advocacy work

I advocate for systems that recognise complexity rather than punishing it.

I speak up because silence keeps harmful systems intact.

I believe stability is built through layers of support working together, housing, income, healthcare, community, and connection. Removing one layer can destabilise everything.

Australian Homelessness Conference

Advocacy

Advocacy, for me, comes from lived experience and from spending years navigating systems that were never designed with people like me in mind. I advocate because I know what it feels like to fall through the gaps, to be misunderstood, and to be treated as a problem instead of a person.

My experiences with homelessness, mental health services, disability systems, and education have shown me how much harm can be caused when policies and supports are disconnected from real lives. They have also shown me how powerful things can be when people are believed, supported, and given time to stabilise.

What I advocate for

I advocate for systems that recognise complexity rather than punishing it. People do not exist in neat categories, and support should not disappear just because someone does not fit a narrow definition of need.

My advocacy focuses on:

Housing as a foundation for wellbeing, not a reward for stability
Trauma-informed, person-led mental health care
Respectful disability supports that centre autonomy and dignity
Accessible education pathways for people with disrupted schooling
Recognition of lived experience as valid knowledge
Long-term support rather than crisis-only responses
creativity is healing

AHURI Homelessness Conference

The Nature Of Nature Exhibition

Lived experience as expertise

I do not advocate from theory alone. I advocate as someone who has lived through homelessness, long periods of instability, repeated hospitalisation, and systemic barriers. I understand what it is like to navigate services while dysregulated, exhausted, and afraid.

I also understand what makes a difference.

The moments that changed my life were not quick fixes or strict compliance models. They were environments that treated me like a human being, workers who did not give up when progress was slow, and systems that allowed room for recovery instead of punishment.

That perspective shapes how I engage with advocacy work.

Peer work and community voice

I am passionate about peer-led approaches and the inclusion of lived experience voices in decision-making spaces. Too often, policies are designed without the input of the people most affected by them.

Peer work matters because it builds trust, reduces shame, and creates spaces where people feel understood rather than managed. It acknowledges that lived experience carries insight that cannot be learned from textbooks alone.

Through peer roles, community engagement, and creative expression, I aim to contribute to conversations that lead to more humane, responsive systems.

Why I speak up

I speak up because silence keeps harmful systems intact. I advocate because I know how many people are still navigating instability without support, language, or safety.

My goal is not to present myself as a success story or an exception. My story exists because of support, not despite it. Advocacy, for me, is about making sure those supports are available earlier, consistently, and without unnecessary barriers.

If my voice can help shift understanding, influence practice, or encourage more compassionate approaches, then it is worth using.

Working together

I am open to advocacy collaborations, peer consultation, speaking opportunities, and creative projects that centre lived experience and social justice. If your work aligns with values of accessibility, dignity, and care, I would love to connect.