Autumn is a 43-years young Victorian lady with Latin roots. She migrated from Argentina to Australia with her parents as a toddler and the family settled in the leafy Northern Suburbs of Melbourne in 1984. Autumn enjoyed attending school, which was a stone’s throw from her family home.

She gained experience working casual jobs in hospitality and warehousing but commented that she didn’t really know what to do career-wise at that point. She also found work in the social sector working with both children and the aged. These jobs provided Autumn with fulfillment on a deeper level. It was during working in these more caring positions that Autumn formed a clearer sense of where her career path might go.

In her own words Autumn is, “a bit of a softie” when it comes to helping both children and the elderly, and this beautiful quality seems to have been something inherited from her mother. Autumn spoke with great love and pride for her mum and said that before she tragically passed away a decade ago, she had spent years selflessly volunteering her weekends visit the elderly in their home’s. Autumn spoke of how these beautiful acts of human kindness had inspired her immensely and perhaps shaped her in her own being.

Three years ago Autumn moved to Ballarat. While adjusting to her new surroundings Autumn engaged in job seeking. It was through a Google search for ‘finding employment’ that actually appealed to her when Autumn came across the Ballarat Neighborhood Centre. She was initially intrigued by the vast array of courses they offered onsite and how their study options seemed extraordinarily good value for money compared to other providers.

Autumn came into the centre for a meet and greet. She found the environment welcoming and conducive to her goals of upskilling as well as finding a career that satisfied her caring and creative nature. Autumn spoke highly of the staff and said that Roxanne especially had helped her not only with professional mentoring but with personal issues also.

Since connecting with BNC, Autumn has partaken in several of their onsite training options and has completed Barista training as well as a 9 week cooking course. She really enjoyed both and plans to look into patisserie as this is a culinary discipline that she feels would suit both her cooking and artistic skills. Autumn particularly enjoyed the Christmas sewing course and has plans to sign up for the more intensive Sewing program in the new year.

Autumn spoke about feeling increasingly confident that she is en-route to realising her dreams of becoming a qualified Counsellor in sunny WA, a place that appeals for its temperate climate and proximity to her friend and her Rock, Susie.

Autumn and Susie have been “Besties” since 2016 when they first met whilst volunteering their time for an animal rescue organisation. It was during a meaningful conversation between the two that Susie first made Autumn realise she could make a perfect counsellor. Susie was expressing her appreciation of her bestie for just how much she was helping her on her own journey by using her amazing listening and guidance qualities. These kind words, straight from the heart of her best friend made Autumn cry happy tears and steeled her resolve to use her qualities in a worthwhile job of helping others.

Autumn believes the opportunities being provided by BNC are helping to bring her closer to her dream outcome. She is currently volunteering through the Centre in a role where she provides weekly calls to the community’s vulnerable elderly. She considers this an immense privilege to be able to connect with and help these at-risk people.

This attitude is testament to her selfless nature. She says that being able to upskill and make social connections through BNC has helped equip her for the next stage of her journey: to study through university to gain a tertiary certificate in mental health and social work. It seems there is no stopping this momentum for Autumn in achieving all of her dreams.

We know the journey towards a destination is as important as the destination itself. Regardless of how you Connect with us, we will travel this journey with you; sharing your highs and lows, the good and the bad times, and working with you to help you Learn and Participate.

This story was captured by John in December 2023 as a student placement project for his Bachelor of Community and Human Services degree. Names may be changed.