My name is Victor. I have been a member of Jacaranda Clubhouse for a little while now. I am currently working as a part-time bookkeeper here in Ipswich. I have had a long journey recovering from a mental illness and have achieved number of education certificates along the way such as: Certificate 3 in Business Administration, Certificate 4 in Bookkeeping. I have also completed a Transitional Employment Job through another Clubhouse in 2010. What I have learnt over the years is to be patient, and acquire as much knowledge as possible to advance your potential career and insight into mental illness. Jacaranda Clubhouse got me ready for the real world.
What I experienced was a case of one loss after another, and everything I took for granted disappeared. It got too much and I had a breakdown due to the stress of it all. It was a dark period and one I know a lot of other people experience too. I couldn’t work; in fact I just wanted to shut the world out. I couldn’t get out of bed in the morning and when I did, it seemed pointless.
I am now a leader in the Business Services Unit (BSU). That means a lot to me because it has helped me restore my hope and self-esteem. Not only do I engage with all the regular activities in our ‘work order day’, and I gently encourage other members not quite as advanced in their recovery, to do the same. I love helping my friends.
Enrolling in the daily living skills program has allowed me to re-engage with new work activities which I have found interesting and challenging, without the employment pressure. It is such a change from what I used to do. Importantly, I have regained a sense of purpose in my life and these days I have every reason to get out of bed in the morning.
I have made great progress on my journey back. I have learned all over again how to prioritise and manage my time. Soon I am going to freely offer my services to other members to help them manage their personal finances. It will be all about the basic things like saving, budgeting and paying bills on time. Clubhouse helped me and now I have the opportunity to help others, which in itself is very satisfying and fulfilling.
I am proud of my story because if I can do it, so can you or anyone else.
Please don’t live in misery and please don’t be too proud to ask us for help. I have been where you are now and I know I can help you find the way back – just like my supervisor Nova, and my Jacaranda friends have showed me. Please call us on 07 3281 0344. Enrolling is simple.