At 19, Taj is learning how to live and not just exist.

He is cooking his own meals. Walking most afternoons. Lining his living space with thriving green plants. Slowly building a life in the quiet comfort of a home that is finally his.

But it was not always like this.

For the first 10 years of his life, Taj did not step foot outside the house he was raised in. His mother lives with agoraphobia and rarely stepped beyond the front yard. As a result, neither did he.

“I didn’t go to the beach when I was a child. I didn’t go to the park. I didn’t go to community events like other kids did. I just stayed inside.”

He filled the silence with old gaming consoles and books. Those were the things that made me feel like I could be part of something, even if I was not out there in the world yet.”

When he hit his teens, things did not get easier. Taj cycled between unstable and unsafe homes, sleeping on floors, in overcrowded rooms, or outside when there was no other option. At one point, he was sleeping at the bottom of Mt Taylor with nothing but a sleeping bag.

“It is strange. When you are going through it, you do not always feel scared,” he says. “You just focus on what comes next. I was in survival mode. I didn’t think about how bad it was until I wasn’t out there anymore.”

During Taj’s experience of homelessness, there was no kitchen to cook in. No fridge to keep food. No way to prepare anything warm or fresh. So he relied on fast food: cheap, easy and available.

“I was spending everything I had on takeaway. I did not know what else to do. I gained more than 40 kilos during this time.”

At only 18 years old, trying to hold himself together after being discharged from an inpatient mental health care unit. Diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder Level 2, Major Depressive disorder and social anxiety, and having experienced complex trauma from a very young age, Taj had no support network, no services, and no roof over his head.

“I did not have a safe place to go. But I love my parents and my family.”

This reflects Taj’s strength; that he can acknowledge the love he feels for his family while also recognising that the environments he lived in were not safe or stable enough to support his wellbeing.

Taj’s life changed when he was referred to EveryMan. With the help of his advocate and EveryMan Case Manager, and previous Brumbies star Jone Tawake, Taj finally secured a unit of his own. Four walls. A door that locks. And a bed.

“I started with an air mattress on the floor. Slowly, I built it up. A real bed, furniture, plants. It is the first time I have had a space that is mine.”

Taj credits Jone with helping him rebuild from the ground up. 

“Jone has helped me with the big things and the small things. Whether it is sorting out Centrelink or changing a light bulb, he shows up. he cares. And that makes a big difference.”

Now, Taj keeps his unit spotless. He cooks nutritious meals, has lost over 50 kilos, and gets out into the world, even if it still makes him a little bit anxious.

“I did not grow up doing things like catching a bus or going to a restaurant. So, every little thing is new. But I am doing them. I still feel nervous, but I go anyway.”

Taj’s transformation has not been loud. It has been careful, intentional and earned. He has learned how to budget, how to look after himself and how to speak up when something does not feel right. When a support service does not work, he picks up the phone and finds another one.

He wants to return to study, maybe horticulture or community services, but right now, he needs a job to pay the bills. 

“I have applied for over 50 jobs since April. I just need one person to give me a chance.”

Through it all, Taj remains steady, determined and hopeful. He is learning to live in the world he was once shut out from. In doing so, he is showing what is possible when someone has safety, dignity and the right support.

“I missed out on a lot,” he says. 

“But I am still young. I have got time. And now, I have got a place to start from.”

Written by Stacey Murray