When Bianca talks about her hopes and dreams for the future she says she can now picture them coming true because of Visionwest Youth Solutions and the advice and guidance she’s received from Sa’o, her Youth Development Coach.
My hope for the future is my family to be happy, to have our own home and to be financially stable. In terms of a career, my dream is to be a police officer. I can see all of that happening now because of Visionwest. They give help and advice and find courses and do whatever they can to help us achieve our dreams.
As young parents, Bianca and her partner were introduced to Visionwest through her Aunty who worked in the Visionwest Pātaka Kai. Knowing Bianca was a new mother, the aunty wanted Bianca to know what services were available to help her out and prepare for the future.
Discovering Visionwest Youth Solutions
After receiving food support, Bianca discovered that Visionwest had a number of other services that would help her whānau. One of those services was ETC’s [Education and Training Centre] Youth Services programme – part of the Youth Solutions service. It was here that she met Sa’o who would become her Youth Development Coach.
From the moment I met Sa’o, he was amazing. He made me feel comfortable, never judged me, and made me feel completely at ease. It came at the perfect time because I’d had to quit my job in order to look after my baby and needed all the help I could get.
Find out more about Visionwest Youth Services.
Bianca and her partner were provided with transitional housing through Visionwest. That was a tremendous help as they were able to save money for furniture and other essentials. They are now looking for more permanent housing.
People ask me what life was like before we got help from Visionwest. The truth is that it was okay, but we could never get ahead. Then, when we went through a rough patch. Visionwest was there and saved us. They helped me and my family by providing shelter, food when we needed it and youth advice from Sa’o, our Youth Solutions youth coach.
Sa’o has done so much for us. It’s given me a real confidence to have an adult figure guiding us and advising us about things we had just never been told about. Things about how to put goals in place for our future and where to get help and advice as a parent and how to set up a home.
Bianca also admits that she’s not certain where she’d be if not for Visionwest’s support. She had been struggling to find a place to live and find direction for her future and thinks she would probably be staying at a friend’s place or couch-surfing at the home of one of her family members.
More than Youth Solutions
Visionwest have done so much for me and my family. Last year, if I’d seen the sign outside Visionwest, I’d have walked right past because I didn’t know what Visionwest had to offer. Now, if I meet someone who needs help in the areas Visionwest provides I tell them not to be shy but to go along. Visionwest are so non-judgemental and willing to give people whatever they need help with.
If I’d known about Visionwest sooner, I’d have come a lot earlier. Thank you to everyone at Visionwest. I’m so thankful to every person who keeps Visionwest going.
Read Kane’s Inspirational Youth Solutions Story.