Bunbury resident driven to help others

A compassionate heart and a desire to help others are the driving forces behind Lozz Williams’ involvement in many aspects of the South West community.

As a youth worker, Lozz does what she can to support and give back to those who are in less fortunate situations than herself.

Lozz said she became involved with youth work because she wanted to be able to help people who were in similar scenarios to her younger self.

I had nowhere to go when I was young and I was kind of lost so I thought I needed to be that person for others.

Rattling off the list of community groups she was involved with on her fingers, Lozz smiled to herself as she realised she had reached a vast number of community members through her volunteering.

“I’m involved with Grow South West, Bunbury Local Drug Action Group, Choose Respect and Bunbury Epilepsy Support Group — it is a lot when you count it,” she said, laughing.

“The groups all flow from each other and helping out is great.”

“Obviously having epilepsy helps, I feel like you’re more relatable than talking to someone about it who doesn’t understand on a different level.”

Lozz has lived with epilepsy for a big part of her life and has faced a long list of struggles because of the illness, some of which include daily medication, tiredness and seizures.

I have to fight every day to get up and just turn up.

Twelve years ago, Lozz became involved with the Bunbury LDAG, where she now is the convenor and the youngest, longest standing member.

“It’s a great service,” she said. “I could never imagine leaving them to be honest.

“Alcohol has been a huge issue for so many people and I have a passion for fetal alcohol spectrum disorder awareness.

“I just think it’s 100 per cent incurable but 100 per cent preventable, so why would you even risk it?”

For Lozz, the thing she loves most about being involved with community groups is the opportunity to leave a lasting impression on someone.

I love the reaction you get when you share information to people who have never heard it before and then them coming on board because they want to make a difference as well.

When reflecting on her achievements over the years, Lozz said being successful was about the journey, not the end result.

“I think it’s about being and doing the best you can with whatever you have,” she said.

“Always striving for something, it doesn’t matter if you get there.

When she is not helping others, Lozz runs her own photography business and expresses herself through an array of creative pastimes such as singing, acting and art.

“I’ve always taken photos and then I thought, why not try and make some money doing what you love?,” she said.

“I had to leave uni for a while due to health and it was the perfect opportunity.

It’s pretty special when someone trusts you enough to capture their private moments.

With her plate filled with working, volunteering, managing a major health issue and running a photography business, Lozz seems to have mastered the balancing act.

“I just do what I’ve got to do and take it day by day,” she said.

“Some days you want to get up and do it and some days you don’t — you’ve just got to push yourself to do it when you can and make the most of what you’ve got.”