Jenny’s life looks nothing like it did only a couple of years ago.
“Youth Off The Streets gave me the courage to make positive changes in my life,” says Jenny.
Now a mature, goal-setting young adult, it’s difficult to comprehend that only a few years ago, she was directionless and in need of support.
“Thanks to the work they do, I’ve been able to get my addiction under control and finish my education.”
Difficult beginnings
Jenny never saw much of her parents growing up. Her father was in prison for most of his life until he died, when Jenny was only eight years old. “And my mother has a substance abuse problem that makes it difficult for her to take care of me and my younger siblings,” she says.
Jenny started using drugs “like glue and ice at a young age”, a pattern that later contributed to her criminal offences. She dropped out of school – according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, early school leaving rates in Logan are estimated at 35–40%, well above the national average – and spent most of her days with friends while under the influence.
That is, until tragedy struck again.
“My boyfriend was killed in a train accident while under the influence of glue,” she says. “That’s when I knew something needed to change. I went to Youth Off The Streets in Logan with the intention of getting clean from drugs and haven’t looked back.”
A new direction
Over two years, Jenny’s caseworker and the Engagement and Support team in Logan worked with her to create significant changes to her lifestyle, including stopping her drug use and going back to school.
It is this kind of life-changing impact that saw the team nominated for the Queensland Child Safety Community Awards in 2025.
“Our team in Logan delivers a range of free early intervention programs and community-based initiatives designed to support children and young people in making positive life choices,” says Tess Laybourn, Youth Off The Streets’ Logan Team Leader. “Our programs are about building resilience and strengthening community connections.”
Jenny’s physical and cultural wellbeing were strengthened through these programs. “I was involved in boxing workshops and cultural workshops with local elders, as well as school holiday programs,” she says.
Beyond the programs, Jenny also received practical, individualised help. “Staff drove me to school when I couldn’t get there any other way. It was a big help to get a lift.”
Read: “We show up, we listen and we follow through”: Our impact in Logan, Queensland
The consistent influence and support from Youth Off The Streets enabled Jenny to complete Year 12 and she has since gone on to further study, a Diploma of Beauty Therapy at TAFE. “I hope to open up my own beauty salon one day,” she says.
Beyond her professional life, Jenny says that her personal life is also in a healthier and safer place. “My relationships with those closest to me have also improved and I’ am happy to say that I’m expecting my first baby with my new partner.
“This has motivated me to set more goals such as getting my licence, completing my study sooner than I first planned and even getting my own house one day,” she says.
“Thanks to Youth Off The Streets, I’m now a more mature, responsible and respectful young lady with amazing goals and intentions for my future.”
