Kade has been attending the Shed community initiative for three years. Here, he shares his experience in his own words:
I’ve been coming here for about three years. I come to The Shed every Wednesday. I try not to miss one because I’ve had so much going on since I’ve been here. I’ve heard about it in the community and through some people and who spoke very good about it so, I thought “this is going to be my starting point, and we’ll see how it goes from there”. My life was not really much before I started coming and good things started happening. I have had a lot of dealings with FACS and out of home care services; The Shed has helped me with all that. They have supported me through everything. I started getting children back, so it has been good. I’ve got two children home, about to get a third child home. My life would have been filled with a lot of anxiety and worry about things but since coming to The Shed; all that has been lifted. They have given me a lot of strength and courage.
I have found that there are people out there who are willing to support you – no matter what, and there is somebody willing to listen, you know, and show you what is right and wrong. That’s what made me stronger; having somebody that’s always there – who has shown me that no matter what, they will always be there to support me. I think having all the services in one place has been a lot better. So, I have now got a house, two kids home – it has been great because everyone works together.
See, when you come here, all the other services here in one place, you don’t have the anxiety of running here and trying to collect things from there and going there and then running back here and so on. You can come here, and everything is here, and they all work together. There’s Aboriginal workers as well, it’s good because when you go to a service and people don’t understand you, you want someone who understands your background and where you come from, and they know your family roots. You can connect with them on a different level, culturally and professionally. I have seen a homeless lawyer here because I was homeless for a very long time. I have seen Legal Aid which has helped me with the stuff I’m going through with court for the children. I have seen Rick who has also been a great support with services. I’ve seen Mission Australia, Housing, podiatry, mental health, Daryl from the police, everybody! All been connected through The Shed.
Rick is really cool, he has been a support in and outside of hours. He is laid back, so he makes you feel comfortable. Trust is a big thing for me, and I feel like Rick has showed me in so many ways that I can be comfortable and trust him. Mary has been great too – I’ve talked to her about a lot of things that I wouldn’t usually talk about. And she makes me feel good, and looks at it from a positive perspective, not a negative thing. I think it has made home life for me and the boys a lot brighter and happier. More supported.
Wednesdays, you have all the services, you get to have lunch together and listen to yarns, and you meet a lot of elders here. Yeah, it is culturally appropriate, and I’ve met a lot of family members here that I didn’t even know I had! You know, like I am a lot stronger than I thought I was. I’m a lot more free-spirited. I’m not embarrassed about myself and my situation. I have learnt to accept it and be happy and just know that there is more to my future that I thought there would be. I just needed the right people to bring that strength out of me. And they did, in more ways than one. I look forward to coming up here every Wednesday.
The Shed is a safe, welcoming environment where people can share their stories in a non-judgemental setting. Their focus is on supporting people from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds, and, specifically, in creating a “male-friendly space”. The service assists with mental, physical and emotional wellbeing and connects people to mental health services, Centrelink, housing, legal and therapeutic services.
To help support the local community who are experiencing isolation, stressed, or who may need support, contact The Shed today on 9628 6317.