Dare to Ask | Trusting the people and the process

Complete video transcripts:

Lynne Maree: My name's Lynne. I enjoy taking care of my cat, love going to the beach to meditate. Just the normal things really.

Interviewer: Can you tell us about your condition?

Lynne: I had the onset of osteoarthritis in both hips and my knee. So osteoarthritis is, well from what I've been told, is just the degeneration in the joint of the hip. For in particular, for me, it causes a lot of pain 'cause it's bone-on-bone rubbing, and living with chronic pain 24/7 is incredibly difficult. It makes every aspect of your life more difficult, from getting out of bed, to putting on your socks, to showering, to cooking. Yeah. It's tough living with chronic pain. It's really difficult.

Interviewer: What do you do to help manage the pain?

Lynne: So at the moment I just, I do a lot of meditation. I just breathe through the pain. I just, I take Osteo Panadol three times a day, but still, if I could get away with not taking anything, I really would.

Interviewer: Do you see your condition as a disability?

Lynne: I do actually, I don't like, I don't like playing the victim of, you know, having a disability, but it affects every aspect of your life. Just getting from chair to door, or walking around, it's just really difficult all the time.

To get a job would be, to be financially secure, but also to feel worth.

Interviewer: What does disability mean to you?

Lynne: It's just one of those labels, isn't it? You don't wanna say, you have a disability, but it's quite obvious that you have something that you have to live with on a daily basis that impacts your livelihood, your lifestyle. It is what it is. Everyone wants to get away from labels, but it's a disability.

Interviewer: What would getting a job mean to you?

Lynne: Well, it just gives you purpose. Sitting around your house all day, it's not healthy for the psychye. You need to be able to get out and socialize, and to talk to people, and to feel worth. To get a job would be, to be financially secure, but also to feel worth.

Interviewer: What was your journey to seeking support from Castle?

Lynne: I was a primary producer for 30 years on a small hobby farm, and that became too difficult. My disability just became, I was unable to continue doing that work, so we had to sell the farm and move away. It's tough to get a job when you have a disability, and I was linked with Castle Personnel, and they have absolutely been marvellous. I could not rave about them enough.

Interviewer: What would you like to say to anybody in a similar position?

Lynne: For myself, I put a lot of trust in the people at Castle Personnel. They know my full story. They are just the greatest, compassionate people, that you can possibly imagine, and they are there, they will help you as much as they possibly can, and just trust in the system. Just trust in the system of people that want to help you.

Are you or someone you know going through a similar journey? Let Lynne's story be a beacon of hope. Our team has a comprehensive network of employers and referral partners to help you find the right job, and support you to keep it.

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