It was a few years ago now that Sonia Squires walked away from a "very unpleasant relationship"
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Now the West Wollongong woman is aiming to help other women who have experienced domestic violence.
Removing women from violent situations is the 43-year-old Aboriginal mother of one's end goal.
A new program at TAFE Nowra is putting Ms Squires on a path to make a positive difference in the lives of people dealing with domestic violence.
"A few years ago I walked out of a very unpleasant relationship," she said.
"It was on that journey that I came across the Eve project - basically it is a program that empowers women to get back on their feet after walking away from these sorts of relationships.
"The project gives women the tools and helps them through their journey that they're on.
"It was on that journey that I realised exactly what I wanted to do. I'm now doing everything possible to become a police officer.
"I've always had a love for the police force and passion for it, especially when it comes to helping people and the community.
"We actually went for an excursion to the Goulburn Academy and that is where I actually fell in love with the police force."
For now, she is completing the Foundation Skills for the Future Program in preparation for the Indigenous Police Recruitment Our Way Delivery Program (IPROWD).
Ms Squires plans to user her qualifications to gain entry to the NSW Police.
"I know if I follow this pathway and make it to a career in the police, I will be able to help people facing domestic violence make a change for the better," she said.
"I've always had ambitions to join the police, but life took a different turn for me. Now I'm back on that path."
Ms Squires is among the first at TAFE Nowra to enrol in the federal government's Foundation Skills for the Future program.
The program is designed to strengthen education foundations across literacy, numeracy, language, and digital literacy for the purpose of undertaking further training.
Ms Squires said the program had given her self-confidence a much-needed boost.
"This course gets back to basics. It is developing those skills I need to improve," she said.
"I never enjoyed mathematics, but with the support of my teachers, I have maths work where I have every answer right. It's a real confidence boost, it's huge for me and I'm excited."
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Agron Latifi
Wollongong born and bred. I love reporting about the Illawarra region and have been doing it for more than 20 years. I've moved into sport recently after covering the education round for the last five plus years for the Illawarra Mercury. It's been a great pleasure.
Wollongong born and bred. I love reporting about the Illawarra region and have been doing it for more than 20 years. I've moved into sport recently after covering the education round for the last five plus years for the Illawarra Mercury. It's been a great pleasure.
