The Courage to Start Again:
How Sasha Found a Place to
Belong at Uniting Communities

After arriving in South Australia, she found the kind, supportive community she needed at Uniting Communities. Today, this former journalist thrives as a Community Aged Care Worker, building a better life and future not only for hers.

A journey of resilience and care

The ability to truly listen to someone, to build trust and nurture a meaningful connection, is a powerful skill. It’s one that Sasha Koshurnikova honed as a journalist in Ukraine and now brings to her role as a Community Aged Care Worker with Uniting Communities.

“I love communicating with people,” Sasha says. “I’m genuinely interested in my clients’ stories. They come from all different backgrounds and places, and they have so many amazing stories to share.”

Sasha has her own remarkable story - one of resilience, compassion and drive.

With the escalation of political tensions and military activities in her home country of Ukraine, Sasha began to fear for the future. She made the difficult decision in 2017 to make a new life in South Australia.

“I had two small children, aged seven and almost three, and I wanted them to be safe. Moving to Australia was challenging. It meant leaving my parents and my career as a journalist. I also had no idea how to get a job here.”

With little financial or social support, Sasha eventually found part-time roles as an office cleaner and a social media marketer. She also began building friendships. One friend who worked at Uniting Communities felt Sasha would be a great fit for an Aged Care Worker position and encouraged her to apply.

“I had taken care of my parents before they passed away, but that had been my only real experience in aged care. I have always enjoyed the company of older people, so I applied anyway. From my first interview, I felt welcomed and supported. I was offered the role - I couldn’t believe how lucky I was.”

At Uniting Communities, Sasha not only found the stability she needed, but she also discovered a genuinely supportive place where she could truly belong.

People here are compassionate. Not every organisation understands that you can have troubles and challenges in life. I have always felt welcomed and supported at Uniting Communities. It’s one of those rare places where you feel cared about.”

Enriching lives, one day at a time

Sasha has embraced every opportunity to develop her skills since joining our Community Aged Care team in 2020. Recognising her potential, Uniting Communities sponsored her enrolment in a Certificate III in Individual Support. This qualification expanded her capabilities beyond domestic help and social support, enabling her to provide medical assistance and personal care to clients.

“This was an unbelievable opportunity for me,” Sasha says. “Not only did Uniting Communities cover the cost of this qualification, but I also got paid for the hours I spent in college.”

Supporting older people to live with choice, dignity and independence in their own homes isn’t for the faint of heart. It requires patience, perseverance and genuine care. For Sasha, the relationships she nurtures with her clients and the meaningful difference she makes in their lives inspire her daily.

“I love seeing how happy my clients are to see me, and I feel the same way. Even if what I do for them is something small, like cleaning or having a coffee with them, the feeling of helping them be a bit happier and more independent is priceless.”

As Sasha has grown and flourished in her role as a Care Worker, she has also been able to flex her journalistic skills on secondment with our Communications and Marketing team.

“That was an unbelievably enjoyable experience. It awoke my journalist’s muscles. The team was incredible, and I’m very grateful to my manager for being so understanding and supportive of my secondment. It was like a blast from the past for me, but I also learnt a lot, which I’m grateful for.”

A career to feel good about

Beyond her professional life, Sasha cherishes time with her two children while nurturing her wellbeing through yoga and fitness. Her part-time schedule at Uniting Communities provides the flexibility she needs for a fulfilling work-life balance.

Looking ahead, Sasha is passionate about enriching the lives of even more South Australians through her role as a Care Worker. For those inspired to join a team where genuine care creates real change, she offers this heartfelt insight:

“This is a job you can feel good about. It’s not a job for everyone - you really have to be compassionate. But if you appreciate people and their stories, and if you have a genuine desire to improve lives, Uniting Communities is a very rewarding career path.”