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  • I've got just over 2 full days left before the big move. It's a lot easier to cope with now that I've been to the house a few times, know it's not a shithole and I've met the lead tenant mentor people and know they're alright. I'm still a bit annoyed by the whole being forced to move in before I'm ready thing, but I'm trying not to think about it too much because it's kinda just a waste of energy and emotion

    There's 1 other kid there at the moment, and he was meant to move to a different place today, but then the supreme beings of child protection changed the date yesterday, because of course they did. So my move in was pulled a week forward, and his move-out was pushed a week back, but from what I've been told (I haven't been able to meet him), he seems chill and does stuff most of the day, so things should be alright. But if worse comes to worse, he's only there for 4 days after I move in anyway

    • Best of luck. Hope this is the start of a great new chapter in your life.

    • Seems promising! Is your furniture going to fit?

      • I hope so. I got to pick out all new furniture for this place, so I'm not taking the furniture from my current place. I also get 2 bedrooms rather than just 1, though they are on the smaller side. I think it should fit though

        • Oh sweet, two bedrooms?? Is that going to be like a bedroom plus study or what's the plan

          • Yeah, I was planning on turning the 2nd one into a sort of private living room for having people over. I was going to chuck a workbench for my various electronic tinkering projects and a bookshelf and couch for a bit of atmosphere. It will all fit, but it's more about positioning things without it feeling cramped

    • Hi, have seen some of your posts and hope you’re ok. Is it ok if I ask what you mean by being forced to move? What kind of living arrangement needs a tenant mentor, and what is a mentor? Maybe I have missed some of your updates but also I don’t mean to ask anything intrusive. Just hoping to increase my understanding of the system.

      • Oh, please don't apologise. It's okay. A small part of the reason why I do share my updates here is to educate people a little, and I could yammer on about this for the rest of the night. I'm not sure exactly which of my posts you've seen, and how much you already know about the system, so forgive me if I say some things you already know

        Basically I currently live in residential care, so rather than living with my parents I live in state care (it's essentially a modernised and lower capacity version of an orphanage). There are workers here 24/7 who do most things, cooking, cleaning, washing, dishes, etc, etc.

        Lead tenant is for people in residential (or in some cases, kinship/foster care) care 16+ to essentially act as a transition from residential care (where everything is done for you) and total independence (18, when most support ceases). There's a "lead tenant" (although some organisations just call them "mentors", but I call them both) who are volunteers that live there and are supposed to guide/mentor you to build independence. They are more like helpful roommates, rather than full on workers. Dinner, washing, dishes and the rest are all left up to resident.

        Technically lead tenant is optional, although as soon as I brought it up, they'd already started packing my bags (metaphorically). What I meant from being forced to move before I was ready was essentially just the above. The first meeting I had with the lead tenant program leader was on the 14th of June, and on the 2nd meeting a week later I was told CP wanted me in there by the 14th of July. 3rd meeting, I was sick, and I couldn't make it. I asked for an extension until at least the 1st of August, and they got back to me saying that the best they would do was the 24th of July. I didn't end up seeing the house until a couple of weeks ago. It also wasn't really about the date, more about my control over the situation being taken

        Hope this helps, let me know if you had anymore questions

    • I’m so excited for you!! I know it’s nerve wracking right now, but I can’t wait till you’re past the scary change, and you’re loving your new life. It’s gonna be fantastic 🖤

361 comments