“Big hART makes me feel happy – like I’m finally getting somewhere in my life.” – Fiona
Family is really important to me — my mum, my grandmother, and my hometown, Roebourne. I love being on Country, going fishing, swimming, hanging out with the girls, and looking after my family. Big hART is like a second family. I’ve been going there almost my whole life. I wish I could go every day. We make videos, do dance workshops, take photos, cook up a big family feed. We all love each other; I know I’m not alone when I’m there.
This year, I’m working with my mum on a song she has written. It’s a tribute to our family and the struggles we’ve been through together. It means so much to her and my grandmother. It’s a big thing for me too – to make them proud and to feel proud of myself. But it’s hard. The people making decisions about my life think I’m a bad person. I’m really not. I’ve been going to court since I was 14, on and off, and I’m still in the system. I don’t always understand why. Wherever I go, the police say I’m not allowed there. They lock me up and put me in a cell for one or two nights, sometimes longer.
But everyone I work with knows I’ve got a good heart. I share what I have with others. I’m generous, like my mum. The world can be a hard place when you’re looking for help. When I was only five, I had to take care of my baby brother on my own. Sometimes I feel like giving up. But then I think about the little kids back home. They need someone to keep them safe, help them be
good, go to school, get an education. I want what’s best for them.
At Big hART, it feels like anything is possible. It helps get my head off things when I’m stressing. It helps me feel excited, proud of myself. It makes me feel happy — like I’m finally getting somewhere in my life.
*Name changed to protect identity.
