Yuzu’s story is one of staying true to yourself, working through the challenges, and coming out on the other side stronger.
When Yuzu first stepped into Transition to Work, she had big ideas and goals: to find a job that sparked her passion in either hospitality, community services, or the cultivation industry.
Living in a rural area made things a bit tricky for Yuzu—limited transport and job options were interfering with her goals. Yuzu didn’t let that stop her. Together with her Youth Coach, Elloise knocked off each hurdle one by one. She worked hard and made the most of all the help available to her.
Yuzu wasn’t just thinking about jobs—she also dove headfirst into a Certificate III in Community Services to give herself an edge in the field. She then updated her resume, nailed down the Working with Vulnerable People card and started driving lessons to get closer to that provisional license.
It wasn’t long before Yuzu got her first breakthrough. Akshay, our Employment Services Officer, noticed her standout communication skills at the “Be Heard, Be Remembered, Be Resilient” event. Yuzu was asking sharp questions and leading the way as a spokesperson for her group. Akshay could see that she would be an excellent fit for the hospitality industry and quickly put her forward for a front-of-house role at a Café.
Getting this job enabled Yuzu to live independently and eliminate a lot of other roadblocks. She was so good that she quickly moved up to a part-time manager role—an incredible step for someone just getting started! What we’ve most admired about Yuzu is that, even when things got hard, she picked herself up and continued to do her best. We know that her resilience and courage will set her up for success throughout her life.
Congrats Yuzu!
