Finding your path

Shayla thought she was on her own until NASCA showed her otherwise. A panel beating workshop sparked a passion, giving her a fresh start. Now, she’s building both cars and a future she’s proud of.

Not that long ago Shayla’s philosophy on life was “it’s you against the world.”

Shayla learned to rely on herself and herself alone. She never asked for help. She never reached out when things were tough. 

The Wiradjuri woman, currently in year 11 at Narromine High School in Western New South Wales felt isolated and alone, and because of this didn’t have the best start to her school life. 

She was experiencing bullying. She didn’t feel safe. She was ditching a lot. She was on the verge of dropping out.

But that all started to change at the end of 2023. 

“Once I started to engage more with NASCA, and coming to them and opening up and talking to them about how I was feeling, that’s when things started to change,” says Shayla.

“NASCA would come to me and have a yarn when they noticed I was upset, or would send me a message saying congratulations when I had done something good. Just little things like that, they gave me the support I needed and they haven’t stopped since.”

This support from NASCA helped Shayla feel safe at school. She began to open up more, and her attendance improved. But it was a simple workshop, through NASCA’s Pathways Program – a program designed to help create career pathways for Indigenous young people – that was the unlikely catalyst for Shayla’s incredible transformation. 

“Shayla went to the panel beating workshop and was really engaged, so we started to talk about opportunities like work experience, which she then did. After that Shayla told me she wanted to do this a career, so I worked with the panel beating business to get her set up, and now she is employed with them and undertaking her school-based traineeship,” says NASCA Pathways Program Senior Manager, Courtney Richards. 

For Shayla, having the support to find her own path and the constant encouragement from Courtney has made a world of difference.

“I connect with Courtney a lot. When I was around her I could just be me, she made me feel safe, and all the NASCA workers made me feel proud of who I am. Having that support has changed my mindset,” says Shayla.

“She has worked really hard and showed how dedicated she is. She has early starts and intense hours, she comes home with sore hands, and aching bones from pulling apart and rebuilding vehicles all day, but she always puts in 110% and she’s made me very proud,” says Courtney. 

Today, Shayla’s philosophy on life is a bit different, “push for it, go for it because, at the end of the day, it’s you against you,” she says, and with her new mindset and philosophy on life, she’s working hard every day to achieve her dreams.