Beyond Youth Homelessness - Ethan

In this episode of Beyond Homelessness: Conversations That Matter, Matt sits down with Ethan to reflect on his experience growing up in the foster care system.

Before the age of five, Ethan had already moved through 21 different placements, an upbringing that shaped his understanding of attachment, security and stability from a very young age. He speaks about how homelessness doesn’t always mean being without a house, but often means being without a home and the sense of safety and belonging that comes with it.

Ethan also reflects on the assumptions placed on him as a young person, where behaviours shaped by trauma were often misunderstood as simply being “naughty” by peers, parents and even police. He shares about the people and programs that stepped in to support him when he needed it most, and the difference that consistent care and belief can make in a young person’s life.

Thank you for listening and for joining us as we continue working toward a future where youth homelessness does not exist.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Welcome to the Beyond Homelessness Podcast, a series that shares the stories of young people who have experienced homelessness, and those who work within the system designed to support them. Beyond Homelessness is a platform for young people to be heard, to tell stories that inspire, to have a voice at the table and see themselves represented. We believe that stories are a form of magic, that they can create new worlds, convey emotions, and inspire ideas. The stories you will hear in this series not only demonstrate the strength and resilience of the people sharing them, but will also get you thinking about viewpoints beyond your own and challenge you to consider the change that needs to take place in order to build a future where youth homelessness does not exist. Well, hello and welcome to the very first ever episode of the Beyond Homelessness podcast. I'm your host for today, Matt, and I'm gonna be introducing someone you'll all get to know pretty well on the Beyond Homelessness Podcast, and that is my dear friend Ethan. How do you do, my friend?

SPEAKER_02 1:02

Yeah, I'm doing great, can't wait.

SPEAKER_00 1:04

Great to have you here. Keen to hear your story. It's a big part of who we are and what we want to do here on the podcast, hearing people's stories, learning from their experiences, having a different perspective kind of given to us. And um, yeah, as someone who's going to be hosting the podcast and many of the episodes in the future, we thought it would be a great opportunity to hear your story. And um, I guess to kick us off a little bit, you and I were chatting the other day, um, and you said something that really resonated with me and has really stuck with me. Um, and it was that although you have never experienced homelessness, um, you were definitely at times in your life at risk of homelessness and very much understood the feeling of not having a home. Can you tell us a little bit about your experience? What kind of led you to that place?

SPEAKER_02 1:59

Yeah. Um, okay, so for those obviously who don't know me, um, I grew up in the foster care system. So from ages two to five, I was obviously in foster care. Um, was in 21 different homes in that time, just that little period. Um, I think everyone has a different perspective of what a home is. Um, I think also, you know, people perceive a home to have just a roof, bed, food, you know, that's that's a home. You it's better than some people, and I agree with that as well. But I think the difference is is a home is what you feel like safe in and don't feel like you know, walking on eggshells and stuff like that. So I got a lot of that when I was younger. I had a ideally a home, but it wasn't a home. It was more of a house than a home. Yeah, a house, not a home.

SPEAKER_00 2:51

Yeah. Yeah. Um, and we're gonna spend some time unpacking that. We're gonna hear more of your story, um, the different aspects of your journey, the challenges you face, the people you met, the lessons you learned. Um, but before we get into that, I'm really keen to hear you're gonna be a big part of this podcast moving forward. What are you most excited about with the Beyond Homelessness podcast and and what are you hoping that it'll achieve?

SPEAKER_02 3:17

Um well, I'm most excited for hearing the young people's stories. I think there's something powerful in storytelling, and I think that there's also getting an understanding and being able to relate with other people and understanding, you know, you're not alone in this, I think is so powerful in itself for young people. Um, and it also shows that you know, just because you have a say a shit start doesn't mean it's over. Do you know what I mean? You can always be better, do better, and that's what I inspire to be day to day. And yeah, I think what I'm yeah, most looking forward to is kind of just sitting down and having a real conversation and making people aware of the hidden crisis that homelessness is.

SPEAKER_00 3:58

Yeah, absolutely. Opening up the conversation and and inviting people in to learn. I think like we have such um there's such an opportunity for us to learn from one another and learn from each other's experience, and we hope that the conversations that are shared on this podcast teach um but also challenge as well. Um, yeah, so keen. Um, well, super excited to hear more about um your journey, where you've been, um, the insights that you've um I guess gained from navigating particularly the out-of-home care system. Um, so if you're ready, let's get started. So, mate, to start off our first question, I really want to continue to unpack what you were just talking about, that whole idea of a home and that it's more than just the four walls, it's more than just having a bed to sleep in. And for you, as a young person, or actually like as an infant, to like aged two to five, moving around to 21 different foster care homes, that really had an impact on your notion and your understanding of what a home is. So would love to hear more about your story in that space. And so, can you tell us about your experience of home and how it shaped your understanding of what a home is?

SPEAKER_02 5:23

Yeah. Okay. Well, I think that um everyone has their own perception of what a home is. And as I said before, being in 21 different homes, it's kind of you don't you at that age as well, you don't really know, you just assume that's what a home is, and people are like, oh, you know, you've got everything you need. But for me, it's a it's a mental thing as well, and it's an emotional thing, is being in different houses and with different carers, it's it's the stability there isn't isn't there. And I think the hard the hardest part is you never know how long you're gonna stay and you sit there and that plays a massive part on everything as well. Not to mention everything that's happening with like the domestic violence or being with other foster kids that are also going through trauma, like that's a hard barrier to cross as well.

SPEAKER_00 6:14

Yeah, absolutely. Kind of like in this space of almost hypervigilance, like when is when am I gonna get moved? When is the next thing gonna happen? Um you shared a really powerful story with me the other day when we were talking about this about how you would respond when foster carers got mad. Can you share with us that? Because I think that I mean, it's it's a pretty powerful story.

SPEAKER_02 6:40

Yeah, yeah, yeah. So um I only know because my foster mum, who I call mum now, um, told me a few years later. Um, so my foster mum got angry at me, and me as a five-year-old kid kind of was like, Oh, they're angry. Um this is where I go. Like, so I started packing my stuff to pretty much leave because that was what I was used to. I get in trouble, they're angry, they can't deal with it. I'm getting moved on to the next place. So I remember my mum telling me she came in and like asked us, Oh, like, what are you guys doing? And they were like, Oh, we're packing. Yeah, and she's like, What are you packing for? Oh, you're mad, like we're getting ready to leave. And she's like, What do you mean by that? Yeah, it's crazy to think that like a five-year-old can have that understanding of like reach that conclusion that oh, this is like if that happens, this is gonna be the response. It's crazy now to think about as like more of an adult, um, just how my brain processed that and it just shows that there was no stability there because I was like, oh, well, here we go again.

SPEAKER_00 7:44

And that was just normal for you. And you also shared about um the the new car smell, like which I think everyone like I won't say universally, but most people love the smell of a new car. You hop in, you're like, Oh, you've still got the new car smell, this is amazing. But for you, it's got a very different meaning.

SPEAKER_02 8:04

Yeah, for me, um, a new car smell is a foster care car or like a docks car. For those who don't know docs, it's pretty much like state care for children. Yeah, it's the child protection service for New South Wales. Um, and every time like I would get in one or like a mate would have it, I always it's it's like a trigger without like obviously there's no reaction. I'm just like, oh, it takes me back. It takes me back. Yeah, yeah. And yeah, uh you can never unsmell it. Like once a that, it's just there. Yeah, it's there all the time. Every time I smell it, it's boom, back there to the yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 8:36

And I think again, it's it's interesting that you know you call it a trigger, and and I like I would totally agree with that. Like it's taking you back to that experience of I've I'm now having to be moved, there's a new change, I don't know where I'm going, there's a lot of uncertainty. Um, this doesn't feel secure or safe for me. Yeah. Um, whereas most people would jump into a new car and think, oh, that's great. Yeah. But you also shared that about things that really shifted when you were five. Um, so you had moved around to 21 different foster care homes, had some, you know, some pretty hard experiences, um, particularly for someone so young. Yeah. But then you moved into a space that if I can put words in your mouth, you would call home. Yeah. Um, and that's with your mum now. Yeah, definitely, definitely. So can you can you talk us through what she offered you in that space that really created a home for you?

SPEAKER_02 9:35

Yeah. Um, I think it was patience, like she was very patient with I've got a twin brother as well, and we went obviously through the system. It was a two-for-one deal. Yeah, yeah. So she got two of us instead of just one, which is a harder task for anyone. Um, but I think she offered patience, I think she offered understanding, and I guess I was lucky in a sense because she had had other fossil children before, yeah. So she kind of knew what to expect and how to deal with it. Yeah. Um I think the beauty is is she was a much older as well. Like she kind of took that like grandmotherly approach, I guess, where it's not just a mum, but it's like someone that cares for your needs, and she didn't um she didn't work when I came with her because she was retired, yeah, and that helped massively. So all her focus was on making us better, and that obviously works wonders if you're getting all the attention when you've had none.

SPEAKER_00 10:30

Yeah, absolutely. I think what's so um helpful from like hearing your story, Ethan, is that whole idea of um I think so many people have this preconceived notion of well, as long as you've got the bare necessities, you know, those four walls, a bed, you know, three meals a day, then like you're good. Yeah. Um but it's it is so much more than that. And as a young person, you needed so much more from the people, the adults in in your world. Um, and you know, thankfully you received that from your mum. And it is, it's that, it's that time, it's that patience, it's that willingness to kind of hold you when things get a little bit unsteady, um, to not pop you back in that doc's car when when the foster carer gets mad, like to to try and understand and seek to understand and and to listen, it seems like those things, which I mean they sound so cliche, right? Like love's the greatest thing of all, but it's like, well, hey, like she loved you and that was the greatest thing of all. Like it's a cliche for a reason, it's it's powerful, it makes a difference.

SPEAKER_02 11:41

And I love I love that you say that it's a cliche. And for those who obviously might not understand the foster care system, a lot of the time, I know from my own personal experience, um, that was the first home, and it took 21 homes for me to feel loved. And like I was placed in backyard shed type places, um full as a as a room essentially, as you know, two to five-year-old kid. Yeah. Like that's the first time I felt a home like an actual home and where I felt safe was 21 homes later. And I think it just shows that not everyone actually understands or people aren't in it for the right reasons, and it happens all the time.

SPEAKER_00 12:21

So yeah, and you know, like you said, it took time, it took time for you to kind of undo what those experiences did in shaping your idea of home.

SPEAKER_02 12:32

And that's the other thing is the trust. I obviously being a trauma child, my barriers were up, my trust was, you know, um probably non-existent. Yeah, there was there was none there, and it did take time, and yes, I had a lot of hurdles, but that's why I think patience and full care is like life-changing for me. What makes a home? Yeah, yeah. Well, exactly.

SPEAKER_00 12:53

Yeah, beautiful, man. Thanks so much for sharing that. Yeah, no. All right, Ethan. So I guess wanting to go even further with your story, you've shared a lot about the things that were going on for you at that young age. You came in and you met your mum, your foster mother, who you call mum, which I just think speaks so much to who she has been and continues to be in your life. Um, and you started to experience this a much more beautiful um experience of home. But let's be honest, the the challenges don't stop there. Um, and so I'm wondering if you can help us understand like what were some of the challenges that you experienced as a result of of those early years of your life. And then take us one step further and and share with us if if you're willing about the people who showed up in those moments who supported you through those challenges. What did they do for you? Um that's a big question, but but let's just go for it, let's dive in.

SPEAKER_02 13:57

I might just start with the challenges there. Yeah, absolutely. So some of the challenges I faced, uh I mean, there's there's so many, but um the one that I can really think of is through high school and trying to make friends, but then the other parents knew I was a foster kid and they would put me in like a bubble or a stigma that oh, he's a foster kid, he's trouble, or you know, be careful around him, like he might lead you down a bad path. And I think they didn't understand. And I no one asked. No one asked like how I'm feeling, or you know, and I was going on feeling. And that's the other thing is at that age, I I didn't like go up to parents and be like, oh, why'd you say this? Why'd you say that? Like um, I kind of was just like, is there something wrong with me? And it was like a really it was a really weird thing to navigate. You're hearing people say all these, oh he's a foster kid, he's this, so you're an outcast, but I knew that like I wasn't. Do you know what I mean? Like it's a hard one, it's a really hard one to explain.

SPEAKER_00 14:57

That's a really like outcast, like these things that were outside of your control that had happened in your life, had impacted you, and yet you were being held responsible for the way that they impacted you and being isolated and ostracized as a result. Yeah. That's and I think it takes us back to what was so significant about your mum and and what she provided for you in home, you know, that time, that patience, that that willingness to understand you. It sounds to me that a lot of the parents that you were interacting with in high school didn't give you that.

SPEAKER_02 15:36

Yeah. And it and it's like it's on that as well. Is I remember like I work here at Project Youth now, and I'm sure we'll get into that a bit later. But I I remember I was at a event and I spoke about my story, and I had like three or four parents that I had played cricket or played soccer or went to school with their children, be like, Oh, we we never knew. Yeah, and in my head, I'm like, but you never asked. You just immediately just made an assumption that oh look at him, he's trouble. Because they looked at me for face value, and this is, I guess, another challenge with having trauma or being in a foster care system, is it's a hidden thing, it's it's not there for like you can't see trauma. No, it's a it's in the soul type in your body. I don't like using the word disease, but it's like it's with you forever. And people look at me, and I've had a few of my students who we do a music course here at Project Youth, and they're like, Oh, but you don't you don't look like you've been through that. And I and I always question them. But that's it. I challenge them and I'm like, Well, what does that look like for you? And he's like, Oh, like you have a job, and you know, like if I was in your shoes, I would be like in my bedroom curled up, and I wouldn't want to come outside, and you know, I could never do that. And and I just like, yeah, but I made the choice that I didn't want to be that. I didn't want to have the I wouldn't say the victim mentality because some stories like it's crazy, and I don't want to ever you know downplay someone's story. But it's like I didn't want to sit there and say, Oh, you know, I've had a shit start to life, like that's the end for me. I I want to make something for myself, and um that's the other thing, it's it's just the challenge of it being such a hidden thing. You people only judge of face value, they never ask you questions. Yeah, unfortunately, that's the world we live in.

SPEAKER_00 17:26

So yeah, I remember you also sharing with me that as a result in high school the the friends that you did hang out with were also people who probably had a similar experience or or were navigating trauma in their own ways, and you kind of created a little crew together.

SPEAKER_02 17:45

Yeah, and how how I say it is like all like you look at a school environment, the athletes hang out with the athletes, the dancers and the artists like hang out with them. Like the theatre. For me, I yeah, I didn't really I didn't have that. So I hung out with the other kids that were traumated, and you know, I used to cop a lot of shit in high school, oh he's trouble, or you know, oh he hangs around Miranda, but that's where all my friends hang come out. And yes, you know, some of them were doing criminal activity, some of them were doing you know, drug abuse like drug, yeah, drug abuse essentially.

SPEAKER_01 18:19

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 18:20

Um, and I got put in that category, and I I'm not really like that at all. Yeah, but I related because I was like, oh, like you have a similar story to me, and we could talk about it. Where you can't talk to they understood, yeah, because then you feel like you're trauma dumping in those, like you know, other young people don't know how to handle that either. Like that's a lot for anyone to handle, let alone someone that's never experienced, you know, a domestic violence household or a sexual assault. You know what I mean?

SPEAKER_00 18:46

And obviously, like, I mean, tell me if I'm wrong, but you know, when you're when you're a teenager, you are developing your sense of identity, right? Like, who am I and who am I in this world? And and I would imagine that having particularly adults kind of say, Oh, well, you're a troublemaker, you're one of the naughty kids, like, but but that not resonating with with you and what you know of yourself and you know of your experience, I can imagine that that would be super confusing, conflicting. Like, well, what does who who am I?

SPEAKER_02 19:16

Because you're telling me I'm one person, I I see myself as someone completely different, and that that was that was the other issue, and it like you hear it all the time is you get told it so much you start to believe it. Yeah, and I think at a stage there I did believe it, and yeah, I made some bad choices, and but I like I've never been to Juvie or anything, but I I did make some bad choices. Yeah, and then I was like, what am I doing? Like I'm proving every person right by doing this, like let's turn that around and you know, show them that oh no, they were wrong. Yeah, and that's what I was saying before is when I did the event here, I just was like, it was really hard to navigate because inside I'm like frustrated, angry that you know you're coming up and only seeing me now because I'm doing something. Yeah, like where were you when I was 15? Yeah, and they were so like, oh, we just thought you were naughty, like we just you know didn't understand. And it was like so infuriating to sit there and just be like, Yeah, but like, yeah, why are you why are you doing this now and telling me I'm great now? Yeah, when I guarantee you like or stay away from him when I was in school.

SPEAKER_00 20:19

So I just And I think that's really and that kind of leads us into the next part of the question because obviously you had particularly adults. I think you know, as a young person, when the adults don't get it, it's like, well, that's kind of your job. Like I'm I'm a kid over here, um, I'm trying to figure out this thing called life. Like, can can can the adults in the room like help me out a little bit? Yeah. Um, and it sounds like some of the parents in school weren't those people for you, but you did have, thankfully, you did have some people who showed up and made a big impact. I think you know, mum is she's number one. Yeah, definitely the kid there. Talk me through the people who who were not like those parents in school who did show up and and talk me through about like what did they do that made a difference?

SPEAKER_02 21:11

Yeah. So um there there were there are a few. Um, I'm not gonna sit there and say no one had my back. There were a few. Yeah. Um I think the first one that I like really remember is a guy named Josh, and Josh was my doc's caseworker. Yeah. Um, and it was the first male casework I had. And just to say, go back and uh here's another challenge to answer the question again is I had probably I can't even tell you how many caseworkers I had.

SPEAKER_01 21:41

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 21:41

They were literally three months and then burnt out. And look, don't get me wrong, it would be a tough job to have. Yeah. But it's also very we go back to stability. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 21:51

And there's a sense of security. There's nothing there. No. So then again, more adults who are letting me down. Aren't showing up.

SPEAKER_02 21:58

Yeah. Yeah. Um, but yeah, he was he was the first like male that I had, and you know, he he kind of understood me from a male perspective, and not to say, you know, the female caseworkers I had didn't understand, because I'm sure they did as well, but I could relate to him and he could relate to me, and it was more of like a mentor, like father I wouldn't say a father figure, but like like a male mentor that I hadn't had before. Yeah. Um, obviously because I didn't have my dad.

SPEAKER_00 22:26

So um so there was something in your dynamic that was kind of he wasn't there just to support you, but something in the relationship that you had with him kind of filled something that you wanted.

SPEAKER_02 22:39

Yeah, well essentially, yeah. I I think you know, and it wasn't just a mentor thing, like he helped me with my case plan and you know, always stuck to it. And that was the most important thing to me is you know, he said what he would do.

unknown 22:54

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 22:55

He goes, You want that? Uh, let me see if I can do that. And if I can, boom, let's do it.

SPEAKER_00 22:59

Yeah, you were talking the other day when we were discussing Josh, yeah, and um you spoke about how he kind of gave power back because he gave you choice.

SPEAKER_02 23:08

Yeah, your plan was your plan. And he made that clear from the first day he came. Yeah, yeah. And like I I respected and valued that so much. And I know that we spoke about this, and you know him, my mum, like the way she got on with him as well, obviously is so good for me to see. Because if my mum likes you, then I like I respect my mum and uh she's done so much for me. So if she's okay with it, I'm okay with it. Yeah, um, and he never like pressed or you know, pushed her or made her do things she didn't want to do, and I value that as well. It just was all around amazing, yeah. And I can't fault him at all.

SPEAKER_00 23:48

Incredible. Like he wasn't well, he supported you guys as a unit, yeah. He supported the home again, taking us back to that notion of like making sure that that place remained for you because it becomes something like that.

SPEAKER_02 24:01

And I think that's where a lot of caseworkers do go wrong, actually, is you know, they they think it's for just the young people, but it's not the whole family is in this. Yeah. You if the young person's getting stressed out, it's gonna when they leave, it's the parents' job to try and fix that stress that you've just caused. So if everyone's calm, it works so well. Yeah. But they don't like a lot of people don't don't involve the the young people that in docs or foster care, you know. It's it's frustrating because they take them out, but then mum doesn't know, or what are they saying? What are they which again stresses the parents out.

SPEAKER_00 24:36

Yeah. So there's transparency, there's choice, all these things that we know are so powerful when it comes to healing as well. Definitely. So, okay, so there's Josh. Yeah. We like Josh. Obviously, you you've somehow found your way involved with Project Youth. Can you talk me through through that journey?

SPEAKER_02 24:58

There used to be a program. I don't know if it's called Muscle Up Now or it used to be, but I clearly don't go. Yeah, I remember it being called Muscle Up. Um, and essentially it was for again young people that have either had trauma or you know disengage from school or in the criminal justice system. Yeah. Um, they get picked up from their houses. Um, we go do a sports activity or a fitness or something just to get them going, and then they make sure you go to school. It's like an initiative to get to school. Yeah. Um, you get fed, like it's it's an amazing program. Um, but I met a lady called Deb Wilson, and Deb Wilson is a um youth officer in the Sutherland Police area command. And her offsider worked here at Project Youth named Steph. Yeah. And Steph then linked me in with Project Youth. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 25:49

It's a bit of a you know, but that's every best stories, right? It's like this happened, then this happened, everything kind of linked in. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 25:55

And then yeah, Steph connected me with Justin here at Project Youth, and then again, Justin was another male figure mentor, um, and turned out to be my caseworker. Yeah. And um just him, you know, again sticking to his values and getting, you know, stuff done and not taking forever or not forgetting, like always was on top of everything. Yeah. And we also bonded straight away, like he played football, I played football. It was like we just like it worked so well. Um, and yeah, just it kind of yeah, just worked out.

SPEAKER_00 26:31

Yeah. It seems to me like the the thing when we've spoken about Josh and Justin, these two workers who really kind of empowered you in owning your plans um and therefore your future, it was this um consistency of they say what they mean and they do what they say. Yeah. Um and you know, again, if we and it all stems back to when we were talking about home and you were talking about instability and insecurity. When there's consistency, when there's transparency, when there's empowerment, it gave you a sense of control, which gives you a sense of stability, a sense of security. It kind of it's almost as if those two workers unpicked and undid some of that.

SPEAKER_02 27:24

They definitely fixed the like the trust issues, and I started to believe that people, you know, you know, I can be somebody because look at what I'm doing because of these people helping me out. Yeah. And I wasn't afraid to ask for help anymore.

SPEAKER_00 27:35

Yeah. Well, I remember you saying like Josh was the the only like worker that you were excited to, like you would show up to the meetings.

SPEAKER_02 27:44

Yeah, I would I would show up and I would actually be happy to be there.

SPEAKER_01 27:49

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 27:49

Um, and I hadn't felt that with any of the caseworkers. Oh, there was probably one other which was Madison, but she kind of organized the different caseworkers.

SPEAKER_00 27:58

Yeah, yeah. Yeah, just and again, I think it all it all comes back to time, yeah, patience, a willingness to understand, a willingness to listen. Yeah. Um, and they're just so powerful.

SPEAKER_02 28:13

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 28:13

Yeah, nice. Thanks so much, man.

SPEAKER_02 28:15

No, no, no. Thank you for letting me share.

SPEAKER_00 28:22

All right, third and final question now. And and the thing that we're gonna do here on the Beyond Homelessness podcast is we actually want to hear this um response from all of our guests. Um, here at Project Youth, our vision is a future where youth homelessness does not exist. So um as someone who has lived experience, we would love to hear what you perceive as some of the some of the ways in which we can achieve that future. Um, so final question, Ethan, in your mind, what does a future where youth homelessness does not exist look like?

SPEAKER_02 29:03

I think a big part of what we've spoken about is community. I think community is a massive part. I think um, you know, lending a hand to someone in need or giving you know five minutes of your time, and this is this is the other issue is everyone's so caught up in what they're doing, and understandable life's a busy, busy thing. Like everyone, you know, has things going on, but if we all just gave five minutes to hey, are you alright? Are you okay? And like, do you need anything? Or even a neighbor, like I know we've had this discussion prior, and you know, neighbors aren't neighbours anymore.

SPEAKER_00 29:39

Like, you don't know your neighbours anymore, and I'm way too extroverted to live in that world. I'm like, I'm I'm needy too. Like, someone please talk to me. Yeah, I love that, I love that.

SPEAKER_02 29:49

Um, but this is the thing is like my mum being 80s, my foster mum being 80 years old. Um, I'm lucky enough that I I know my neighbour to my left, and only because my mum grew up with that lady. Yeah. So they've been friends for years. Beautiful. And I love the they check in on each other. Hey, I'm going up the shops. Do you need something? Like, we don't have that anymore. Everyone, there's again it goes back to trust. Uh like trust gets broken. You see it all over the news, people breaking in and doing you know the wrong thing, and it puts a paints a picture that oh, people are evil, like you know.

SPEAKER_00 30:25

I need to close my doors, I need to shut up.

SPEAKER_02 30:28

I've noticed, I've noticed with like I've I've opened doors for people, and they're like, Oh, you know, surprised by like a little gesture like that, and that you shouldn't be. People shouldn't be. So I think to answer your question, community, I think accessibility for everybody, no matter if you're rich or poor, to get anything you need. Um, because again, if they're better, the whole world runs better if everyone's feeling good. Yeah. So it's just, yeah, I think I think that's the key.

SPEAKER_00 30:56

Yeah, and and like I I think those are two very powerful things, community and accessibility. And I think you're right. I think we live in a world now where people kind of put their blinkers on, they're they're in their lane, they're doing their thing. Um, we think we have a sense of connection because of things like social media, and we have exposure to a lot of things. We have exposure to people's lives because we see the feed, or we have exposure to what's happening in the world. So we feel connected, but are we actually connected with one another? And I think what we're saying is probably probably not, and and when we don't open up to hearing the stories of the person who lives to our left or to the right and knowing what's going on for them and and hearing a perspective that's different, then we lose the opportunity to show up for one another, we lose the opportunity to learn from one another, and we lose the opportunity to grow together, which I think is what community is supposed to be. Um, and when we exist as a community and care for the community as a whole, and I think this is the accessibility piece that you're talking about, where we are opening up doors for the maybe those who can't open it for themselves, we all grow together. Um, I think that's a powerful image.

SPEAKER_02 32:17

Yeah, and I think the the other thing that I would add to that is everyone has a story. Yeah, every single person here has a story, and I I think like I know I've spoken again to about this to you, but you know, you might stub your toe and that's like the worst thing that ever happened to you, and I might not be able to deal with that. Yeah, and you might not be able to deal with my stuff, but that doesn't make your story any better or worse than mine. Yeah, and I just like it's crazy because there's also stigmas around, you know, uh when you've got nothing, you know, that you're just gonna be nothing like nobody, and it's and it's not the case at all. Like most of the people that I know that have nothing are some of the most genuine kind people and are willing to get to the city. That have something to give, yeah. Do you know what I mean? So yeah, I just yeah, definitely community.

SPEAKER_00 33:06

Yeah, thanks so much, man. It's been so good to hear your story, um, challenge, I guess, some some preconceived notions that people might have and really start this conversation, which we hope to continue on the podcast together. Um, we've got a few more episodes that we're gonna be doing together, which I'm super excited.

SPEAKER_02 33:23

Yeah, thank you so much for you know having me on, and I hope my story inspires or you know speaks volumes to people. So, yeah, no, thank you.

SPEAKER_00 33:31

Right on. Good stuff. Let's go. The Beyond Homelessness Podcast is brought to you by Project Youth, a community-based charity serving the young people of the Sutherland Shire and St. George area in Sydney, Australia. It is a series about young people, told by young people and produced by young people. By listening today, you have supported the training and employment pathways for young people who are involved in the production of the podcast. Project Youth seeks to create a future where youth homelessness does not exist. If you'd like to know more about the work of Project Youth, the stories of the young people we support, or find ways in which you can be involved, head to our website at projectyouth.org.au or follow us on social media. See the bio for links.