By CASEY NEILL
WALKING into YSAS Dandenong six months ago turned Alison Viles’s life around.
“Me and my housemate were homeless, and she had a drug addiction and I had an alcohol problem,” she said.
“We came in one day and we were all over the place.”
The 18-year-old and housemate Khya asked the Youth Support and Advocacy Services (YSAS) team for help to find somewhere to live and battle their demons.
“It wasn’t confrontational or anything, it was relaxed,” she said.
“They’re knowledgeable people who are like a friend.
“You can just unload on them. They’re really there for you.”
Since then Alison’s life has changed completely.
“I’ve gotten my licence, I’ve gotten a job,” she said.
“We’ve living in a house now. Khya’s been three months clean. I’ve been back and forth but doing a lot better by far.
“We’ve done a complete 180.”
“If you go in there and you’re wanting help, they’re 100 per cent all over it.
“It felt like we were really important and needed.”
Youth Affairs Minister Ryan Smith visited the Lonsdale Street centre on 17 July to encourage young people to check out the State Government-supported Grafitees program.
It gets them involved with graphic arts and garment-printing activities, helping them develop enterprise skills, confidence and social contacts.
Alison and Khya are among its participants and have their own art on T-shirts.
“A lot of us, we’re there because we’re battling drug and alcohol addiction,” she said.
“But we all like to express ourselves in one way or another – generally not to people, but in art and music.
“You can wear your own artwork and be proud of it and show it off.”
Khya has even started her own clothing label, Briteside Enterprise.
“That’s done a lot for her self-esteem and self-confidence,” Alison said.
“She’s been so proud of herself.
“We don’t have a lot of self-confidence. It really helps a lot.”
They have access to the latest design technology they would otherwise be unable to afford.
“We don’t gave the money to go out and but that sort of stuff,” she said.
“We couldn’t even dream of having it before.”
The YSAS Dandenong team provides specialist youth drug and alcohol treatment, youth outreach, support services, home-based withdrawal, primary health service and more.
Visit 155 Lonsdale Street, Dandenong, or call 9701 3488 for more information.
