2019-Wesley-Mission-Annual-Report - Flipbook - Page 48
Steph and Tash
give back
One was itching to go, while the
other was shaking at the knees.
But it was the same desire to give
back that spurred Steph and Tash
to zip line off a 47-storey building
to raise funds for Wesley Mission.
Steph and Tash found support, care and
compassion in Wesley Mission’s services when they
most needed it. And they’ve found strength and joy
in the ability to help us support more people into the
future. We’re so grateful for their incredible efforts.
And we’re proud to introduce you to these two
courageous women.
Meet Tash
the confident thrill seeker
Growing up, Tash has always been drawn towards
thrill-seeking activities. When asked to take part in
AMP Foundation’s Big Zipper, there was no
hesitation. And, when told about the zipline height,
she just laughed. “I love heights,” she said.
While Tash naturally exudes confidence and
determination, she admits she hasn’t always felt this
courageous. Just shy of turning 18, Tash’s
relationship with her foster carers deteriorated and
her home situation changed. This is where Wesley
Take Charge of Your Life stepped in.
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“I wouldn’t have anywhere to go. I have my sister,
but I don’t really want to go bother her when I need
something, and that’s what Wesley Take Charge of
Your Life is good for,” explains Tash.
Within weeks, Wesley Out of Home Care Worker,
Rosie found Tash a place to live.
Since Wesley Take Charge of Your Life launched in
November 2015, the program has been assisting
young people, like Tash, who are aged 15 to 24, to
successfully transition from foster care to living
independently. For Tash, the help she received from
Wesley Take Charge of Your Life has been lifechanging. Not only has Tash found a place to call
home, she has developed many new life skills along
the way, such as learning how to cook and pay her
bills. She has also been supported to study for a
career in disability services at TAFE and Rosie has
helped her look for a job. Most importantly,
Tash says she is grateful to have someone she
can rely on.
“I needed the help… and I wasn’t getting anywhere
with life and I want to get somewhere,” says Tash.
Rosie adds: “When I met Tash she was quite
depressed… so it’s been quite lovely to see her
grow into a young woman and be very independent
and a lot more stable”
Through the help of Wesley Take Charge of Your
Life, Tash says she feels confident for the future.
And that confidence is what motivated Tash to give
something back by taking part in the AMP
Foundation Big Zipper and raise much needed
funds for Wesley Mission programs, so that
other young people can have the support that she
has received.
Tash was elated after her Big Zipper drop. “I did this
for Wesley Mission, because they’ve helped me
more than anyone else ever has,” she beamed.
“I wouldn’t have anywhere to go...
and that’s what Wesley Take
Charge of Your Life is
.”
good for
Meet Steph
the courageous fear fighter
While for many, jumping off a building at a
45-degree angle would be a significant challenge,
overcoming heights is a small feat for Stephanie.
Since her late teenage years, Stephanie has
suffered from an eating disorder. And, for many
years she kept it a secret.
While Stephanie is unable to pinpoint the moment
her downward spiral began, like many teenagers
before her, she admits her struggles stem from a
desire to live the perfect life. Add in the pressures of
leaving school and making future life decisions, she
began facing her challenges by changing her eating
habits. And, just when Stephanie thought life was
overwhelming enough, her world was turned upside
down when her family home caught on fire.
Continuing to keep her condition a secret,
Stephanie’s eating habits began to seriously affect
her health. While she knew she needed to make a
change, at first she was reluctant to seek help.
“It was really scary. My eating disorder was the way
I coped with life and… I didn’t want to lose that
because I didn’t know how else I would manage,”
she admits.
After seeking initial help from her GP, at 24,
Stephanie was diagnosed with anorexia nervosa
and admitted as an inpatient at Wesley Hospital
Ashfield. It was here Stephanie’s journey of recovery
began. Across the course of a few years, Stephanie
stayed at Wesley Hospital Ashfield over four
separate occasions as part of her recovery.
After being discharged from Wesley Hospital
Ashfield, Stephanie continued her recovery journey
with the help of Wesley Mission. She regularly
attended a Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT)
program, run by Wesley Hospital Ashfield, which
focuses on helping Stephanie manage her
emotions.
Carol, Wesley Hospital Ashfield DBT Therapy
Coordinator and Group Facilitator and key influencer
in Stephanie’s recovery journey adds: “Stephanie
has developed a great resilience–probably more
than she realises while in the DBT program. I am
watching her week to week come out of her shell
and step into many discomfort zones, because she
simply knows that she must keep striving in order to
maintain recovery and stay on track.”
Giving back to others is now a major life focus for
Stephanie. Currently studying a social work degree
at Western Sydney University, Stephanie is eager to
work for an organisation like Wesley Mission that
offers support to young people leaving foster care.
She also has a passion to help eradicate
misconceptions about eating disorders.
“I do want to raise awareness about eating
disorders because there are so many
misconceptions about it… that it’s all a lifestyle
choice. I hate all that because it’s totally not a
choice. It’s a real illness like any physical illness.”
It’s due to this motivation that Stephanie took part in
the AMP Foundation Big Zipper.
“I’d only do this for Wesley Mission. I have a fear of
heights but I really wanted to give something back.”
“The staff were really amazing. At first I was really
apprehensive about getting treatment at all but it
was just their approach and the way they spoke to
me. It made me feel like it wasn’t my fault and they
were really comforting. It felt like I was finally in an
environment where people understood what I was
going through,” she says.
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