Lisa puts her best foot forward with support from ParentsNext

Lisa takes almost 20,000 steps a day. That is a huge effort in any conditions, but she is striding out in the heat and humidity of Darwin.

“I’m really enjoying my new job, but I find I need to go to my bed almost as early as my kids,” Lisa says.

She is a meter reader, checking power and water meters in suburbs across the northern capital.

“I have done a lot of different jobs in the past, from fielding phone calls for a taxi company to working in a takeaway, but after my children were born I was unemployed for several years.

“Childcare is too expensive for a single mum, and it made things difficult.”

Lisa was referred to the ParentsNext program, delivered in Palmerston by Bamara.

“They have been great,” she enthuses.

“They talked with me about what I want to pursue in the future, and we made a plan of how to get there.

“I did a lot of courses online through them including Dress for Success and Resumé Ready. When we worked on my resumé it helped lead to me getting employment.

“The biggest thing, though, is that they have helped me get my confidence back.

“If you’ve been out of work for a while it is easy for your confidence to drop, and they really boost you in that area.

“From the first time I walked in I felt like it was comfortable to be there. Everyone there was friendly. No one judged you. They make you feel really welcome. I would describe it as a family-orientated place. I actually took my kids in a couple of times.”

Now that Lisa’s younger child has started school, she has a greater capacity to pursue employment without worrying about childcare. She also gets to stay super-fit by doing her job, while setting a great example for her kids.

“I’d encourage people who haven’t done ParentsNext to do it if they possibly can because it’s a nice confidence booster. They support single parents, and we need that.”

“I’m really enjoying my new job, but I find I need to go to my bed almost as early as my kids,” Lisa says.

She is a meter reader, checking power and water meters in suburbs across the northern capital.

“I have done a lot of different jobs in the past, from fielding phone calls for a taxi company to working in a takeaway, but after my children were born I was unemployed for several years.

“Childcare is too expensive for a single mum, and it made things difficult.”

Lisa was referred to the ParentsNext program, delivered in Palmerston by Bamara.

“They have been great,” she enthuses.

“They talked with me about what I want to pursue in the future, and we made a plan of how to get there.

“I did a lot of courses online through them including Dress for Success and Resumé Ready. When we worked on my resumé it helped lead to me getting employment.

“The biggest thing, though, is that they have helped me get my confidence back.

“If you’ve been out of work for a while it is easy for your confidence to drop, and they really boost you in that area.

“From the first time I walked in I felt like it was comfortable to be there. Everyone there was friendly. No one judged you. They make you feel really welcome. I would describe it as a family-orientated place. I actually took my kids in a couple of times.”

Now that Lisa’s younger child has started school, she has a greater capacity to pursue employment without worrying about childcare. She also gets to stay super-fit by doing her job, while setting a great example for her kids.

“I’d encourage people who haven’t done ParentsNext to do it if they possibly can because it’s a nice confidence booster. They support single parents, and we need that.”