Nothing calms the nerves like getting back to nature. When the stresses with city or suburban life seem a little too much, a change of scenery can be just what the doctor ordered. For those local to the Caboolture area, Bribie Island Road Saddle Club might be that breath of fresh air you’re looking for.
The saddle club offers riding lessons for all ages and abilities. Their mission is to provide an educational, safe, and supportive environment for their diverse community to share and bond in their love of horses and horse riders. It’s a place where horse riders are inspired to improve their skills and confidence in themselves.
It turns out that the confidence-building ethos boasted by the saddle club isn’t just limited to its customer base. Meet Stephen, one of the recent farmhand hires at Bribie Island Saddle Club. Stephen had seen just how good of a community the saddle club had fostered for itself and wanted to be a part of that. That was easier said than done however, Stephen hadn’t been employed in a long time, so the whole process felt almost alien to him.
“It was my first job interview in decades. I was very nervous,” Stephen confessed.
Despite his fears, Stephen knew he didn’t need to go about the application alone. He had an entire team of experts backing him every step of the way.
EPIC Assist (EPIC) is a local Disability Employment Services (DES) provider that connects job-ready people with supportive and inclusive workplaces.
With the help of EPIC Assist, Stephen got himself a phone and set up a new email and tackled the job interview with enthusiasm. The people at the saddle club saw Stephen’s passion for giving life another go and were more than happy to give him a chance.
Stephen’s mane duties
Stephen takes care of a lot of duties once he clocks into work at the saddle club. One of his favourite parts of the work is that no two days feel the same. There’s always something different that needs to be fixed or looked at. He was more than happy to take us through his current list of responsibilities.
“At the moment, I’m reorganising our yards at the bottom, clearing them out so that we can move some more horses in. I’ve also been clearing out the stormwater drains in the house, putting the finishing touches on that today. And I’m also taking care of a bit of plumbing work too since I’m pretty handy with it,” Stephen explained.
Despite how confident he sounds and how quickly he’s taken to the job, Stephen admitted that this is his first time properly working on a farm. But that was far from the largest reveal that Stephen had for us. When we asked about how he found working with the horses, Stephen dropped a bombshell.
He has a severe fear of horses!
Stephen assured us that he’s made massive progress in conquering his phobia. It’s brought him a lot of confidence to feel how much he’s changed in such a short time.
“I’ve actually recently been able to get enough courage to pat one of the horses. It still makes my heart race something fierce. But it’s a good thing that I’m getting more comfortable with them,” Stephen said with a proud smile.
Hoofing it into a job at Bribie Island Road Saddle Club
The momentum of positive change means a great deal to Stephen.
His journey with EPIC began when he had been homeless for quite some time. Living out of a tent, Stephen adapted to taking life one day at a time.
He had been attending the neighbourhood centre at Bribie Island one day before someone approached him. Megan, one of EPIC’s diligent Employment Advisors, had taken notice of Stephen and wanted to hear his story.
“She got me into a roof, which was a great step. She asked me if I was interested in work. I hadn’t been to work in a long time thanks to a lot of medical problems in my life. Then she helped me with Bribie Island Saddle Club, I ended up interviewed and employed. The rest is history,” said Stephen with a chuckle.
Stephen couldn’t be more thankful towards Megan, sincerely attributing all his current successes and his new lease on life to her generosity. He gushed about how much help she’s already been for him. He’s sure he’ll need her further down the line.
It’s no exaggeration to say that his work at Bribie Island Saddle Club has turned Stephen’s life around. Beyond the confidence boost and conquering his fear of horses, Stephen said there’s another aspect to his job that he didn’t expect to find so comforting.
“To have people relying on you. To understand that the club couldn’t run as well without me, that sense of importance helps.
“I feel wanted and appreciated. I’m not spending all my time twiddling my thumbs anymore. If you spend long enough doing nothing, you begin to really question your ability to succeed.
“Megan and EPIC helped me break the cycle, y’know. It’s been an eye-opening experience, it really has,” Stephen confessed.
EPIC saddles Stephen with stability
As with many other EPIC job seekers, Stephen is reaping the benefits of the routine he has in place now that he’s found employment. More motivated mentally and physically, he does his hours at the saddle club and heads home knowing that, in his words, “it’s been a good day of progress and learning.”
Bribie Island Saddle Club has also provided Stephen the opportunity to develop into quite the social butterfly! He’s a self-described people person, so he’ll take any opportunity to strike up a conversation with someone new. Megan attests to this personality trait, saying that it was one of the things that got her to approach him for the first time.
“The job satisfies me physically, mentally, and socially. Not to mention the fears that I’m conquering. It’s a pretty sweet gig,” Stephen said grinning ear-to-ear.
Now that he’s had a taste of independence, Stephen is laser-focused on saving enough money to move into his very own place. Being able to live feeling totally safe and independent is the goal he’s working towards, and you better believe that Megan and EPIC will be there supporting him every step of the way.
Before we let Stephen get back to the stables, we asked him what he might say to someone in a similar position to him who was thinking about joining EPIC. He gave us some brief yet wise words in response.
“As a wise man once said, give it a go or you’ll never know.”
If you, like Stephen, are living with a disability, injury, health condition, or mental health condition and looking to find meaningful employment, contact EPIC Assist today.
