Spotlight on ESP

(Close up of the back of a womans head as she walks forward on grass moving tattooed hands)

Text of moving image: ESP SPOTLIGHT: ROSA

Rosa voice over: ESP has been a lifesaver for us. 

Not just my grandson, but my husband and myself.

The last couple of years have been hell, and, yeah, without them, I don't think we would've survived.

I really don't.

(Screen goes black. A boiling kettle can be heard. It changes to a close up of a kettle and Rosa's hands making a cup of tea.)

Rosa voice over: My grandson as a child was, well, in his early days, very happy and into everything. I guess he was a little bit different, hyperactive and all that sort of thing, but everybody said, "Oh, he's just a normal boy."

(Montage of Rosa's silhouette sitting on a lounge in front windows and close ups of the silhouette of Rosa's head.)

Rosa voice over: It was about him doing what he wanted to do and not worrying about any consequences, I guess.

(Close up of Rosa's hands making a cup of tea and the back of Rosa's head as she takes the tea out to the balcony.)

Rosa voice over: He was just, like, nothing mattered.

No respect, and he had no fear, which in itself is a huge problem. And that was how we first came to know that he had a problem.

Text on black slide: Rosa’s grandson Tom was identified in 2021 as a person vulnerable to right wing violent extremism.

New black slide: This was due to his reported use and interest in extreme right-wing language and weaponry.

New black slide: Tom had a challenging upbringing and was residing with his maternal grandparents when he joined ESP. 

(Montage of Rosa from behind as she drinks the tea and eats while standing on the balcony.)

Rosa voice over: He went to school and things became a little bit more difficult. He wouldn't conform.

He was bullied, all that sort of thing. Very hard to deal with.

(Montage of Rosa's silhouette sitting on a lounge in front windows.)

Rosa voice over: He'd actually come from a primary school where he was in a special unit, and when he went to high school, he was put into mainstream. High school was, yeah, it was the turning point and it was just a nightmare for him.

(Montage of Rosa from behind as she drinks the tea while standing on the balcony.)

Rosa voice over: Too many people, too many different personalities who couldn't cope with his differences. A few times, he was sort of cornered in the playground and not treated too well.

Text on black slide: Tom has been diagnosed with ASD, ADHD and ODD.

(Montage of Rosa sitting at a table outside with her tea, eating a biscuit,  looking at magazines and doing the crossword.)

Rosa voice over: He was diagnosed in primary school, oppositional defiance disorder. That was a big thing and all the questionnaires that we had to fill out, his teachers had to fill out, everything said the same thing. So that was one part of it. And the ADHD was another.

(Montage of Rosa's silhouette sitting on a lounge in front windows.)

Rosa voice over: But at the school that he went to, they tended to not treat him...like he had this condition or they didn't know how, I would say. So he was more or less sat in a corner and there were occasions when they made him sit with his back to the classroom,

(Montage of Rosa sitting at a table outside with her tea, eating a biscuit,  looking at magazines and doing the crossword.)

Rosa voice over: which is really, really bad.

He wouldn't talk to us. He kept everything to himself.

Text on black slide: School was hard for Tom, and he experienced significant behavioural issues.

New black slide: He was expelled for engaging in threats, and violence involving weapons towards other students.

New black slide: There were concerns about the possible intention to develop and use an explosive device on his school and he was reportedly fascinated with Nazism and Brenton Tarrant.

New black slide: Tom also has a reported history of self-harming behaviour and is socially isolated.

(Montage of Rosa walking along a riverbank)

Rosa voice over: When we joined the program, ESP, in 2021, I had never heard of it, and it was just a phone call from someone who introduced themselves. 

(Close up of Rosa's silhouette sitting on a lounge in front windows.)

Rosa voice over:  "Oh, case manager for your grandson," and explained a little bit what it was about. So, you know, "Are you interested?" So we of course said yes, and from there, they came up to visit.

(Montage of Rosa looking out at the river and walking along the riverbank.)

Rosa voice over: In terms of the work that my grandson's done over the last couple of years with ESP, he's come out of his shell a little bit. He'll actually talk to people, which he wouldn't do before.

He'd just sort of grunt or say, "Mm." He's happy to go out and do things with them, just be normal really.

All these pro-social activities have actually helped him come towards more social activities and a better lifestyle. He's certainly come a long way now from what he was.

He actually managed to get his driver's licence, which is good, and that was helped by his case manager. She took him along to that a couple of times. Just interacting with his driving instructor as well, which was really good.

(Montage of Rosa's silhouette sitting on a lounge in front windows and close ups of the silhouette of Rosa's head.)

Rosa voice over: I don't think he would've made any progress without ESP. We were floundering. We didn't know what to do and they just, yeah, pointed us in the right direction.

(Montage of Rosa looking out at the calm river and walking along the riverbank as well as a bird playing in the water and shots of the water passing by.)

Rosa voice over: ESP has been a lifesaver for us, my grandson, but my husband and myself.

Anything that we didn't know, needed to find out, they've gone above and beyond really to find out what we needed to know and to help us.

The last couple of years have been hell and, yeah, without them, I don't think we would've survived.

I really don't.

(Montage of Rosa's silhouette sitting on a lounge in front windows and close ups of the silhouette of Rosa's head.)

Rosa voice over: My advice to anyone who's been contacted or knows about the ESP program is to go with it, definitely. They are so helpful. There's no judgement.

(Montage of looking at the small ripples on the river and of Rosa standing on a jetty looking out at the calm river.)

Rosa voice over: Don't be afraid. Just jump in and take the help that you can get from ESP.

They're absolutely wonderful.

Text on black slide: Contact ESP on: 1800 203 966

esp@dcj.nsw.gov.au  

End of transcript.

(Close up montage of a mans moving tattooed hands)

Text of moving image: ESP SPOTLIGHT: SCOTT

Scott voice over: Everyone thought I would fail. Even the statistics would show that I would fail. But here I am.

Text on black slide: The following film occasionally contains strong language and adult themes, which may be unsuitable for children. Viewer discretion is advised.

New black slide: Scott had a troubled upbringing with no stable family structure. He suffered from neglect, abuse, and lacked a sense of belonging.

(Garage door opens to reveal motorbike in silhouette of Scott moving towards it. Scott's face is not visible at any time in the video.)

Scott voice over: Me background. Fuck. I came from jail, an outlaw motorcycle club, jail, violence, drugs, you name it.

Text over moving image: In his teens he had low self-esteem and resentment towards his siblings of diverse backgrounds.

(Scott's silhouette gets on and starts the motorbike)

New text over moving image: He was vulnerable to the influence of older peers and OMCG's aligned with violent extremist right wing and white supremist ideology. This in turn facilitated the growth of Scott's beliefs.

(Close up montage of Scott's hands on the motorbike and the motorbike)

Scott voice over: When I was younger, riding with the club, it was fuckin' awesome. I loved it. Partying, the women, the bikes, the drugs, but there's only so much your body can take, and there's only so much jail you can take. I was searching for that family, that brotherhood, that sense of belonging, which is what everyone else is searching for that does end up with the club.

(Wide shot of the silhouette of Scott sitting on the bike.)

Scott voice over: But they're not there for you when you're in jail. They're not there helping you when you get out.

Text over moving image: Within custody, gang membership offered Scott security, a sense of group belonging, moral superiority, status and respect.

New text over moving image: In addition a pathway toward formal membership in OMCGs.

(Close up of Scott's hands. He is sitting down and his hands move while he is talking. )

 

Scott voice over: When you've done as long as I've done, you're either gonna end up dead, doing life, or murder.

(Close up of Scott rolling a cigarette.)

Text over moving image: When Scott was released from prison in 2020 he had spent his entire adult life behind bars, never having spent more than 3 months at a time a free man.

Text over moving image: He was focussed on a “new life” for himself.

(Montage of Scott lighting and smoking a cigarette on balcony.)

Scott voice over: When you've done over a decade in jail, learning all of these new skills and life skills that everyone does, you know, day to day, for someone that's in my position, and like other people's position that are gonna look at doing this program, it is hard. It is scary.

(Rain falling on tree tops)

Text over moving image:  When Scott agreed to work with ESP he had no family or friends, no identification, no home and no licence.

New text over moving image: His basic living and communication skills were lacking and he was anxious, overwhelmed and frustrated.

 (Montage. Close up of Scott's arms and hands with his hands move while he is talking. Full shot of Scott's silhouette. He is sitting on a chair in the middle of a lounge room.)

Scott voice over: When you've been in jail for that long, getting out and only knowing one thing, hit the ground running back to the old life, back to the old crew, back to the same drug shit.

Once, like leaving that, it was really hard. I was actually lucky to be on the program with the assistance and the help that I did get. I don't care what anyone says. It's fucken gonna be the hardest journey you're ever gonna go on, especially leaving that whole life behind and starting this new life.

I wish this program come along fucking eight lagons ago.

Everyone thought I would fail.

Even the statistics would show that I would fail.

But here I am.

I've got a beautiful partner now. I've worked really hard for what I've got now. I've got an awesome job.

I've still got the ESP program that support me. When I'm having them shit days, I'll ring up and have a whinge and carry on,

(Montage of Scott on Balcony looking through Harley Davidson brochure and close up of Scott's hands moving while he is talking )

Scott voice over: and, you know, sometimes all you need to hear is someone else's story of success, even failure, you know what I mean, to maybe push you in the right direction of making your mind up.

 (Montage. Close up of Scott's mouth, arms and hands with his hands move while he is talking. Full shot of Scott's silhouette. He is sitting on a chair in the middle of a lounge room.)

Scott voice over: Once you do want to change your life, it's only onward and upward.

You might stumble and fall, but it's only for a couple of seconds, where if you're back in that life, and you stumble and fall, it could be for five years, it could be for 10 years. Fuck. It could even be 20.

(Montage of Scott on Balcony looking through Harley Davidson brochure and close up of Scott's hands moving while he is talking.)

Scott voice over: This program turned my life around completely. I'm actually a productive member of society now, which, fuck, if you had said that five years ago,

(Close up of a flying wooden bird hanging on the balcony)

Scott voice over: everyone would've said you're full of shit. And if that opportunity is there for you to take, I'd take it.

Text on black slide: Contact ESP on: 1800 203 966 esp@dcj.nsw.gov.au   

End of transcript.