On hunt for dream career
Crowds gathered at the Tokoroa Event Centre in search of their dream career during the Careers START Expo on Monday.
Volunteers gathered together to share and exchange information about hobbies, jobs and experiences that they are interested and involved in.
Silent Warriors advocate, creator, and support person Jessica Paterson was one of many people who had a stall at expo.
The programme is for people suffering silent battles, for example chronic fatigue syndrome, diabetes, depression and anxiety, Paterson said.
‘‘It is youth-based and we do things like the tough guy challenge to show that we are like warriors and that we stick together and we can get through anything.’’
Paterson went through her own journey last year suffering from Chronic fatigue syndrome and said there wasn’t much support available for youth.
She was now she is making it her goal to assure other people suffering silent battles are not alone.
Paterson made a Facebook page available to everyone, and recently won a change maker of the year award for youth.
The programme is currently Tokoroa based but would like to spread once it gets more recognised.
‘‘My ultimate goal would be that someone could notice a friend and say ‘hey you know I think you are going thorough a tough time, you can go to the Silent Warriors
page’.’’
Jessica Paterson was one of many people who had a stall at expo.