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Case Study: Homeless due to depression

This story has been shared with the knowledge and permission of the client.


Due to depression I became homeless and jobless and also in big debt, I had sold everything I could to make some money as I had to break lease and keep paying rent until they found another tenant. I disappeared from the world and started living in my car in March 2018, I tried a number of services asking for help but was told they cant help me mainly was because I was a New Zealand citizen, still dealing with depression mentally drained I kept trying all sorts of avenues, I even spoke to my super company applying for hardship but being jobless and homeless did not qualify for hardship under compassionate grounds, but being on Centrelink for 6 months did, another blow I gave up in the end and thought to myself I need work to survive then a friend told me they were looking for night fill workers so I got an interview and got the job in April 2018. It wasn’t easy for me as what they saw on the outside was not the same on the inside, I bottled it up while I worked and let it out in my car after work. I was still dealing with CSA at the time they knew of my situation and put a social worker on my case. She would call me after a couple days and asked if she could get me an appointment with a Centrelink social worker that I could go talk to face to face and that she would be able to offer more as this social worker was in Hobart. A little hesitant I accepted so I went in and she let me know all my options being a New Zealand citizen and she asked me if she could make an appointment with Lottery House (WestAus) as I would make a good candidate for the services they supply. Hesitant again, I said ok so she made the appointment and I went down and went into my appointment. I felt nervous as I thought I’d be seeing one person but there were 3 - Karen, Debbie and Elaine - it took me a few minutes but started feeling comfortable with them and opened up. They wanted to know my story. I hadn’t told anyone this as I was to ashamed of myself, so with tears in my eyes I told them my story. I think I may have ended with what I dreamt about in my car at night.. sleeping in a bed.


They had a little chat I guess amongst themselves and told me they have a place for me if interested? I was yes straight away - it had a bed. We sorted out a time and I went and looked at the house. It had my own room and bed; a little bed but it was a bed. They helped me with everything - bedding, food etc - to get me started. They checked up weekly to see how I am and if I needed anything, I was there for couple years or so and Karen and Deb said there was another house that would be shared by 2 tenants. I said I was interested and set up an appointment to view the house, once again I looked at room and saw a big bed and I told them yes I would like to move in, and once again they helped me with food, bedding, and cooking appliances. I have been here over a year now, my mental health and physical heath are much better and I am very thankful for all the staff at WestAus for their help from the receptionists to management and my case managers. I am thanking my lucky stars every day, you all pulled me out of the dark rabbit hole I was in and back into the light thank you all very very much.

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