By the age of 15, Emily had faced a lifetime of trauma and abuse.
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By the time Emily was a teenager, she had no safe home, no hope for the future, and no one to turn to.
Emily told us “Mum and my stepdad began hurting me. I was put in my dad’s care, but then he started hurting me too, so I left and never went back. I stayed anywhere I could. There was nowhere safe for me to call home. I was in a really dark place. I didn’t want to be here anymore.”
It’s concerning to hear of someone so young believing they have nothing to live for. Thankfully, Emily was referred to Wesley Operation Hope where she met caseworker Ashlea, and for the first time, found an adult she could trust.
Wesley Operation Hope is a powerful mentoring program which uses adventure therapy and fortnightly sessions to help vulnerable young people develop crucial life skills, resilience and self-confidence. It gives them a break from the trauma of their lives and the chance to work towards a future filled with promise.
Emily is no longer alone. She has access to a broad network of support services, and a community of friends to support her.
“If it weren’t for Wesley Operation Hope I’d still be in a really dark place. Coming here has showed me there are other ways to deal with everything that has happened. Even just having someone you can talk to can completely change your life. This program helps in so many ways – it really does gives you hope.”
Emily is now living in a safe home and is starting to make plans for the future – a future she used to think wasn’t worth having.
Names and photos have been changed to protect privacy.