lifestyle

Nominate: true ‘heroes’ who give so much to the community

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by AVI VINCE

Every morning I switch on the news to hear the headlines while I inhale my cornflakes (due to the fact that I have hit the snooze button on my alarm a few too many times).

And every morning it is the same.  Rockets been flown from own country to another, someone’s life tragically ending and everyone shouting and protesting over some injustice.

It is rare that you see some hope in the world.  That you realise that for all the heartache out there, there are some people working hard to mend them and restore people’s faith in humanity.

Let me introduce you to Rhan.  Before she turned 13 years old, Rhan’s life was shared with her mum.  Then one day, her mum became really sick.  So sick, that she couldn’t look after Rhan.  So at 13, Rhan joined thousands of kids and entered the foster care system.

She first lived with a carer, “who wasn’t the nicest”, and then lived in a family group home.  She finally found a home with someone she calls Auntie, a caring person in the community.  And there she stayed until her mum got better.  Short of 6 months later, she was able to go back to living with her mum, who was not back to her old self after nearly passing away on the operating table.

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By 17, Rhan decided to move out.  Not because living with her mum was terrible, her mum was the best person in her life, but because she was worried she would hurt her mum.

Rhan has ADHD and Autism Spectrum Disorder (formerly known as Asperger).  She finds it difficult to get the words in her head into speech.  She didn’t want to risk hurting her mum who meant so much to her.

So she ended up living on the streets for a while.

By the time she was 18, Rhan stumbled across an organisation called CREATE while attending an event held by the Victorian Child Safety Commissioner.

CREATE Foundation

Rhan describes being “stoked” when she first found out about CREATE.  She immediately signed up for Young Consultants Training – an empowerment course designed to give the voices back to kids in care who become silenced through the system.

Before CREATE, only her mum would take the time to listen to her.  No one else bothered.

Now Rhan is a regular spokesperson for CREATE and all kids in care.

“I once spent half the day in front of cameras filming for a project about ensuring kids knew their rights while in care.  Because of CREATE, I felt comfortable doing this.”

She then went on to become a National Youth Delegate.  CREATE flew her and 23 other delegates to Sydney to discuss what were the most important issues facing kids in care – guiding what CREATE should advocate for.

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What came next was something that Rhan thought would never happen.   “They asked me to speak in front of almost 200 people.  Back in the day, I would have said not a chance in hell.   When they asked me, I said yeah that’s fine.  Just being able to stand up in front of that many people was a shocker to me.”

Now at 23, Rhan is still making sure her and others voices are heard with the help of CREATE.  She is moving in with her friend and going back to study and her job at the hospital.  “I’m passionate about holistic health.  It is one of the things I advocate for the strongest, kids in care just don’t know what they can have access to.  Sometimes they haven’t seen a doctor before coming into care, and when they leave care, sometimes no one tells them what they can access.”

Through CREATE, Rhan has been able to find a voice that commands attention.

But CREATE is more.  “CREATE means a lot to me.  Opportunity.  Fun.  Friends.  Confidence.  Reliability.  Independence.  They are always just there.”


The search is on for outstanding contributors to the community sector with the launch of the HESTA Community Sector Awards — recognising the tireless efforts of people working to improve the lives of those in need.

HESTA and the Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS) have joined forces to launch the awards, acknowledging excellence in service provision, advocacy and leadership in the sector.

Winners will share a $30,000 prize pool, courtesy of ME Bank.

To find out more about the awards, or to make a nomination, visit hestaawards.com.au now.

 

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