Chlo finds belonging through learning

Chlo graduated from a Certificate III in Community Services (CHC32015) in June 2025, and that sense of belonging changed everything.

“Before this course, education was something I survived rather than experienced,” Chlo explained.

“I often felt disconnected, unsupported, and unable to fully participate because of the challenges I was facing at the time.”

Chlo’s schooling journey was marked by exclusion from an early age.

“It all started in Year 4, when I was labelled as ‘uneducatable’ and too difficult,” she said.

“It was later identified as a cognitive impairment that wasn’t easy to diagnose, and the lack of diagnosis had a significant impact on my education in more ways than one.”

“From there, my education essentially halted until I undertook the Adult Tertiary Preparation course in 2022, after being expelled in Year 11.”

Despite experiencing these barriers in high school, Chlo chose to return to study again — this time with purpose.

“I chose the community services course to better understand the services and rights of participants,” she said.

“I’ve had to rely on community services since I was 11, and I wanted to truly understand how the system works — and how it should work.”

Access also played a critical role in Chlo’s decision.

“Fee‑free TAFE made it possible for someone like me to get a qualification,” she said.

“At TAFE Queensland, the education team allow lived experience to thrive, and they allow real change to happen — especially for people who simply can’t afford the cost of education but are often the reason these services exist in the first place.”

Chlo said her previous experience completing a Certificate IV in Adult Tertiary Preparation (11240NAT) with TAFE Queensland gave her the confidence to return.

“I’d studied at the South Bank campus, and the disability services team showed kindness, flexibility and a genuine willingness to work with me during a very difficult time in my life,” she said.

“I’m intimidated by university and the idea of lifelong debt, so TAFE felt safe, practical and human.”

What truly set this experience apart, however, was the learning environment itself.

“In 2025, my Certificate III in Community Services course became the first learning environment in my 24 years where I felt genuinely included, understood and valued,” Chlo said.

“My classmates and teacher didn’t just accommodate difference, they respected it. For the first time, my lived experience was recognised as knowledge, not a burden.”

Chlo’s lived experience, including youth homelessness, disability, alcohol and drugs, domestic violence, sexual assault, discrimination, hospitalisations, child protective services and navigating complex support systems such as the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), the Supreme Court, Child and Youth Mental Health Service (CYMHS), homelessness services, and the Department of Housing, became a strength in the classroom.

“My teacher and classmates valued what I brought to the room,” she said.

“They helped me use my lived experience to understand the content in real, practical ways, and even to help others learn.”

Chlo credits much of her success to her teacher, Marion.

“From day one, Marion was responsive, patient and willing to work with me,” she said.

“She built trust, and for someone with severe anxiety, complex trauma and autism, that meant everything.”

During times when Chlo’s external supports became unstable, Marion ensured learning remained possible.

“She worked with me — not around me,” Chlo said.

“She always addressed me directly, never spoke about me without including me. That level of respect was incredibly empowering.”

“Without her, I don’t know if I would have been able to complete my qualification.”

Through her studies, Chlo gained more than a certificate.

“This course gave me language for my rights, confidence in my voice, and proof that with trauma‑informed support, disabled students don’t just survive — we thrive,” she said.

Today, Chlo is using her knowledge to advocate for others. She plans to work as a peer support worker and is building an advocacy platform focused on education, rights and accessible resources.

“I want people to know their rights as much as I do now,” she said.

“I’m creating online resources that are safe, accessible and affordable and are designed especially for people in vulnerable situations.”

“I want to show the power of patience, understanding and valuing lived experience alongside textbook knowledge,” she said.

“Because when education is inclusive, it doesn’t just change outcomes, it changes lives.”

Chlo with her community services educator Marion Rosevear at the Ipswich Graduation ceremony in March 2026.