First Nations woman breaking intergenerational trauma

Proud Birri Gubba, Djabugay, Jingili, Mudburra woman and single parent Allira Nea Brown is on a mission to help others break the cycle of intergenerational trauma, drawing from her own experiences of grief, trauma, and resilience.

With 17 years of dedication as a support worker, Allira had been deeply committed to her role. However, her journey took a significant turn when she encountered a workplace environment that didn’t align with her values, resulting in over a year of unemployment. “I became disenfranchised basically with the workplace, not the work itself, the workplace,” she said.

This challenging period was marked by personal struggles, including navigating complex family matters, receiving a late adult diagnosis of ADHD, and facing the housing crisis, which significantly impacted her and her family.

During this difficult time, Allira found crucial support through IntoJobs delivered by MRAEL, both part of the IntoWork Group, and guidance from Mobile Employment Consultant Shannon Connelly. Shannon’s assistance was pivotal, providing Allira with housing support, counselling services, financial and employment guidance. “Shannon was just amazing. She helped me immediately on the first day I went in there; my blue card and yellow card were organised after I tried for months with a previous employment provider,” Allira said.

With Shannon’s support, Allira secured a role as a Trainee Health Worker with Girudala Community Co-Operative Society, a Bowen not-for-profit organisation.

Allira’s motivation stems from her understanding of intergenerational trauma within First Nations communities and her desire to make a positive impact. “It’s amazing being in the health service with other mob and being around a lot of powerful, smart, intelligent women who are steering the organisation. My CEO, Professor Carmen Parter, is also a Birri Gubba woman, so it makes me feel empowered to be around my own mob and women who are rocking and shaking like that,” Allira said.

Allira’s new role is more than just a job; it’s a career pivot towards her dream of working in psychiatric care, “It’s my dream to work in a psychiatric ward, helping others,” she said.

“I used to work with young people with psychological disabilities – that’s my niche – but this career path Shannon supported me in is where I want to be. There’s a huge need for it, especially supporting Aboriginal people in the hospital and prison systems. I’ve got mob in and out of the psychiatric ward, and there’s a lot of psychosocial disabilities within Aboriginal communities,” she added.

“There’s still a lot of stigma within communities; they think they’re going silly in the head or that the devil is on their back. But you know – I’m not denying the spirituality side of things – a lot of the time it’s what’s going on in their brain – mentally – and that’s deep-seated in intergenerational trauma. So, I want to help people who need help that way.”

The support Allira received from IntoJobs has been instrumental in her transformation, “I’m just incredulous. It all happened so quickly as well and that was absolutely with the support of IntoJobs. Shannon listened to me, Everywhere else I was getting brick walls left right and centre, but Shannon, she just has that passion,” she said.

“I know what it’s like to be an employment consultant in a regional area, working with people from marginalised backgrounds and communities who have need a lot of vocational support like that. I understand how difficult her job can be at times, and she just loves it and she loves her clients and her customers, and she is the kind of person that goes above and beyond,” Allira said.

“As soon as Shannon said she was going to help me, it was just a huge relief. After my second appointment with her, I knew she was a genuine person. I knew that she was going to help me. I was locked in because I knew she was. Now I’m starting to feel a bit better. My son just turned 13, I want to get my stuff together for him. You guys empowered me to change these things.”

Mobile Employment Consultant Shannon Connelly expressed her pride in Allira, who has successfully turned her life around. “Allira is a wonderful person inside and out,” Shannon said. “She should be proud of how much she has progressed. This wasn’t about me; it was her determination to make a change in herself and her child’s life. I’m just grateful to be a part of her journey.”

Shannon highlighted the significance of moments like these for employment consultants. “This is one of the main reasons we do what we do – it’s not for recognition, but to see someone’s life change for the better.”