14 Years to Find the Job that could become a Career

It took Darren Nichols quite a while to find the job that fit. It wasn’t that he was picky about the jobs presented to him and it wasn’t that he refused to try – he was just focused on finding a job that could turn into a career.  He first started his job search when he was 33 – 14 years later, he has not only found a job, a potential career.

Over a 14 year period, Darren went through a lot of ups and downs. He struggled to find the job he could see himself staying in for a long period of time, and because of this, he started but never completed a lot of courses. He found employment several times and was motivated to make each job stick, but eventually, he would end up losing that motivation and desire to work in that field.

Darren was determined to find the job that he could see himself thriving in – so that became our focus. – Val Loomes, Campbell Page Candidate Coach

Just as 2017 started, Darren realised he was entering his 14th year of his job search and was more motivated than ever to find what it was that he enjoyed and figure out with Val how to get there. Eventually, he decided to put his already solid skill set in hospitality to the test and find a job in that industry. It wasn’t long after that Darren started working casually for a local catering company, where he found himself immersed in the hospitality industry and thoroughly enjoyed the work.

I was just excited that I had found something I enjoyed doing. Of course, I had my doubts that I would be able to stick with it, but Val supported me through it. – Darren

After a few months, a job opportunity came up at a gelato store and Val contacted Darren immediately because she thought he could benefit from a less hectic working environment, with more job stability, while still being in the hospitality industry. Darren admitted to Val that he was a little apprehensive about the role as he had never worked in such a specific role before, however, he was willing to give it a shot.

Val helped Darren prepare his application, submit his resume and practice his interview skills as she had since she became Darren’s Candidate Coach. Not long after his interview, Darren found out he was successful!

Since starting his new role, Darren has stayed in the job longer than any of his previous roles and is still motivated and enjoying the work. He has even begun to think about how he could build this job into a career for himself.

I am learning so much in this new role and have been considering how I can turn this job into a career for myself. I think that one day I’d love to start my own business. – Darren

Darren is looking forward to his future now that he has found what it is that he wants to do. He believes that every high and low on his journey up to this point has been important and that with the help of Val and everyone at Campbell Page, he was finally able to move forward.


Campbell Page is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to transforming people’s lives through long term employment. If you would like to find out more about what we do, please visit the about us page on our website or contact us directly.

Words by: Tiarne Pattison

tiarne.pattison@campbellpage.org.au 

RGBjobactive_Rel1_Desc_2PMS_Artboard 1

Our Primary Care Partnerships

This year Campbell Page has strengthened its focus on our communities and as a result, we have become members of Hume Whittlesea Primary Care Partnership (HWPCP) and Inner North West Primary Care Partnership (INWPCP). Both organisations are Primary Care Partnerships, which act as platforms for driving primary health care and service coordination initiatives in our communities.

Below is a little introduction to each organisation:

Hume Whittlesea Primary Care Partnership

The Hume Whittlesea Primary Care Partnership is a voluntary alliance of primary health care organisations in the communities of Hume and Whittlesea. HWPCP aims to build the capacity of the alliance to become a stronger person centred, health promoting, early intervention and treatment focused, quality, local service system.

HWPCP aims to:

  • Identify service system gaps and work with other organisations to develop primary services to make a positive impact on the lives of people in the community. This often means identifying areas that need more support and ensuring services are put in placed to meet future growth demands.
  • Both increase the number of community collaborations with other service providers and integrate health promotion through these partnerships.
  • Identify and support opportunities for consumers to both partner with local organisations in the management of their care and participate in local service design and delivery discussions.
  • Model the development of new and shared innovative primary health and well-being infrastructure and service delivery models.
  • Create integrated catchment based primary health care that provides the right service in the right place in a timely manner.

Inner North West Primary Care Partnership

INWPCP is a voluntary alliance of nearly 40 health and human services operating in Melbourne’s Inner North West. Their aim is to improve community health and well-being by building a stronger, more integrated service system through a collective impact approach supported by four pillars for action: leadership, partnership, system strengthening, and advocacy and influence.

Some of INWPCP’s projects and initiatives have been:

  • Building cultural responsiveness: the Koolin Balit Project
  • Identifying and Responding to Family Violence Project (together with PCPs from the North Western Metropolitan Region)
  • Inner North West Collective Evaluation Project (INCEPT)
  • Health Literacy Project
  • Care Pathways Projects
  • Care Planning Collaborative Project
  • Self-management Network
  • Healthy Ageing Project: Physical Activity Directory
  • Homelessness: CBD Health and Homelessness Protocol

Campbell Page is actively seeking out new partnerships every day as a way to bring together the strengths of different organisations to benefit the community. While we have the tools to get people into work, building partnerships with HWPCP and INWPCP means we can come together and help more people in our communities.

Our partnerships are already making an impact on the community and a difference in people’s lives. – Kylie Davies-Culloden, Campbell Page Partnership Manager

Together with these Primary Care Partnerships, Campbell Page aims to help more communities grow and thrive.


Campbell Page is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to transforming people’s lives through securing employment. Community is at the heart of what we do, with our reach extending from Disability Employment Services right through to Community Development. If you would like to find out more about what we do, please visit the about us section of our website or contact us directly.

Words by: Tiarne Pattison

tiarne.pattison@campbellpage.org.au

“Finding a job is one of the best things I’ve done for my mental health”

Ever wondered what it is like to work for one of Australia’s biggest companies while studying a Bachelor of Psychology full time, and somehow ensuring that your studies and mental health are still in-check? Our customer Natasha doesn’t have to wonder – but it hasn’t always been this way.

Natasha came to Campbell Page after trying to find a flexible job that would allow her to keep up with the requirements of her degree. She was referred by a family friend who recommended Campbell Page because they knew that you did not have to be a Centrelink recipient to access their free employment services.

Being a student I needed to find a job that could pay my bills but I also needed to put my studies and my mental health first. – Natasha

As soon as she was registered, Natasha and her Employment Consultant started looking at jobs in the area that would be a good fit for someone with a demanding study schedule. Eventually, a job with Qantas opened up, which appeared to meet Natasha’s needs. Matthew and Natasha worked hard on her resume and cover letter before submitting an application through to Adecco.

Finding a job with Qantas was perfect. It is such a big organisation, so negotiating flexibility in Natasha’s work hours wasn’t a big issue. – Matthew Tanner, Specialist Employment Consultant

Not long after her interview, Matthew informed Natasha that she had been successful in getting the position and began to prepare her for her first day on the job. The team at Campbell Page assisted and supported Natasha consistently during this time, both emotionally and financially.

Campbell Page were so supportive. They even bought me my work uniform, which was a massive help as I couldn’t afford to buy it myself at the time.

From her first day with Qantas, Natasha thrived and was an excellent worker. However, as the weeks went on, she began to notice that maintaining a balance between study, work and her social life was proving to be difficult. Her school work was suffering because the amount of hours spent studying and attending lectures had decreased. That’s when she remembered what Matthew had said about Qantas being open to negotiations around the hours she worked. Natasha went to her manager and to Adecco to explain her situation.

I got in contact with my manager and with Adecco to explain. Not only did they understand, but they were more than happy to reduce my hours so that I could maintain a balance.

Genevieve Trope, a Recruitment Specialist at Adecco, played a key role in ensuring that Natasha had the right amount of weekly shifts, was equipped for the job and felt supported in her choices to increase or decrease her hours.

Natasha is currently still employed by Qantas and studying full time to gain her Bachelor of Psychology. She hopes to graduate in 2022 with her Masters and begin practising Psychology while she completes her PHD. By 2024, Natasha hopes to have achieved her PHD and to be working as a Neuroscientist.

This has been the longest period Natasha has sustained work. She is now a confident, independent young woman who is focused on her future. Working while studying can be tough, but this experience has taught Natasha about maintaining a balance between work, study and her social life, a skill which she will take with her into the future.

Personally, finding a job and sticking to it is one of the best things I’ve ever done for my mental health.


If you or someone you know is experiencing depression, anxiety or any other mental illness please contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or visit their website to chat online.

Campbell Page is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to transforming people’s lives through employment. If you would like to find out more about Campbell Page, visit the About Us section of our website, or contact us directly.

Words by: Tiarne Pattison

tiarne.pattison@campbellpage.org.au

DES

Headspace and Campbell Page Partnering to Help Young People with Mental Illness

  • Partnering with Headspace

Campbell Page and Headspace have been partnering together for over 12 months. The aim of the partnership is to ensure that young people in local communities are supported not only into employment but through any mental health issues they may be facing.

Campbell Page delivers an Individual Placement and Support (IPS) Program principled approach with Headspace from their Craigieburn office in Victoria and their Port Adelaide Office in South Australia. By working out of the same office as Headspace in these areas, we are able to work collaboratively, share ideas, and importantly, provide a better overall service to young people.

We know that employment can be a key factor in helping someone manage their mental health, so partnering with Headspace was the natural choice. – Kylie Davies-Culloden, Community Partnerships Manager

Together, Campbell Page and Headspace are providing guidance to young people to help them build their confidence and eventually find a job and keep it.  This partnership is beneficial to young people because they gain access to support to assist them into employment, which can have a positive impact on their mental health.  Additionally, this partnership provides increased access and opportunity to isolated young people to engage with service professionals.

It gives young people in our community another support option. We want to see them achieve their goals, so we help them develop their confidence, self-esteem and strong sense of worth.

Recently Campbell Page commenced a partnership with the Headspace Digital Work Study Team, to refer eligible young people from Campbell Page to receive additional pre-vocational and post-employment support from Headspace. The Digital Work and Study Program will be piloted in the Peninsula in Victoria and in Shoalhaven and Eurobodalla in New South Wales.

Tim’s Story

 Tim (name changed) was assisted into work through the IPS Program principled approach and supported by the Campbell Page and Headspace partnership.

Tim first became a Campbell Page customer in 2015. After being diagnosed with anxiety and depression, Tim began working with counsellors at Headspace, where he learnt skills and techniques to help him manage his mental health proactively on a day-to-day basis. This then assisted him gain the confidence he needed to start his job search.

With the support and guidance from both Campbell Page and Headspace, we all began to see the difference in Tim. He was much more positive and genuinely interested in finding a job. – Ginetta Mammarella, Employer Partnership Advocate

Together, both organisations worked on helping Tim recognise his strengths, skills and experience that workplaces find extremely valuable, particularly the experience he had working for a family run business and working at Myer.

They wanted to see me reach my goals, so they did everything in their power to not only build me up, but coach me every step of the way. – Tim

After over 12 months, Tim completed a Barista course funded by Campbell Page, his Certificate III in Hospitality with Complex Training, and has completed work placement at Mercure Hotels. His placement with Mercure Hotels came with positive feedback from both Tim and Mercure and has resulted in the opportunity for Tim to start working with them on a permanent basis.

If I didn’t have the support from Headspace and Campbell Page, I honestly don’t think I would have come this far without their help.

Tripod Tribe

The Campbell Page and Headspace partnership in Craigieburn, Victoria lead to Tripod Tribe also being run out of this office. Tripod Tribe is Campbell page funded program that is run by Driven Outcomes. It was delivered in Craigieburn for young people within the local community who were at school and could benefit from learning how to set goals, be innovative and believe that anything is possible.

The program promotes entrepreneurial skills and attributes, and really encourages the participants to think outside the box in regards to what their future may look like and what they can achieve.

Two schools and two IPS customers participated in Tripod Tribe, which has seen pleasing results since it launched, including 100% of participants agreeing that they now feel more confident in gaining employment since starting the program.

Several participants mentioned that they loved the program and that they felt more confident in critical thinking, problem solving and especially relationship building. – Kylie

Headspace is the National Youth Mental Health Foundation providing early intervention mental health services to 12-25 year olds, along with assistance in promoting young peoples’ well-being. This covers four core areas: mental health, physical health, work and study support and alcohol and other drug services.  To find information and services for young people, their families and friends as well as health professionals please visit the Headspace website.

Campbell Page is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to transforming people’s lives through securing long-term employment. Please click here to find out more about the services we offer and who we are – additionally you can also click here to contact us directly.

If you or anyone you know is having trouble managing their mental health, please seek help. Lifeline is a 24 hour Crisis Support Organisation who can help. Please visit their website or give them a call on 13 11 14.

Headspace and Campbell Page logos

Words by: Tiarne Pattison

tiarne.pattison@campbellpage.org.au

“I now get to help people the same way Campbell Page helped me.”

Steven Brandon is a Campbell Page Candidate Coach in Nowra, but it wasn’t so long ago that he was a Campbell Page customer, desperate to find a job that inspired him, at the very same office he now works at.

Before Steven came to Campbell Page as a job seeker, he was employed with another Employment Services Provider as an Indigenous Mentor.
I was only in the role for about six months before I had had enough. I just felt like I was too restricted and couldn’t help as much as I wanted to. – Steven
After leaving his role, Steven was convinced that he did not want to go back into a job that was within the Employment Services industry despite his assistance and drive to help people get their lives back on track. In fact, Steven didn’t even believe that Campbell Page would be able to help him because of his past experience with providers in the industry.
It was hard because I had always found a job myself. I didn’t want to be there, but that didn’t mean that I gave up. I still went to all of my appointments and applied for jobs.
Several months had passed and Steven was still unemployed, even after signing up with VTEC (Habitat) in the hope that suitable options would present themselves in the Community Services space. He was just about to enter the Work for the Dole phase of his employment journey.
One Wednesday morning when Steven was sitting comfortably at home, he received a phone call asking him to attend an interview right away at the Campbell Page Nowra Hub for a job as an Indigenous Candidate Coach.
Given Steven’s experience in the industry and his clear passion for helping our Indigenous community in Nowra, we couldn’t think of anyone better suited for the role. – Michael Pavia, Senior Candidate Coach
Steven got the job and was motivated to make the role his own and help people in his community find jobs.
I haven’t looked back! Even though I was sure two years ago that I did not want to work in Employment Services again, this job has changed my entire perspective of the industry. I now get to help people they way Campbell Page helped me and I couldn’t be happier.

Steven’s story is unique yet also so similar to many of our other customers. With some determination, perseverance, guidance and tenacity – Steven is embracing a career which he loves, is able to contribute positively to his family and wider community and he looks ahead to a bright future inspiring other young individuals to live out the employment path they deserve and want.

Well done Steven and thank you for choosing to be part of our Campbell Page family – we love having you part of it!

Campbell Page is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to transforming people’s lives through securing long-term employment. If you would like to find out more about Campbell Page please click here, or to contact us directly, please click here.
Words by: Tiarne Pattison