Our Client Stories

We are proud to share inspiring success stories from our clients, highlighting their journeys to meaningful employment with our support. These stories reflect resilience, growth, and the impact of our tailored recruitment and disability employment services. Discover how Ostara is transforming lives by connecting talent with opportunity across Australia.​

David decided to transfer to Ostara in Burwood as his previous provider was not helping him and he felt like he was just a number in the System.

“I had heard that Ostara was a specialised mental health service provider so decided to transfer to them, and I have had a great experience. Ostara has found me two separate jobs. The first job I had for two years before I was let go due to COVID-19, I went back to Ostara to get their assistance again and they helped me secure my current role which I have had now for 7 months. The Business Manager has been a big help to me and has supported me through both jobs. My current role she found is very close to home for me, which has been very convenient. I love my job and love what I do, I have been working full time sometimes even 50 hours a week. In this role I have also been responsible for training new staff. I’d like to thank Ostara for all their help and assistance over the past two years!”

Like David, #OstaraAustralia can help you or anyone you know with mental health find suitable and sustainable employment. Follow our page to see more good news stories. We are passionate about transforming lives.

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“I was referred to Ostara through another company as Ostara specialises in mental health and they would be able to assist in the support that I was needing.

Ostara worked with me to build my confidence to interact with others and to participate in interviews. My mental health has always been a challenge and I have not been able to hold down employment for long periods of time. I find it hard to trust people and open up however, being with Ostara I was provided a safe place to tell my story and not to be judged. I have been with Ostara for around 3 years and I will continue to stay with the company as I am still needing the support that they provide. I am currently with the ongoing support team and I have been encouraged to see my self-worth, identify my limitations and take on full-time employment. I first started out as a casual and within the last few weeks have been able to accept and work full-time employment hours.

My future goals are to maintain my employment for a long period of time and building a life that I wish to live while bringing awareness to the community about mental health.”

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After being out of work for just over 2 years due to declining mental health, I decided that I was feeling a bit better and wanted support to help me get back into the workforce. So I did my research and happened to come across Ostara Australia. I turned up to my appointment so anxious and stressed but I was quickly put at ease once I spoke to the Employment Consultants in the office. After explaining my situation and my goals, I felt supported straight away. I felt heard. I knew I had come to the right place.

I was very fortunate, as I talked about myself, The consultants advised me of a role perfectly suited for my situation. The interview was a couple of days later and I was successful. I was to start work the following week. Another one of my goals was to start studying nursing in July. The Employee Consultants have assisted me throughout the testing process and are continuing to help me with my enrolment. I am now comfortably working 15 hours a week doing administration work for a community organisation.

It has been 5 weeks since my first visit with Ostara. The Employee Consultants have been supportive every step of the way and they even call and visit me at work to see how I am going. I am very fortunate and thankful to all the consultants and Ostara Australia for the opportunities and support they have provided me thus far.
—Kathleen

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Emre has been long-term unemployed and has been working closely with an Ostara Australia Employment Consultant.

Emre has had some issues with confidence in working, though after spending time with his employment consultant and becoming more motivated, he has been successful in finding a role. Emre showed much potential, even when he didn’t believe in himself. His employment consultant made sure that he was hearing the right words to inspire him to find work. The employment consultant did obtain Emre’s Seek account and did apply on his behalf, which showed Emre that he was a wanted employee for companies as he was getting callbacks for interviews and interest in his resume.

Emre is approaching his 4th week in the company that he found himself. He is advising that the role is completely suited for him and that the flexibility there is great also. He can see himself working in it as a career.

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Originally Centrelink had referred to OSTARA due to health Conditions. At the time I was offered support my EC listened to my story let me take my time to become ready.

During my time with Ostara my mental health had been impacted by a variety of things, Covid, bushfires, and general pressure of life. After being with Ostara for a year and a half they had referred me to a job with a great workplace culture the people are all nice and supportive of one another it is the best job I have had, It has helped my mental health! My goals for the future are to attend a course to build my skills so that I have more opportunities in the future.

If anyone I knew needed help to find work I would recommend Ostara.

  • Currently employed for 6 weeks
  • With Ostara for almost 2 years
  • Gained first aid
  • Offered Post Placement Support

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I was someone that has been struggling with mental health and had no sense of direction, I was walking past an and had no sense of direction, I was walking past an Ostara office one day and took the time to read what was advertised on their building. I liked what I read so I walked in and set up an appointment to see what they were all about. Since that initial appointment I have received nothing but support and guidance from all the Staff at Ostara.

I was supported to gain the qualifications that ne on my pathway to where I am today. Ostara provides ongoing support which has been a great benefit to myself as I am able to n needing to. The manager regularly follows up with you to make sure that everything is going well and if not will up the supp to get back on track, they help with maintaining your job and mental health.

Since being employed I have been able to be a positive role model for my children, provide more for my family and have been able to take a wonderful family holiday that was once out of my reach. I have been with Ostara for around 2 years and I continue to stay with them and achieving great things. I highly recommend Ostara to anyone that has a disability and wanting to add value to their life. —Joanne

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Christopher is a young male who is 90 weeks in program. Christopher had been job searching and applying for positions on the Northern Beaches with the support of his Ostara employment consultant. He persevered through Covid lockdown, having requested copies of his resume to hand out to local Northern Beaches businesses, Sydney CBD and surrounding suburbs. Christopher attended all his appointments and focused on securing a full-time job to create a better life for himself and increase his finances.

Ostara supported Christopher by topping up his Opal card regularly, he expressed barely having enough funds to cover his travel to and from job interviews. He initially secured a part-time job in February 2022 with an Employer in Darlinghurst on a part-time basis. He liked this role however being part-time was not providing him with enough financial security.

Christopher advised his Ostara consultant that the Employment was not sufficient. He needed to find full-time work. He was submitted to a Hardware store in Brookvale and attended the interview. Passed the medical and started work on a full-time basis on April 2022. So far Christopher is settling into his full-time job very well, he is undergoing training, is enjoying the role, and meeting new people. Ostara has rewarded Christopher with a Kmart gift card to purchase clothing and shoes for his new full-time role. Christopher is looking forward to working full-time hours and receiving his first weekly pay.

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“My experience with Ostara Australia has been nothing but positive! My employment consultant has proven herself to be absolutely incredible. I have tried other job-seeking agencies previously and gone months without even a mention of a job interview. When I signed up with Ostara however, I was given a suggestion of a potential job the very next day, later going on to secure an interview for said job.

While other people I have worked with to help me find a job have only been interested in the progress I had made for myself, my employment consultant took the time to ask how I was feeling personally and continued to do so even after a job had been secured, checking in to make sure I was coping with both my mental health and the job itself. This made me feel so valued, not only as a client but as a person. I honestly could not have asked for a better experience.” — Alexandra

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Leanne first engaged with Ostara Australia over 6 months ago feeling anxious, inadequate and measuring herself against the success of other people. Understandably, this took its toll on Leanne’s self-esteem and she was seeking was in need of some encouragement and direction to get back on her feet.

With the help of Employment Consultant Danielle, Leanne was asked if she would be interested in applying for a Community Care Worker position that was advertised online. Leanne’s response was enthusiastic and open; she submitted her application and as a result secured the job!

Three months on, Leanne is a much happier person. “Contributing to society, caring for the elderly and helping to make them feel safe, secure and loved brings such a strong sense of meaning to my life”.

In addition, soon Leanne will undertake the Certificate III in Aged Care as provided by her employer.

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STAFF MEMBER OF THE MONTH

Allyson approached the Ostara Australia Port Macquarie office suffering from anxiety and depression, resulting in low self-confidence and motivation.

Allyson has previously completed her Certificate in Individual Support, but had not yet obtained any industry experience. Ostara Australia Program Coordinator Amanda worked closely with Allyson to develop strategies on building confidence and rediscovering self-worth.

Nursing Home saw Allyson’s potential and offered her a position!

Allyson is now working almost full-time hours and loving every minute of it! Her dedication to the role has certainly been noticed with Allyson recently receiving the “Staff Member of the Month” award only a few weeks into her new role!

We are very proud of Allyson and know she will achieve great things in the future! Great job, Ally!

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I chose Ostara Australia due to my Psychologist referring me. Ostara Australia provided me with suitable employment and continues to have weekly phone contact to monitor myself with working and my mental health.

Since being a part of Ostara Australia, my mental health has increased with the support provided by my consultant. I have also secured a job that I really enjoy. My future goal/plans will be to stay in employment and to build my career.

I would recommend Ostara to other people as they provide good support and are always so nice and helpful. — Dany

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I was a part of Headspace due to my depression, anxiety, and hearing impairment. Headspace referred me to Ostara who then helped me gain my first employment.

Ostara provided support through fortnightly contacts to help build my confidence to start working. When I started my role, my anxiety was high due to not knowing anyone.

Ostara helped me overcome this by listening and giving me pointers on how to overcome this. With the support given from Ostara, I was able to overcome the amount of anxiety I was having when meeting new people. My future goals are to get my license, move out of home, and get a skill from studying something.

I would recommend Ostara as my experience with them has been great. The employment consultants I have dealt with have been very approachable and helpful. — Alexandra

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In February 2022 I was hospitalized due to a nervous breakdown, and while I was there had someone recommend Ostara to me to help get back on my feet. From the first moment I set foot in the building, every single person I have encountered at Ostara has been unbelievably kind and caring, consistently going above and beyond to help me with whatever I needed. They have helped me organize starting a horticulture course at Tafe, my two jobs I got not long after that and have been a consistent source of stability in my life. Even when schedules didn’t line up or covid got in the way, it was no hassle to move appointments or change to phone appointments. They helped me pay for fuel to get to induction days, or items of clothing I needed for jobs, or even just walked me through applying for an ABN over the phone because I couldn’t figure it out. Even before I got the jobs I was not familiar with the Centrelink system, they let me know if I needed to complete something by a certain date, how to fill in paperwork and even did my initial Centrelink application with me in person because I was struggling to do it myself.

Talking to the Employee Consultant has been the highlight of my week for some time now, and I already recommend Ostara to everyone I meet purely for how much they have done for me. I have severe anxiety so even just having someone regularly in my life to talk to has made such an incredible impact on my mental health. Going from being hospitalized, no work or study, stuck in my house just abusing substances, to being sober, having 2 jobs & part-time study would not have happened if I didn’t have the Employee Consultant or the rest of Ostara helping support me. I am so grateful to have had some really amazing people on my team this year, and I credit them for how well I have been able to turn my life around. Even now as I consider taking a step back from the study to focus on my work-life balance, I know they will continuously support me. It’s not just about ticking boxes with the people at Ostara, they genuinely care about the people that they work with. I had only heard horror stories about job find agencies, but Ostara has gone above and beyond every time, I would not be the person I am today without the Ostara Employee Consultant and the rest of the team. — Danielle

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I want to share my experience with Ostara Australia and how they have helped me improve my life. When I was referred to Ostara by Centrelink for my mental health, I didn’t know what to expect. But from the first meeting, they made me feel heard and supported. They helped me review my medical conditions and support needs and assisted me in applying for the Disability Support Pension. I am now waiting for Centrelink to review my application.

Throughout this process, Ostara has been there for me every step of the way. They have even helped me negotiate employment, and now I have a good employer who understands my medical conditions and is willing to work with me. If I am approved for the Disability Pension, I will have the financial support I need to address my health conditions without worrying about the cost.

What I appreciate most about Ostara is that they understand that people have good and bad days, and they are always flexible and supportive when I need it most. Overall, the service has been excellent, and I would highly recommend Ostara to others who need support in their lives. —Dean

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When I was first transferred to Ostara I was in an awful mental state. For a bit of backstory, I had lost my job in Sydney 6 months after the pandemic and returned to live with my parents. 12 months later I had returned to Sydney to start a couple of new roles which I left abruptly due to anxiety. I experienced a full nervous breakdown during this time. When I returned to live with my parents in Port Macquarie, I had developed agoraphobia in conjunction with severe depression and anxiety.

For 12 months or so prior to enrolling with Ostara I was enrolled with another employment provider in Port Macquarie however, their contract had come to an end and I was recommended to transfer to Ostara. Renne, my new employment consultant with Ostara, was so understanding and empathetic to my situation. She always made me feel supported and that there was light at the end of the tunnel. Through her support I was able to start getting my life back on track and begin looking for employment.

Renne through her hard work and persistence was able to land me a role with a local aged care facility. At times I felt like I had my own personal employment expert as she revamped my CV and also reached out directly with employers and applied for roles on my behalf. I am so grateful for her assistance. Furthermore, thanks to Renne I was able to complete a first aid course which I believe greatly assisted me in landing the role. I would also like to mention Renne’s colleague Jo who was always so motivating and helpful as well.

I would highly recommend Ostara to other job seekers, not just those with mental health issues. I felt like there is a genuine desire to help job seekers. Renne and Ostara helped me immensely overcome my mental health hurdles and I now look forward to the future with positivity. —Andrew

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I was referred to Ostara by my previous job active provider due to my disabilities. Ostara was amazing to work with while I was looking for work. I have several health issues as obstacles in my job hunt. Ostara tailored suitable jobs to fit my physical and mental capabilities. Having a job allows me to feel stable and independent. My future plan would be to remain/sustain my current employment with Yianni Fine Food and grow within the company. I would highly recommend Ostara as a disability provider to my family and friends.

I met with Joan Hall once while attending my appointment and during our conversation she mentioned to me a workplace that might suit me and enquired if I would be interested. Joan organised a trial to ensure that I could cope and like the job. The trial turned to a full day of productive paid work, and I ended up accepting the job offer. I am currently working 15 hours a week and I am loving it.

I am very grateful and deeply thankful for Ostara’s assistance in my journey to find work. I would like to thank Joan and the Burwood Ostara team for their heartfelt dedication and work with me. —Tania

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I chose Ostara Australia to seek support and assistance in obtaining employment. On 2/6/2023 I met with Joan Hall, who reverse marketed me to an employer, Works 4 You, for a service technician position, and I gained an interview. At the interview, they explained the details of the job and asked me to start work on Wednesday, 7/6/2023. Joan organised for me to purchase work clothing and assisted me as much as she could. I would definitely recommend Ostara to my friends as the service was excellent.

I have not worked for two years, and this has been a delightful experience gaining employment. It will change my life and living circumstances.

I do hope everything goes well with the job, and I intend to remain in it for a long time.

I would like to thank Joan and the rest of the team at Ostara. — Elias

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I was placed as a client at MAX Employment but found them to be very unfriendly, and I was treated as a number. I was homeless at that stage, but the staff at MAX could not understand my situation.

My caseworker from Wesley Mission recommended that I get transferred to Ostara. Ostara placed me in a job during the COVID pandemic, and I worked there for two years. Due to staff cutbacks, I lost my employment on 19/02/21. I have always attended all my appointments at Ostara. Recently, I met with Joan from Ostara, and she could see that I was keen to work but was having an issue finding suitable employment.

After finding out what I was interested in doing, she sent me for a job trial with Arncliffe Food Barn the next day. I participated in the trial, and the employer was very pleased with my work and decided to hire me as a permanent part-time Shop Assistant, working 23 hours a week. I love my job; I enjoy going to work on a daily basis. Basically, this has changed my life big time.

I would, without a doubt, recommend Ostara to my relatives and friends as the staff are friendly and are like a family to me. They actually care for their clients.

I am truly grateful for the friendliness and professionalism of Joan, Oliver, and both of the Jessicas. They all know exactly what to do at the right time. I like to say a huge, tremendous thank you for all your support! You rock!!— David

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I chose Ostara due my existing employment agent not listening to what I needed, what I was capable of, or the hours I was able to work. He kept on trying to push me into full-time work despite my medical conditions preventing that. I mentioned to a friend that I was having trouble with my existing agent who didn’t seem to be vested in me or any of my requirements. The friend contacted Joanne Lonergan and the rest is an incredibly satisfying history.

Ostara (Joanne Lonergan) provided me with an environment where she understood on a deep level, my conditions, what that meant in terms of looking for work and the entire process of the long-term search for a job. Joanne dealt with me with a level of respect, compassion, and understanding but did not let me wallow in any pools of self-pity. Joanne encouraged me when self-doubt was creeping in, and her constant and honest passion for the right goals for me were always an amazing sense of strength and comfort, even in her own hour of need.

The job I eventually got, I did the process myself, however, without the compassion, passion, support, honesty, and advice from Joanne, I would not be where I am today, getting ready for my first day at my new job.

Joanne as an employment agent was more than I could ever have dreamt of getting. She cared about how I felt, she cared about what I wanted out of the process, the kind of job I wanted, and the impact rejection letters were having on me. Joanne was ALWAYS upbeat, she never let anything get in her way of doing her job with integrity, compassion, and respect, yet always within the boundaries of all organizational policies and procedures and remaining professional at all times. Joanne was always appropriately excited about any milestones and would always validate me and my experiences.

I cannot even begin to imagine that there is anyone out there that could have done a better job than Joanne has done for me. If I had the capacity to nominate her for Employee of the YEAR, I would. Joanne was BRILLIANT in her role and I cannot express sufficiently how much her support has meant to me in this journey, especially with her own situation going on in the background. Joanne is an amazing woman and deserves tons of recognition for the stunning job she is doing in her role in Ostara.

From the bottom of my heart, Jo, thank you for everything, I will never forget what you have done for me.—Tania

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