When Laura, 16, first started attending the program, she couldn’t walk through the front door alone.

Instead, a Ladder Development Coach would go outside to meet her and they would come inside together. She had been referred from a local high school and identified as having high levels of anxiety which had led to a breakdown in her living arrangements with her family.
In turn, this has impacted her school attendance and her ability to complete year 11.

“I have learnt that I can achieve anything I set my heart and mind to achieve. I’m doing better with each day”

As she continued to fall further behind, her self-belief and her belief in her future crumbled. Ladder worked with her and other specialist mental health service providers to manage her anxiety and encouraged her to engage. Gradually, she transitioned from staying in bed, to attending the program. 

Over time, she begun to establish a new routine and set daily health and wellbeing goals. Through this progress, she became more comfortable in the program and begun to socialise with other participants who she now calls friends.

After completing the education, employment and training modules of the program, Ladder staff supported her to apply for a part time job at JB HI FI. She successfully applied, completed a face-to-face interview and was offered a 3 day per week role.

At the time, she said that she was “very excited to start working and find a new better confident me”.

“[I'm] very excited to start working and find a new better confident me”.

Ladder continued to provide support to Laura and also met with the Store Manager to give the opportunity the best chance of success.

“I have learnt that I can achieve anything I set my heart and mind to achieve. I’m doing better with each day, " she said.