During December our Lower Plenty and Hope Centre Therapeutic Communities (TC) celebrated the graduation of residents who have completed the full program – a significant milestone made possible through their hard work, the support of peers and staff, and the strength of the therapeutic environment.
The Hope Centre team highlighted the inspiring journey of one resident: a 36-year-old woman who entered for detox and became the first resident to progress all the way through to the final stage of the program.
During her time at Odyssey Victoria, she overcame disconnection, extreme loneliness, low self-esteem, family violence, homelessness, and the impact of polysubstance use on mental health. She worked with our Financial Counselling Program (resulting in nearly $10,000 in fees waived), completed extensive dental treatment, and worked off $1,600 in fines through the Work Development Program.
Today, she’s engaging in training through her job provider, seeking employment, and focusing on fitness at a local gym.
At the ceremony, graduates shared reflections on their recovery journeys and future plans. They have undertaken long and life-changing journeys with us, and from our experience, often go on to become key recovery advocates and staff within the AOD sector themselves. We look forward to welcoming many of them as colleagues in the future.