related work, Angela found and arranged for Sarah to attend an interview with Junction Housing, an organisation that offers housing, community, family, youth and children services.
In her interview, Sarah shared her goals, experience and story, which was very positively received by the interviewer and led to her being offered the role of Therapeutic Youth Worker, with an official start date in late October 2023.
Before starting work, Sarah needed to gain several certificates to meet her employer’s requirements and prepare her for the people she would be interacting with. Asuria assisted Sarah in accessing training to secure her First Aid, Working with Children Check, and Safe Place Training certificates. Angela also provided Sarah with fuel vouchers and work clothing to set her up for her first day.
Reflecting on her experience, Sarah shared, “Asuria ParentsNext is an amazing program, and I would highly recommend it to any parent wanting to come back into the workforce. A huge thank you to my Support Mentor, Angie; she has been an amazing support who is always willing to have a chat.”
Sarah proves that even negative life experiences can be turned positive and used to help others. If you’re a parent on a similar path to Sarah and want support to help you reach your career-driven or family-focused goals, click here to learn more about Asuria’s ParentsNext Services.
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