Veronica's Story - An Inspiration To All

Veronica, shows the strength, resilience and success that can turn a person’s life around with the practical help that organisations such as Bowden and Westside can provide.

Veronica first came to UCW Bowden in October 2009 and she was suffering. Her self esteem had taken a battering as she was trying to come to terms with a marriage break up. The break up had resulted in financial difficulty and she was left with a five year old child to support and guide through life. Their stress as a one parent family was compounded because they had no where to live – this was not how her life was supposed to be.

Veronica was however sensible enough to realise she needed assistance and courageous enough to actually seek that assistance. She came to UCW Bowden. The first task was to secure safe and sustainable housing, here the staff at Bowden and Westside Housing acted promptly and helped Veronica through the paper work of the Housing SA waiting list and because Veronica was at risk of immanent homelessness, gaining priority of her and her child and soon they became tenants of Westside.

With safe housing secured, emergency food and clothing assistance was provided and the staff at Bowden turned their attention to Veronica’s and her child’s longer term issues and needs. Veronica was cross referred for legal assistance with the difficult and emotional divorce process and she became a regular visitor to Bowden where she endeared herself to the Bowden staff with her positive attitude and growing desire to achieve something in her life. Focusing on her future, Veronica enrolled in a Diploma of Nursing, and whilst she needed some support from Bowden to get through her studies, bring up her child and meet daily living and educational expenses, she was able to call on a range of support services at Bowden, in particular the multi cultural support worker (Cristina) and the financial counselling service (Jos) to deal with ever rising utility costs and fee payments. Through all this she persevered; gaining in emotional strength and courage along the way.

In July 2011 Veronica graduated with her Diploma of Nursing; the Bowden staff then cross referred her to a job network provider to assist with finding a nursing position, with the result that she soon gained a part time nursing role. With Veronica’s life turned around, the Bowden staff see a very different Veronica – a lady with renewed confidence, with a new career, improved financial circumstance and a much happier child. – very different to Veronica’s situation two years ago. She now speaks confidently about the future and the promise it holds.

Veronica’s story is an inspiration and an example of what the right type of support, plus a desire to achieve and the capacity to work through hard times can do. Veronica is a new woman and the staff at UCW Bowden feel blessed to be part of her life journey.