A purple beacon of hope for Logan residents
Every Tuesday morning, a bright purple and white van pulls up to Station Road in Logan Central.
To those in the know, it’s a meeting place for people who need support, run by volunteers from charity, 4 Voices.
Founded by Jo Westh, 4 Voices helps empower vulnerable people experiencing isolation, domestic violence, homelessness, or digital exclusion.
“Creating 4 Voices last year was about me finding my own voice, and helping others find theirs.”
— Jo Westh
Most importantly, they encourage people to find their voice.
‘I’ve been discriminated against, sexually harassed and bullied for many years in the workplace. Through it all, I kept my mouth shut because of mortgage, bills, taxes, debts to pay and kids to raise as a single parent,’ Jo says.
‘I was ashamed of the messages I was sending to my kids – to my three sons that it’s okay to mistreat women, to my daughter that regardless the treatment, just stay quiet.
‘Creating 4 Voices last year was about me finding my own voice, and helping others find theirs.’
The 4 Voices purpose-built van, Aurora, is at the heart of this organization and is fitted out with mobile phones, laptops, tablets, printers and most importantly, a coffee machine.
Completely solar powered, courtesy of local social enterprise Substation 33, volunteers provide much needed social and digital connection.
‘We share coffee and talk about family, memories and stories,’ Jo says.
‘We help them with technology, finding jobs and shelter, completing forms, claiming allowances – it’s really all about connection, whatever that word means to a person.’
Now with 160 volunteers, 4 Voices has created a support network that spans Logan, Brisbane and Ipswich. For more details, visit the 4voices website.
By June Ho