May 24th 2018
To Greater Shepparton City Council
I am a current resident at The Cottage in Shepparton and would like to inform concerned Community members and the Shepparton City Council of the nature of The Cottage Life Skills Program as I understand it.
It is my understanding that The Cottage is not a Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation facillity, but rather a program and facility that works toward giving residents general life skills, encourages good habits/behaviours and gives the adequet support that ensures residents gather during and leave with the tools they need for an improved new lifestyle.
Since being a resident at the Cottage I have been fortunate enough to experience a peace of mind that I had never been introduced to, open to or aware of in the past. This has allowed me to experience a new sense of community, become strongly family orientated, made me open to culture/religion, free me from bias opinions and discover a new sense of happiness and feeling of content beyond what I had ever imagined.
I would like to convey my gratitude for the opportunity to have a safe place to go in order to actively address, focus and deal with some of my lifes problems from both the past and present in a timely manner that personally suits me.
I have settled in to my new environment and begun to explore some of my long avoided issues by beginning the 12 step program of recovery, linking in and attending community groups within the Shepparton area.
Also by participating in informal cooking, bus trips, art group and other group activities with and outside of The Cottage as encouraged by The Staff whom have all recovered from addiction themselves and whom display an obvious passion to help other people achieve success in conquering some of the same issues and gain freedom in their lives. I am moved and humbled by the opportunity to be a resident of The Cottage Life Skills program.
Yours Sincerely
Current resident of The Cottage.