Ethan - By overcoming my nervous nature, I'm able to chase big dreams

I tend to be very anxious by nature and my sister suggested I connect with Flourish Australia’s headspace at Bankstown when I was going through a rough patch at school. The whole experience has brought me out of my shell to where I’m now confidently going after my dreams.

They offer one-to-one support through their Work and Study Program which helped me manage my exam stress. Everyone is so nice and accommodating it was a relief for me as I worried a lot about first impressions. After a few sessions, I felt comfortable to ask for support to secure my first job and they assisted with organising my resume and other paperwork.

When my uncle reached out to ask if I’d like to work at Cash Converters I felt confident to give it a go which was a big improvement for me. I attended the interview and was hired!

With the help of headspace I learned how easy it is to take the train to work, how to travel to and from headspace on the Bankstown line, and how to plan lengthier trips.

I hope to soon get my drivers’ license and have done several practice tests in preparation.

Another goal I have is to study law once I complete my HSC so I have been looking for work experience in the legal system. headspace helped me to arrange three days with Marrickville Youth Legal Centre where I visited courtrooms to see legal proceedings in action.

I had the opportunity to participate in an online program where I stepped into the role of a Judge, weighing evidence, considering legal precedents and determining how sentences were delivered. It’s a lot of responsibility to have people’s lives and futures put into your hands every day and I don’t feel that’s the career path for me.

Through this work experience I’ve grown more comfortable with who I am and feel a greater confidence in knowing where I want to go in my life. I plan to pursue a criminal law career and plan to say ‘yes’ to more opportunities like this in the future.

At an expo I attended, I met with people from western Sydney University about pathways into law and scholarships. I spoke with Leal Aid about the law field in general and where I could find further work experience, and I asked TAFE NSW about pathways to community service work as that also appeals.