In the beginning of 2011, Ghassan (or Gus as his friends call him), was content and successful. Working in IT at a renowned law firm, he was preparing for a function that raised money for underprivileged children.
The day was proving a great success. The room was filled with 60 bright, happy children, excited to be taking part in raising money for a cause. As Gus left the room carrying a few boxes of party supplies, two children ran beside him playing tag, knocking his legs. To avoid bumping into them, Gus fell, rotating his body and rupturing two spinal discs.
During his three-month hospital stay following the injury, Gus underwent multiple surgeries to insert a spinal rod, and while in recovery, his father sadly passed away.
While healing physically, Ghassan was grief stricken and unable to work or contribute in the home. Feeling defeated, he had lost all hope that life would ever get better.
In the two years that followed, Gus noticed he wasn’t feeling like himself, like something in his mind had shifted. After a visit to a series of doctors, Gus was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder and struggled to come to terms with his new way of living.
Over the course of 12 years, Gus suffered an inconceivable amount of physical pain, ongoing recovery and rehab, and lost the lives of three people he held closest to his heart – his mum, cousin and best friend.
Dealing with the loss of his loved ones, coupled with the pain from his injury, Gus became reliant on his medication. This altered his ability to overcome anger, with these outbursts beginning to impact his home life.
Hitting a low point, Gus began to see that something had to give and that he needed to make a real change.
“It was like a light switch went off inside my head. I was in serious need of a mindset shift and made a call to a job provider to get me back on my feet,” said Gus.
“I desperately wanted to be able to contribute to my family and community again. I was really missing being part of something bigger than myself, and not within my own four walls.”
Gus spoke with Centrelink who referred him to WISE Employment in July last year. He was paired with Business Manager Laurianne, Employment Consultant, Cara and Industry Employment Partner, Matt, and soon after meeting began to build a trusting relationship.
“When I first met Gus, he had very low self esteem and had lost a lot of confidence which comes with being out of work for a lengthy period. The last twelve years had been extremely difficult, but he was determined to get back into work and come off the disability pension,” said Laurianne.
Gus knew the following months of job applications and preparation were going to be daunting, but he consistently turned up with a positive attitude, determined to change the structure of his life.
“I was initially in a really bad place mentally. When you suffer a lot of grief, it’s not an easy recovery. You really struggle to see the light at the end of the tunnel. There were definitely times where I thought ‘this is it, I can’t do it anymore’,” said Gus.
Gus describes himself as a people person, and craved the social aspect of returning to work. He knew being human-centric meant he’d like to work somewhere that helped others, and Laurianne, Cara and Matt made it their mission to find somewhere that suited Gus’ core values. It was also important they sought an opportunity that could be flexible to his situation, knowing additional surgeries may be needed later down the line.
Before long, Gus landed an interview at VIC Clothing Exporters, an organisation that recycles and distributes clothing to charity shops. The owner Klaud clicked with him immediately, offering a position as Admin Officer on a part-time basis.
“I got really lucky with Gus. We’re on the same wavelength and he comes in each day with a smile on his face, ready to get the job done. It’s not a glamorous job, but Gus’ heart is in the right place and he’s alleviated some of the pressure that it takes to run the place which I’m really grateful for,” said Klaud.
For Gus, the job found through WISE Employment has been life changing.
“I can’t speak highly enough of WISE. I felt at home the day I walked in. Laurianne and my other workers Matt and Kara keep me grounded. There’s definitely been hurdles along the way, but they’ve been so patient with me. I can’t tell you how good it feels to have people on your side wanting better for you,” said Gus.
“Klaud has become a friend and this job has been monumental in changing my outlook. He is kind and continually understanding. He appreciates me for the man I am today and for just showing up. I’m amazed at the changes in myself since having him as my employer.”
“My aim has always been to get off the disability pension completely. I wanted my pension to go to someone else who really needed it. I want to be able to rely completely on myself again and go full time to support my family,” said Gus.
Having now passed his probation period, Gus is excited for the future. He continues to swim and walk daily, improving his mental health and physical ability, while regularly seeing his psychologist to keep him on track.
Together with WISE Employment, the work they have done together has shown Gus that second chances are worth taking.
“I’m not dead and buried. I’ve still got a full life to live. I’m so proud of myself for never giving up hope. It goes to show there are people out there who want to see you succeed – and look at me now! I’m living proof that things can get better,” said Gus.
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