*Jacqui pictured in the middle with her Train group*

With a background and education in animal behaviour, and decades of experience working with animals, Jacqui has long understood the powerful role they can play in people’s lives.

When she first joined Happy Paws Happy Hearts (HPHH) nearly three years ago, she was navigating a period of change, feeling “quite withdrawn” as she adjusted to life after an acquired disability and searched for a way to reconnect with purpose, passion, and herself again.

What she did know was that animals had always offered her a sense of connection and perhaps they could show her away forward.

With a referral from her support worker, Jacqui joined HPHH as part of an NDIS funded program, where she could work with animals while focusing on her own psychosocial wellbeing. She was drawn to the hands-on experience with animals and the chance to reconnect with others in a supportive environment.

Jacqui recalls her first experience with the program as feeling like, “a natural fit from the very beginning”. What she didn’t expect was how much she would continue to learn and open herself to new experiences.

Through engaging in sessions week after week, Jacqui’s knowledge deepened, not just in animal training techniques, but in broader areas like animal physiology and care.

“I found myself like a sponge,” she shared. “I just soak everything up and I learn something new every day, not just from the Program Trainers or RSPCA Queensland staff, but from other participants too.” Alongside that learning came something equally important: connection.

Looking back on her early days at HPHH, Jacqui describes feeling closed off, with the idea of meeting new people feeling deeply challenging. Over time, within the program’s small group environment, those barriers began to ease as she formed genuine connections with others.

Fast-forward a few years, Jacqui has not only found a strong support network, but formed meaningful, lasting friendships that now extend outside the walls of HPHH sessions; something deeply meaningful to Jacqui.

When asked what she is most proud of from her time at HPHH, it was the willingness to be open to new experiences and similarly, open to receiving positive feedback to help her grow, all which led her journey to shift from being a participant, to becoming a valued volunteer.

“I’ve become a more confident person,” she says, “not just with animals, but with people. I am a different person”.

When the opportunity to become a volunteer was first suggested to Jacqui, she admitted to feeling hesitant initially. But, with gentle encouragement from her Program Trainer, she decided to give it a go.

*Jacqui training with rescue animal at RSPCA*

That decision became another turning point.

Stepping into a volunteer role brought a new layer of purpose, one that combined her existing skills with lived experience, and her deep desire to give back. Jacqui was now supporting participants in the very environment that once supported her.

When asked what her feelings were when she transitioned from participant to volunteer, Jacqui answered simply: “It was exciting,” she said.

Jacqui has been volunteering with HPHH for over two years now and describes the experience as deeply rewarding. For her, it is not only having the opportunity, but also the trust, to support others on their own journeys, while making a meaningful difference in the lives of rescue animals.

As a volunteer, Jacqui has witnessed firsthand the same kinds of meaningful moments that shaped her own experience.

Participants who once struggled to openly participate, who have now become valued voices contributing to sessions; participants who were non-verbal now confidently communicating in ways comfortable to them; to participants who struggled to attend a full 3-hour session to openly expressing their intent to stay, in part, due to Jacqui’s dependable and supportive presence.

“Just today, we had a participant who has a long-standing fear of large dogs”, Jacqui shared, “Each session, when a bigger dog entered the room, he would choose not to engage. But today, with a beautiful Greyhound in session, I gently passed him the lead and said, ‘You can do it—you have the confidence.’ To my surprise and absolute delight, he took it and stood there independently and comfortably handling the Greyhound,” she shared.

Whether it’s someone taking courageous steps for the first time, or a participant choosing to stay or speak up in session because they feel safe and supported, these small shifts carry big meaning.

“That’s what I get the most out of volunteering,” she shares. “Seeing that progress and growth, not just in participants but for shelter animals too, and knowing I can be part of it.”

Jacqui continues to attend sessions as a participant alongside her volunteer role, something she sees as essential to her ongoing growth.

“I’m still learning,” she said, reflecting that whether someone is a participant or a volunteer, the HPHH environment is one where learning and growth are continuous.

Her journey also highlights something important: volunteering isn’t the starting point; it’s part of the pathway. By first experiencing the program as a participant, Jacqui shared how she built not only skills and confidence, but a deep understanding of the environment, the animals, and the people within it. That foundation made her transition into volunteering feel natural, and far less daunting.

Today, Jacqui is looking forward to what’s next. With a desire to combine her background in animal behaviour, her lived experience, and her passion for supporting others, she’s exploring pathways which can blend every part of her journey.

When asked what she would say to someone considering joining HPHH, Jacqui’s answer is simple: “Do it… and stick with it. Growth doesn’t happen overnight, but with time with patience, and the willingness to try”.

Jacqui’s story is a testament to that. From stepping into something new, to finding connection, purpose, and the confidence to give back.