Wayside Stories

Ange's Story ...

I’m Ange, the Indigenous Women’s Worker. I have only been at Wayside for eight months but I feel very entrenched in this unique, vibrant community.

I’m known as a “floater”. I work between the Community Service Centre and the Youth Space. I’m here to offer extra support to the Indigenous women of the Cross. The women have always been at Wayside but on the periphery. Today the community is being consulted and together we are establishing their voice in the service.

The women and youth have been telling me their stories and due to the long history of inequality most are tragic. In the short time I’ve been at Wayside we have begun debating the foundations for change. I believe my role here is to engender a more culturally empathetic and holistic support to these proud women who frequent Wayside today and the new comers that are to follow.

Wayside has always been a safe haven from the street, now it’s a culturally secure one.Together we have started an “Art Originals” class. We gather on the premise of inclusion over exclusion. I hope these unstructured classes lend to emotional reparation, new friendships and support. I may initiate the projects but they are owned and steered by the women and trust me, you can hear their voices resonating through the walls of Wayside. I always know it’s Friday when I hear; “Angie baby, I’m having a shower then lets get those beads out hey!“

Today was a good day. I helped write a letter of recommendation for priority housing, spoke to a Principal about a great kid, reached out to a new visitor who felt lost and angry and had some laughs while beading a bracelet. Now I’m off home to my mob, hopefully they will have dinner thought of because I’m exhausted.Lets enjoy this Eora land together.

Ange