When Gemma began with our Transition to Work (TTW) program in 2020, she was trying to deal with the death of a family member and close friend. She had turned to illicit drugs to numb the pain after a long period of struggling to cope with various issues, difficulties, and mental health problems.
Gemma had struggled with school, having severe attendance issues, and not liking being told what to do. She was expelled from school before year 10. She battled with depression and self-esteem issues, and due to the stigma involved, her mental health worsened after she was diagnosed with ADHD.
One of Gemma’s friends introduced her to working in a warehouse as a pick packer, but she found that the work was inconsistent and she was often overlooked and disregarded, which only attributed to a further decline in her mental health and lowered her self-esteem more. She also tried working with her dad in traffic control, but she realised she wanted more out of life.
When she started with MTC’s TTW program, Gemma’s commitment was half-hearted at best, and she was constantly looking for excuses not to participate. With some patience and time, Gemma’s youth coach was able to get her to open up about why she was always making excuses and the issues she was trying to face alone. Gemma’s youth coach was able to get her to agree to start working with one of MTC’s counsellors, and she began to break through her barriers. With support, Gemma decided she would stop taking medication because of how it made her feel, and she began to commit herself to applying for jobs.
Gemma worked with her youth coach to update her resume and practice for interviews, however, she was unsuccessful in her applications. She decided that she would like to get certified as a forklift driver to improve her employability, and her youth coach referred her to a course where she excelled! Gemma’s trainer spoke very highly of her participation and determination to complete the course.
With her new forklift license, Gemma was able to get an interview for a forklift position at a warehouse and was successful in the position! Gemma began working at the warehouse, however, she felt uncomfortable in the “blokey environment” and felt that the language there was very rough.
Gemma said that she appreciated the opportunity and all of the coaching and training that she had received with this employer, which had made her aware of her inner strength and she knew that she could succeed somewhere else.
Gemma applied for another warehouse position and was once again successful!
She started working immediately, and this time it was the right fit. Gemma had found somewhere where her skills were recognised and valued. Her employer saw beyond just her pick packing abilities, and she was offered a position in their office in an administration role.
Gemma’s new employer says that they see a lot of themselves in her and they believe that she will grow with the company in the future.
Gemma has gone through a truly incredible amount of personal growth during her time with MTC, and we are extremely proud of her success!