30/11/2025
When Luke first came to Yitjawudik Men’s Recovery Centre, he barely spoke. He avoided eye contact, kept his head down, and stayed on the edges of the group. You could see he was carrying a lot of grief, shame, and uncertainty. So we gave him time. No pressure - just steady, consistent support.
At first, his “yes” was just a nod, and his “thank you” was silence. But the staff and the men around him didn’t give up. They kept including him, inviting him to group sessions, sitting beside him, and asking how he was going.
Then something shifted. It wasn’t overnight, but one day, Luke started to speak. Then he joined the group yarning circle. Then he showed up early to help set up chairs. Before we knew it, he was helping catch the goats whenever they broke out!
Week by week, he began to come out of that quiet space. He started to trust, to laugh, to share. Luke completed every program we offered, and went above and beyond to check in on his brothers. He would encourage them to stick with it and remind them that “it gets easier if you keep showing up.” That's what leadership looks like in recovery - not titles or status, but showing others what's possible.
Luke went on to earn his L’s, then his P’s, obtained his white card, and now he is three weeks away from finishing his Certificate IV in Civil Construction. He has gone from isolation to independence, from silence to strength, and from surviving to thriving.
Luke’s journey reminds us what recovery really means. It’s not just about getting clean, it’s about reconnection, taking responsibility, and rebuilding life with purpose and pride.
