“I am definitely most proud of finishing some of my goals while having somewhere stable to live. Residents, family, the workers … everyone says that they can see a positive change in me. It feels a little bit good in the heart, just a little bit.”
Amy, a single mum in her 20s, describes how she feels after her stay at Hargreaves House, inCommunity Connect’s 24-hour youth crisis accommodation service, for just over six months. It’s a well-earned feeling of accomplishment for Amy, who has steadfastly worked toward a myriad of goals to reach this moment, receiving the keys to a 2-bedroom unit in transitional accommodation.
Taking us back to when she first connected with us, Amy shares her incredible story.
“I left my housing situation three weeks before having my baby and moved back in with my parents. They graciously allowed me and my baby to stay for a couple of months. I then needed to take time out to work on my mental health so my parents became my child’s temporary carers,” Amy says.
Proactively prioritising her child’s well-being meant Amy left the stability of her parents’ home. She began couch-surfing between Toowoomba, at her grandparents’ home, and Ipswich, regularly making the coach trip down the range so she could maintain a connection with her baby during regular day-visits.
With a mountain of priorities to work through so she could achieve her most prized goal of living once again with her baby in her own home, Amy called the Homeless Hotline and was referred to inCommunity Connect.
“At first, I was offered a spot in the Youth Mobile Support Program, and very quickly thereafter, a vacancy became available at Hargreaves House. I recognised immediately it would be good for me to be based in Ipswich,” she says.
Arriving in winter 2025, Amy continues, “I had heard a range of stories about sharing with others, so I was somewhat sceptical when I first arrived, but came with an open heart. I thought to myself, let’s see what happens. From the start, it felt really cosy, warm and somewhere safe to live. The residents were really nice, as well and of course, so were the staff.”
Already experienced in living independently, Amy quickly adjusted to the expectations at Hargreaves House of residents cleaning, cooking for themselves and others, and keeping their rooms tidy.
“I had these processes in place from my life before, of keeping the house clean, getting ready for inspections and so on. But the goal-setting in case management was the real game-changer for me. I knew I had to get all of these things done, but I was struggling to make it all work,” Amy shares.
Allocated a dedicated case manager from the outset, it was in these regular meetings that Amy created a plan to achieve her goals.
“They said to me from the start, just go with one small thing at a time. Don’t look at the big picture and just go slowly. Thinking like this has helped me a lot, and it’s something I really plan on taking with me,” Amy shares.
And slowly but surely, Amy has tackled so many of her priorities over the last six or so months, each often a huge undertaking on its own.
“It definitely helped me first prioritise legal support, more permanent work and saving for a car.
I was struggling to get as much work as I needed after taking time off to have my baby, so I needed to change arrangements to include a youth allowance, which was daunting at the outset. But with a couple of phone calls, I was able to make this happen. This also led me to seek legal support, and I’ve now been able to progress matters in the family court as well.
Working as a swim teacher for children aged 0 to 5 years old, I recognised that I wanted to pursue a higher position within my organisation, so I set out and achieved my Lifeguard Certificate. All the while I was saving for a car, and after successfully applying for a NILS loan (no-interest loan), I’ve now bought my own car, which helps me get to places much more easily. All of this came with some great help from the workers.”
With such significant goals now achieved and with momentum building, Amy kept pressing forward.
“I undertook the Tenancy Skills Institute full course, which was a great refresher of the new regulations and guidelines for renting as well as how to approach the current market. The course really helped with my application for transitional accommodation, which has led to me now renting my own 2-bedroom unit to call home!”, Amy says excitedly.
Coupled with successfully applying for a Youth Housing Essentials package to set up her apartment with furniture and white goods, as well as returning to her long-term study in childcare one day a week, Amy’s list of goals achieved keeps growing.
Taking a pause to reflect on her stay at Hargreaves House, including what she has achieved, Amy shares,
“There’s a lot of positivity spread around the house, especially if you are experiencing a dark time. The workers bring everyone’s spirits up. They hype you up and inspire you to live your life to the best of your abilities. One of them often says, ‘We’re the positive people!’ which makes me smile. The workers really are inspiring.
And I do feel accomplished with some of those big tasks, and there are still many to go. Taking care of my health and well-being has been really important during this time, and my ultimate goal of having my child live with me is still my top priority. There’s a fair bit of time before that happens, but it feels good to be on the right track. We’re a work-in-progress, and I feel comfortable in that spot.”
And as Amy enters this next exciting chapter living in a unit on her own, we wish her great success as she continues to work confidently and purposefully towards her ultimate goal.
A remarkable and brave story to share, Amy truly is one of the positive people.
