Beyond Youth Homelessness - Grace

In this episode of Beyond Homelessness: Conversations That Matter, Matt and Ethan sit down with Grace to talk about resilience, recovery and building a future after addiction and homelessness.

Grace shares her journey through substance use, rehabilitation and the barriers that often come with trying to rebuild life after addiction. She reflects on the cycle of recovery, the stigma people experiencing addiction can face, and the moment she realised she wanted something different for herself.

Grace also speaks about the power of support systems — from early involvement in youth programs to advocacy, housing support and employment opportunities that helped her rebuild stability. Now a mum of two and working with the organisation that once supported her, Grace is using her experience to give back, including developing a program to support young mums navigating similar challenges.

Her story is one of persistence, growth and the impact of compassionate support in helping young people move forward.

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

Transcript

SPEAKER_03 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.

SPEAKER_02 0:44

Hello and welcome back to Beyond Youth Homelessness. I'm your host, Ethan, and once again I'm happy to say Matt is back with me. Welcome, Matt.

SPEAKER_03 0:52

Thank you, my friend. You weren't saying that you were happy before, but that's okay. So I'm happy now. I'm definitely happy now.

SPEAKER_02 0:58

We are also very excited to be speaking to a young person that also was here at Project Youth and works at Cafe Social Grace. So yeah. Welcome, welcome. Welcome. How you going?

SPEAKER_00 1:08

Good.

SPEAKER_02 1:09

How's your day been?

SPEAKER_00 1:10

Long.

SPEAKER_03 1:11

Yeah, I feel that.

SPEAKER_00 1:12

The cafe's been quiet. It makes it a long day.

SPEAKER_02 1:15

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 1:16

That's rough. I mean, I've just been in here with Ethan all day, and that makes it a long day.

SPEAKER_02 1:21

He's lying. He's very lucky to be in my presence. I am lucky.

SPEAKER_03 1:23

I am very lucky to. Yeah, no, you're right.

SPEAKER_02 1:26

Um, so in a moment, we're gonna ask you some questions and really get into it. But I know that we spoke outside of this room and this podcast setting, and I just got to know a little bit about yourself. Um you know, you mentioned some, you know, things that happened in your past, and thank thank you for sharing about to share, you know, the beautiful story that you have. Um you know, you you said you were through rehab and there was drug addiction at points and you know, some real powerful and inspiring stuff. So um yeah, I think you know the fact that you've overcame it uh overcome sorry um everything and what you're doing now is yeah incredible.

SPEAKER_03 2:07

So yeah, and we're really looking forward um to hearing your story, Grace, and to learning from your experiences. Um but before we get into that, one of the things um that you have shared and that we do know about you is that you're uh a mum to two beautiful kids. Um tell us the best thing about being a mum.

SPEAKER_00 2:28

There's too many best things. I think just getting to really feed into like the your children, they're you they're yours. You are responsible for making them who they are when they're older. And that's a massive thing that I l adore, especially given my past and people I've dealt with. It's awesome to be able to know what to do and what not to do in terms of raising children, which is funny to say because you never really know quite what to do, but I've got it sort of figured out. Yes, you guys, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 3:01

Yeah, that's a beautiful answer. I would have said watching Bluey, but like um that's a perk too. I mean, I love that. I will cry in that show.

SPEAKER_00 3:09

Yeah, no, it is it's good to have an excuse to be able to sit down and watch all the kids' shows without like anyone being like, Oh, she's watching this show. Why are you watching this yeah?

SPEAKER_03 3:19

Absolutely. Well, there's so much that we want to hear from you, your experiences, your insights as someone who um I guess has had to navigate the housing system before. Um, so if you're ready, we're gonna jump straight into it. Let's go. Alright, so straight off the bat, um, what are some of the barriers that you faced um I guess in your life and and how have they impacted your experience of homelessness?

SPEAKER_00 3:52

Um the first big barrier would be like drug use. So um going in and out of drug like you know, drug use. Even before I got clean, it was so when I'm using no one wants someone around that's using drugs, or if you do get to stay somewhere, it only lasts a short period of time.

SPEAKER_01 4:13

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 4:13

So you're in and out of places and yeah. Then fast forward to like getting clean, and I've practically spent years of my life using drugs. I don't really have any sort of qualifications to get a job, nothing really that can set me on my feet in order to be able to afford housing, which is next to impossible.

SPEAKER_01 4:36

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 4:36

Um, and being able to, you know, moving into a house and doing stuff like that, it's all very confronting. So being able to do that without relapsing or, you know, getting totally stressed out by it all, etc.

SPEAKER_03 4:51

Yeah, I think you like I think you you mentioned a couple of things that stand out to me there. Like the process of rehabilitation when it comes to substance use, like there is a there is a bit of a cycle that you go through in and out of and it takes time, and and you know, sometimes you're you know, you're doing well, and other times maybe not, and and then you kind of go through um I know like you've shared before about like going into rehab facilities a number of times, and and do you know what you said something that I'd never really considered, like that took time, right? Yeah, which then meant that when it came to once you were clean, a lot of time had been focused on, and rightfully so, on your rehabilitation, that then there were other things that you weren't able to focus on in that time. What does employment look like? How does how do you get a house in Sydney in 2025? Like who knows, I don't, but like how did what is it like? Like, do you do you realize that in the moment, or is that something that you kind of reflect back on?

SPEAKER_00 6:01

And it's something that I sort of reflect back on, like, well actually at the time I just thought I can never do this, like this is not and it's really hard to think that way when you when you say this, do you mean like getting getting clean and getting how like getting stable after that?

SPEAKER_03 6:17

Like kind of feels a bit impossible.

SPEAKER_00 6:18

Yeah, it at the time it felt impossible. I look back and I'm like, wow, like I really appreciate how the people around me and myself were persistent in getting things better and back on track, you know. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 6:30

How is it because you you also spoke about like you mentioned you know, people don't want you around when you're using using. What does what does that kind of stigma do for you in your rehabilitation? Like as you're kind of trying to work to better yourself, but people have these preconceived notions. Does that it's play a role?

SPEAKER_00 6:53

A lot of the time it's um so like family or like someone that's sober that doesn't want you around. So that like having that, and it's understandable. People on drugs, they're sometimes you know, you don't know what's going on for them, what will happen next. I understand, but it just pushed you or me further into drug use and back into a house full of users and stuff like that. Yeah, yeah. So it has a negative. Yeah, absolutely.

SPEAKER_03 7:20

Those stigmas kind of isolate you. What what is something that you would want people like is there something that you would want people to know in those circumstances?

SPEAKER_00 7:30

Um Well, if you're if you're s a sober person looking at a non-sober person, I think just you know, even though you can't really accept who they've become at that time, just still give love and care and compassion. Don't ever give up on them because that person that you may give up on could just be waiting for that last little bit to just pull them through, you know?

SPEAKER_01 7:56

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 7:57

It just it always depends on where you are in your journey, and all it could take is just that one person to say one thing to you or bring you in with open arms or take you to one service or whatever it may be. So just don't don't give up on someone.

SPEAKER_03 8:12

Yeah, I think that's so powerful because I I've definitely heard the idea of um oh well they've got to hit rock bottom to to help themselves, or or I can't help them, they've got to help themselves.

SPEAKER_00 8:26

But that is very true in an aspect, like you shouldn't go out there and put yourself on the line to help someone, but it's just always you know being there through the process. Like you might have to watch them hit rock bottom a few times, but at least you're there on the sidelines, ready for them when they're yeah, you know, and have it which is that cycle again, isn't it?

SPEAKER_03 8:49

Just kind of I guess staying with them in that cycle.

SPEAKER_00 8:52

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 8:53

Yeah, that's powerful.

SPEAKER_02 8:54

I just wanted to jump in. I know that you know, we obviously we spoke before.

SPEAKER_00 9:00

Um a big part of your story that I kind of thought about after it was you said that you went to rehab clinics, and I can't remember the exact number that you said you went to, but I'm if I correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure you said that they didn't really help you, and like you kind of Well, I didn't complete the program ever, but that's because I would always self-discharge from rehabs and I I wouldn't necessarily say they didn't help me, because over the amount of times that I was there, I would go through their they called it groups, so group session where you'd learn about all the different aspects of addiction and getting clean and you know all of that sort of stuff. So I attended enough of of those over the period like multiple times that I went, and so each time, yeah, I wasn't finishing or I was leaving early, but I was gathering bits of information and making relapse prevention plans and all of that stuff, and so I didn't actually need to complete the service. I just left rehab one day. I used once after that, and I just I was sitting there and I was like, I feel awful, like this isn't this isn't what I want to do. And it was literally like this just instant feeling, and I didn't do it at ever again.

SPEAKER_02 10:21

Yeah, okay. Um what what kind of you said you weren't like feeling good or like it kind of something something set you off with that. What can you run us through what that was like for you? Like what kind of was just the awakening? And I know that you mentioned you know you didn't felt feel well, but what led up to that? Obviously you've completed uh you didn't complete, but you gathered all that information. I'd love to understand, you know, how how you went from you know going from that, you know, side to then going, I don't want to do this at all.

SPEAKER_00 10:55

It was literally like every time I discharged myself, it was because I just wanted to go and get high. And that's exactly what I did. I discharged myself and went and got high, and it I don't know exactly what happened, it was just I it didn't feel like what it used to feel like getting high, and yeah, it was literally just like I'm not doing this again.

SPEAKER_03 11:19

Yeah, well, again, it sounds like with each stay in these rehabilitation services, you were collecting bits of information that you could use to help support yourself, yeah. And again, like we keep coming back to this idea of there's a cycle going on, and it seems like you got to the point of the cycle where you could finally come off it. You you kind of sourced enough to to step out and and and do it. Like, huge congrats.

SPEAKER_00 11:48

Yeah, and I still use like a lot of the things that I learnt in rehab, I use in my day-to-day life. Like, it's a lot of the skills I learned, like I'll I'll get stressed out about something, and it's not I'll get stressed out and I think, oh, I want to go use, but I'll just get stressed out and I'll be like, Oh, I have a technique that I could use to deal with this sort of thing. But it comes in handy, a lot of the stuff, and two, when I was at rehab, um, they didn't have a chef, so like we'd all have to take turns cooking and cleaning and all of that sort of stuff. So I was building life skills whilst I was there, so I guess that did make it a lot easier for when I was moving out and going into my own place. So kind of prepared you, yeah. Yeah, great.

SPEAKER_03 12:33

I think that's actually leading us quite nicely into question two.

SPEAKER_02 12:41

So question two is how did you navigate your way through the housing system and what was the most impactful support that you received while you're so through project youth housing?

SPEAKER_00 12:53

I mean it could be any housing in general, but I mean, yeah, you our housing or any housing that you've so um once I sort of got out of rehab, I was um me and my partner at the time got a private rental because he was older and he was earning a lot more. He could he was able to do that, and so we were in there for a while, um, before I had my son uh when I was pregnant, and then after I had my son, and then um when my son was about so that was all fine, no issues there with private rental. Like if you can afford it and do it, it's great.

SPEAKER_01 13:30

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 13:30

Didn't really have much issues there. Um, but then when my son was about one, um me and me and that his dad had a bit of a not so good patch, and we split up and I was in need of housing. And because I was already working for Project Youth at the time, it was came in one day, explained what was happening, and they were like, right, we'll see what we can do. And then I'm pretty sure I got a place within like a week or two. Yeah, which was which was great. Which was great because I was super stressed out about like I was only working twice a week at that point. I did have a centrelink, but I also had a little baby to pay for, um and care for and care for, and I was like, how am I ever gonna get a place of my own? Like I was frantically looking at private rentals and stuff like that, but I couldn't have afforded that, not even a bond or anything like that. So having the support of Project Youth and being so linked in and close with them really, really helped.

SPEAKER_01 14:34

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 14:34

And I've had no issues with the housing team, so it's cool.

SPEAKER_03 14:39

What do you think like because obviously you were saying you were working for Project Youth, um so you had this kind of insight into what this organis what what this organization is and what they do.

SPEAKER_01 14:52

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 14:53

If if you hadn't have been working here, do you think do you think you would have had the information needed to do that?

SPEAKER_00 14:59

Like I'd say so, because I've been a part of Project Youth, so like I was a I've been a client or whatever you'd call me. Been engaged, you've been I've been engaged with them since I was probably about 14, maybe younger even. So I've seen I I know a lot about Project Youth. I've been through a lot of programs through Project Youth. Um, they've helped me through so much more than just housing. So yeah, yeah. I think I'd be or yeah, I think I'd be alright.

SPEAKER_03 15:30

Can you talk us through that? Because uh like I think it's maybe some people would assume that it's just you know, someone shows up, hey, I need housing, we find them a house and and and off you go. Um but it is so much more than that. Can you kind of explain to those listening like what does that look like?

SPEAKER_00 15:50

Well, so when I first started coming to Project Youth, there was a thing called drop-in, which run on a Thursday evening, and um, you know, you could go there for any type of support if you need a t chat to someone, whatever you or if you just need somewhere like out of the rain or somewhere to go chill out and in the safe space. You'd go there, they'd provide a hot meal, they'd you know, often tell you about things running in the holidays or etc. So that was one of my first interactions with Project Youth, which was great. Every week we'd go there. Um, and then as I started misbehaving a bit and not going to school and getting in trouble, um, I went to the girls' program that they run, which was also I think on a Thursday at PCYC in the morning. They'd get you to come there and we'd cook breakfast and do like all sorts of act like activities. Sometimes it would be fitness, um, one time it was like responsible alcohol and all of that sort, so very informative stuff. Yeah, um, yeah. I also got LinkedIn with rehab through Project Youth, so yeah, that's another big thing. I remember going to Project Youth, and I was at not so good point in my life, and I think it was Steph, she was like, Let's get into this room and let's call. And so she sat there with me, I called them, she supported me through it, and we got in, and that was great. So I got supported through that. I've been put through hospitality courses with Project Youth, and then when I also did my commercial cookery through Project Youth, and um I've been supported through my pregnancy, a lot of things that I needed help with. I had a bit of drama with DCJ and you know, some stresses with that sort of stuff when I was pregnant, so I was you know guided through that by a Project Youth worker, which was great. Incredible, yeah, and now I'm employed by them. I work for the cafe, and I'm also about to be running my own young mum's course.

SPEAKER_03 18:04

Yeah, incredible, amazing. We're so excited to see what that program does. But I think what your what your experience kind of demonstrates for me, one, that Project Youth does a lot of stuff. So much stuff. But I think it's also it's this beautiful picture of like the the process of support and how support can grow because you know it started with drop-in where it was probably just relational, right? Like there were just people that you know you felt comfortable with, you hung out with them, and then it was the the girls' group where the activities were informative and they started you know providing you information and resources and maybe some skills, and then it moves into advocacy. Hey, let's let's refer you, let's connect you in with other services, let's advocate for you when you know maybe DCJ are involved, and then it's hey, what a you know, yes, then there's the obvious of um providing support like housing, but then also employment is a huge thing that breaks the cycle of homelessness.

SPEAKER_00 19:04

Well, I should add to every single court date there was always a project youth worker there supporting me to go. So that's another thing to add to that.

SPEAKER_03 19:13

And I think that that really demonstrates how support should look. It's it's not just hey, I'll just make this phone call for you. I mean, that's important, and it's not just oh hey, we'll have a coffee, although that's important, but it kind of builds on top of each other, yeah, and it's got multiple different layers, and there are multiple ways in which we support. And I don't know, it kind of I think your story kind of beautifully demonstrates how that supports just kind of built, and and now you're here, you know, you've got two beautiful kids, and like you said, you're working and you're like you're doing it like in such an amazing way.

SPEAKER_02 19:50

Well, that's what I was gonna ask is like how do you find being, you know, one a young mum working, but also in housing with two kids and trying to manage all of that, plus you know, a social life being a young person, you know, a lot of people our age um are out clubbing or partying, and you know, you having two kids, like how does how does that work? And I like obviously, you know, peer pressure and stuff so prevalent, especially here in Australia. Yeah, um, yeah, I just I'd love to understand what that's all like is trying to managing all that stuff, but also having a life outside of the just the children as well.

SPEAKER_00 20:34

Um it's pretty hard juggling like um work and kids sort of stuff because at the end of a work day I've got to go home, go straight to cooking dinner, do the bath, do all of that sort of stuff, and there's no getting home and relaxing, it's just like I might be able to relax at nine o'clock if I just you know don't go to sleep when I should be. So that's pretty rough, and um yeah, I used to find how like of a weekend all I'd want to do is just go out, like because obviously I I want I want that sort of release. Um and it's a lot harder to do as a like single mum. And um luckily for me that I've started to get a bit more support from their grandparents and their their their dad. Um so as of now it's every second weekend I sort of get to go and do my thing. Um and so that sort of gets it out of me, and I don't really have to worry about going out and you know, wanting to go out every night or etc. But in the past I've had friends that sort of would get upset if I didn't go out, or they'd just be just begging me to get a babysitter and just not understanding not understanding that it's like these kids actually have to come first. I can't just dispose of them when I want to go out. Yeah. It's not that easy. Um, but yeah. It's just a a mindset sort of thing. Like they're not always gonna be this little, so I can go out and have like that good time here and there, but and also they're I'm gonna be pretty young still when they're older, so I'll have the chance to go back again. That's the perks of having kids young, I guess. So yeah, yeah, but it is it's it's a battle a lot of the time. Yeah, yeah, but it's worth it.

SPEAKER_02 22:27

Well, moving on to the third and final question. Um, we asked this of everyone that comes on the podcast, and that is in your mind, what does a future where youth homelessness does not exist look like to you? So, what what things would prevent you know youth homelessness for you?

SPEAKER_00 22:45

For me, obviously, and I think everyone would say this more affordable housing. Um, also not even just affordable housing, like affordable everything, like groceries, yeah, all that other stuff. Because what's the point in moving out if you can't afford the food to stock your fridge? Yeah, um, especially in the Shire, like there's not it's impossible to find somewhere affordable to stay. Um and maybe like more support systems on getting moved into the place, and like there's a lot of things that could be different, like um, you know, more supports, like even like project youth, how when you move into a place, you're supported moving into the place. So, as a young person, it's quite confronting to sort of go and like even if you do get a space, you might not have enough money for furniture or all of that sort of stuff. So definitely setting up utilities, paying your bills, and even just going online and looking that stuff up is confronting, and you're just looking at all these big prices and stuff like that, and you're like, Oh my gosh, which one do I pick? I just did this just the other day. So I know, yeah, um, yeah, I think a lot more funding into like uh even like housing and stuff like that, a lot more needs to be done by the government to be able to bring homelessness down. Um and yeah, maybe another service like project use so we can all collide and put our you know work together and get it all done and end youth homelessness.

SPEAKER_03 24:23

That's the dream. I love that. But I think that's like that's such a great reflection, Gracie, because it's like Um housing is more than just like the four walls that are provided. It it is, it's the well, how are we gonna how is this young person gonna move in? And when they move in, what are they moving in with? And once they've moved in, have they set everything up? You know, water, electricity, bond, all that kind of stuff, and and have we set them up so that they can maintain that and sustain it? And and when things do go a little bit rough, what does that look like? And it is so much more than just oh, he's a he's an apartment, like yeah.

SPEAKER_00 25:00

Um that is a good fact too, because I know people that have had their own places and then they become homeless because the the bills are all too high, or you know, like thing things happen, or you know, too like they get complaints or whatever, and so then they're homeless again, and it's like, yeah, they've had this place before, but now they've been booted out and they don't know what to do, go from there.

SPEAKER_03 25:25

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 25:25

So that is a big fact.

SPEAKER_03 25:27

Yeah, how we're supporting people to sustain their housing when they get it. Yeah, yeah. I think that's a huge thing.

SPEAKER_02 25:33

Yeah. Well, before we say goodbye, um, one thing that stood out to me and we kind of skipped over is you're doing a young mums program, and I'd love to hear a little bit about that before we finish school classes. I think it's super important, and I think there are young mums out there that you know go, oh well, what what supports are there out there? What can I do? So I'd love to hear a little bit about what your plan is with that and what that looks like for young mums out there.

SPEAKER_00 25:59

Yeah, so we're still sort of in planning of the course. Um, we're not sure exactly how long it's gonna run for, but we want it to keep running every year. That's the aim of the game. Um, so essentially it's gonna be a weekly program, and so one week will be like a coffee catch-up, just a chill, maybe an hour. Just chill, and then the next week will be, you know, like a bit longer, more structured. So, like one week it will be a first aid course, the next it will be like we might go out to a park and do something, or like wiggles concerts, stuff like that. So, yeah, car seat installations. We looked into swimming lessons, maybe. Yeah, also um, I really want to do something that involves like nutritional eating for babies and how to do that cost effectively. Yeah, amazing. Um, we're looking into getting some things so that like we I want a little basket where if anyone needs nappies or like a like a care package type thing. Yeah, so they can go there and they can grab what they need. So yeah, really trying to cater for it all here. Yes, it's all in the planning, but um, I'm really excited to see where that kicks off and how it goes, which I I'm confident it's gonna go really well.

SPEAKER_03 27:14

Absolutely. Watch this space.

SPEAKER_02 27:15

Yeah, definitely, definitely. Well, on that note, um, firstly, I say this to everyone that kind of comes in. I just want to thank you for being so vulnerable to share your story and you know, be open and you know, sometimes honest or brutal or whatever it needs to be. I think you know, the more awareness around this, the better. Um, so yeah, thank you so much. I like yeah, I appreciate it.

SPEAKER_03 27:38

Thank you. No worries, have a good one.

SPEAKER_02 27:41

See you later.

SPEAKER_03 27:50

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.