Employment Plus | Life Changing Choices

skip to Main Navigation
skip to Main Content
skip to Footer

Due to the impacts of Tropical Cyclone Alfred, obligations have been paused for participants in some areas of New South Wales and Queensland. Learn more

Job seekers
Job seekers

We’re dedicated to helping you get the training, support and guidance you need, to find lasting and meaningful employment.
Find out more
Employers
Employers

At Employment Plus, we take the time to match your team with candidates who are the right fit for your workplace.
Find out more
Your stories
News
Find your nearest office

Life Changing Choices, an audio series from Employment Plus

Everyone has a story to tell. These job seekers are ready to share theirs.

There are more than 621,000 unemployed people in Australia. Each one has a story to tell against the backdrop of the many struggles we're facing in society.

The word ‘unemployed’ conjures up many stereotypes. But in Life Changing Choices, you will meet a group of people who are keen to prove that they are anything but. They are the very definition of resilience and hope.

Through our new audio series, we bring you just a handful of the impactful and inspiring stories we witness as we help people with their employment and social challenges every day. Stories of overcoming addiction and the stigma of incarceration. Stories of escaping a warzone, of a child who never knew unconditional, healthy love, and of parents who are determined to carve out a new future for their children.

Open your ears and hearts to their journeys, knowing that if you ever need help - we're here for you too.

All episodes of Life Changing Choices are available to listen via Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.

This audio series is brought to you by The Salvation Army Employment Plus. It is produced by The Incubator, and hosted by Fee Townshend.
The views and opinions expressed are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of The Salvation Army Employment Plus.

The Salvation Army Employment Plus acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the land and waters we have recorded this audio series on, the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

Episode 1: Brandon's Story

Episode 1: Brandon's Story - Leaving a Criminal History Behind

Meet Brandon, an articulate and reflective young man who, through a lack of guidance , spent his teenage years embroiled in truancy and eventually crime, which landed him in correctional facilities. Years on, the young father who’s faced the challenges of addiction, grief and self-acceptance tells us how he’s turned his life around, has created a beautiful family unit and is on the path to finding meaningful work. In a time when concern on youth crime is rising, Brandon’s transformation is inspiring.

*PLEASE NOTE: This episode includes mentions of addiction, drug use, loss of a sibling, family trauma, and aggressive and criminal behaviour.

Need support?
The Salvation Army provides a range of services across Australia, including addiction rehabilitation, court and prison support, youth services, family violence support, and much more. Visit salvationarmy.org.au

If you need more support, help is available. We've put together a list of resources and services available to help you. Visit our Crisis Support page

Episode 2: Maryam's Story

Episode 2: Maryam's Story - Moving on From Middle Eastern Conflict

The fear of bomb threats and terrorism were a reality during the childhood of Iranian-born Maryam who reminds us just what a lucky country Australia really is. In this episode, we talk to this highly skilled migrant who fled war-torn Tehran to seek peace and a place to raise children without the traumas that she faced. She has now made Australia home, has embraced the local lifestyle and shares some incredible life lessons for us all. In a time where the absence of peace in the Middle East brings heartache to so many, Maryam’s voice provides some hope.

*PLEASE NOTE: This episode discusses experiences of living through war - specifically Middle Eastern conflict - and seeking asylum.

Need support?
The Salvation Army provides a range of services across Australia, including asylum refugee services, financial assistance, and much more. Visit salvationarmy.org.au

If you need more support, help is available. We've put together a list of resources and services available to help you. Visit our Crisis Support page

Episode 3: Jo-Anne's Story

Episode 3: Jo-Anne's Story - Finding Happiness Later in Life

We sat down with Jo, a remarkable and energetic woman who has overcome an emotionally abusive childhood, ongoing challenges in to adulthood, a marriage breakdown, a brush with cancer and is now carving out a new career in her early 60s. Join us as we hear Jo's inspiring journey to finding a job and proving that it’s never too late to find a life you truly love. In a time where older women in Australia increasingly face financial issues, Jo’s story of independence is reassuring.

*PLEASE NOTE: This episode includes references to emotional abuse, alcoholism, suicidal thoughts and sexual abuse.

Need support?
The Salvation Army provides a range of services across Australia, including addiction rehabilitation, family violence support, youth services and much more. Visit salvationarmy.org.au

If you need more support, help is available. We've put together a list of resources and services available to help you. Visit our Crisis Support page

Episode 4: Craig's Story

Episode 4: Craig's Story - Fleeing to Find a New Kind of Family

Within Craig’s voice you can hear the generational trauma he has carried across the country in his quest for both freedom from addiction and negative influences. In this episode, we hear how he faced his own mortality, made brave, gutsy calls to go it alone and create a brand-new life for himself. Pleasingly, Craig’s discovered how his search for work has also provided him with a renewed sense of family. In a time when loneliness has become an epidemic, Craig’s new-found connections are life-affirming.

*PLEASE NOTE: This episode includes references to drug use, addiction, mental health issues and family trauma.

Need support?
The Salvation Army provides a range of services across Australia, including addiction rehabilitation, court and prison support, youth services, family violence support, and much more. Visit salvationarmy.org.au

If you need more support, help is available. We've put together a list of resources and services available to help you. Visit our Crisis Support page

Episode 5: Caz's Story

Episode 5: Caz's Story - Recovering From a Troubled Relationship

In this episode, we sit down with Caz, who became a mother at a young age and learned how being tethered to the wrong person can dramatically shape your life. This smart woman eventually became a university graduate, and started working for the first time in her late thirties. Join us as Caz shares her inspiring journey of determination as she fought against all that life threw at her. In a time when family violence is perpetuating so much trauma, Caz’s resilience shines a light on the tenacity of a mother’s love.

*PLEASE NOTE: Please note that this episode includes references to suicidal thoughts, depression and family violence.

Need support?
The Salvation Army provides a range of services across Australia, including youth services, parenting support, financial assistance, family violence support, and much more. Visit salvationarmy.org.au

If you need more support, help is available. We've put together a list of resources and services available to help you. Visit our Crisis Support page