Self-confessed “bloke’s bloke” and former coalminer Paul Pereira knows only too well the dangers of bottling up emotions.
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He saw first hand how his colleagues wrestled with their demons and longed to help his mates through their tough times.
But it was only after tragedy struck a fellow miner that Mr Pereira acted on his desire and took the first tentative steps towards a career in mental health.
‘’I could always talk to people, that wasn’t the problem. But I didn’t have the skills needed to help them. After the incident I decided I would take the plunge and go to TAFE,’’ the Fairy Meadow father-of-three said.
The incident he refers to happened in December 2014. A miner was killed underground and Mr Pereira’s colleagues were plunged into grief.
We were big, tough coalminers who thought a few drinks would take care of every problem.
- Paul Pereira
“I spent a lot of time with [the deceased’s] workmate who was the first person at the accident scene,” Mr Pereira said.
“We were big, tough coalminers who thought a few drinks would take care of every problem.
“Eventually, I convinced him to see a counsellor. He agreed and later told me that I’d helped him back from a very dark place.”
The 53-year-old said looking back, taking the leap of faith and enrolling in a Certificate IV in Mental Health at TAFE NSW Wollongong campus, was the best decision he’s ever made.
“But at the time it wasn’t an easy choice,” Mr Pereira said.
‘’I was over 50 and had just been retrenched. I was also in the midst of a marriage breakdown so starting a new career was daunting.
“I hadn’t studied since school. I don’t think I’d even as much as written a letter since school. I was so worried I couldn’t do it.”
But he knew that he was in the right place as soon he started his course.
“The teachers were just amazing and supported me so much,” Mr Pereira said.
“They say ‘you can’t teach an old dog new tricks’ but I disagree.
“I feel blessed. I’ve never been happier”
Mr Pereira graduated with a Diploma of Counselling last month and now works full-time as a mental health worker for Flourish Australia in Wollongong, after initially doing a two-month work placement.
‘’I was suddenly working with people who had experienced mental health conditions….I was using that knowledge I had just learned and I literally fell in love with the place, the job and the people,” Mr Pereira said.
“Being able to help people made me the happiest I had ever felt.
“I’ve found where I was meant to be and I owe so much of it to TAFE.”
Visit www.tafensw.edu.au or call 131 601 for information on TAFE semester 1 courses.