member's stories:

My name is Paul and I would like to share my story with you.

I heard about Stepping Stone when I was on the management committee of the Schizophrenia Fellowship and Warren Sparrow the first director who came to Brisbane and gave a talk about clubhouse and The Fellowship decided we would start one up in 1993.

Stepping Stone has been a big help to me, especially the work ordered day and doing the tours. I became a member in 2000 but before that I was on the committee. Once we received the needed funding to buy and renovate this place, everything just fell into place. I remember we started with just 3 staff and 4 members. Warren Sparrow and Francis LA Pierre from America did the first TE job. Phillip Smith was the first catering manager. They got things going very well. Now, we have 18 staff and more than 800 members, and 14 TE jobs and more to come.

Before Stepping Stone, I used to sleep all day and pace around all night and that was my life without any purpose. I didn’t have any friends at all. I didn’t have any associations, no connections and no networking. I believe in the member’s rights and am grateful to Stepping Stone for a place to belong to and to socialize, to work and to have amazing meaningful relationships.

I believe in the members’ rights and I’m grateful to Stepping Stone for a place to belong, to work, and to have amazing, meaningful relationships.

My favourite moment at Stepping Stone was when I opened with Cameron Dick and Anastacia Palaszczuk and when we put the floor over and moved the cafe downstairs.