An Indigenous man who opted to tattoo his face after becoming despondent has described the toll it has had on his life.
Queenslander Joel Hartgrove enlisted in the military at the age of 21 and considered his service in the eighth and ninth Royal Australian regiments to be his “life employment.”
Then, after serving as a soldier for four years, he sustained a crippling back injury, struggled to adapt to life outside of the Defence Force, and descended into a profound despair.
The 29-year-old claimed to have experienced “racism-like” prejudice because of his tattoos after leaving the army and did not know what to do with his life.
But Mr. Hartgrove ultimately made the decision to train as a paramedic and said he has found it to be a “non-judgmental” profession.
I’ve always thought about being a paramedic, and I done some study on it, but I didn’t think I could do it without finishing high school since I didn’t think I satisfied the educational requirements, he added.
The Wiradjuri man applied to several universities before being accepted by the Australian Catholic University’s Weemala Indigenous center to study paramedicine.
While on placement in Ipswich, Mr. Hartgrove applied to the Indigenous Paramedic Program of Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS), but he was worried about how his tattooed face would be perceived by coworkers and patients.
He admitted, “I was always pretty self-conscious and worried about them; I was really nervous on my first day.”
It can be a little challenging at times because I’ve had folks pull their children away from me and others won’t talk to me.
Prior to becoming a paramedic, “I found the tattoos held me back in my personal life.”
Mr. Hartgrove compared the criticism he faced for having face tattoos to racism or cultural discrimination.
Mr. Hartgrove replied when asked how many tattoos he has, “I’m not 100% sure because they all start to melt in together.”
However, he claimed that the ambulance service, his coworkers, and the cadet program have been a “non-judgemental” environment, and that his facial ink has served as a discussion point that diverts attention from upsetting circumstances.
The job of this organization is non-judgemental; everyone is treated equally, and you help everyone, he stated.
“I get to assist folks when they are at their worst.”
People go through a difficult time when they reach that stage, so it’s good to be able to reassure them or support them on their journey.
Despite having a pleasant experience with the QAS, Mr. Hartgrove has started the process of getting rid of the noticeable face tattoos.
When he got accepted into the institution, he remarked, “Definitely coming from a history in the Defense where it was quite tight, I was apprehensive about the code the ambulance service had for tattoos so I started the process of obtaining laser removal.”
I no longer enjoy them because they don’t really represent my character and I want to appear more professional.
The paramedic cadet expressed his desire to inspire the next generation of indigenous youth through his work and how much he appreciates his position.
“I discovered from my experience that there can occasionally be not positive impacts in all first nations communities,” he stated.
The benefit of this program is that we get to be a familiar face in the neighborhood, which may encourage some people to pursue paramedic or other careers.
According to Angela Parry, senior advisor of the Cultural Capability Unit, which oversees the Indigenous Paramedic Program, the program was first launched in 2012 when a need for representation in distinct Indigenous communities was discovered.
According to Ms. Parry, the program initially centered mostly on the distinct communities but has since expanded to encompass much more, including the workforce’s representation of the community.
If they don’t see people who look like them in the workforce, Ms. Parry claimed, “they are reluctant to call a service.”
“The program is great because we get the rich history from people like Joel that we might not have gotten through other recruitment channels.”
“Our indigenous cadets are a source of pride for their communities and help them see themselves in the ambulance service.”
The program’s current cohort consists of 57 cadets who are enrolled in various stages of the three-stage curriculum in 36 locations throughout Queensland.
Australians described Mr. Hartgrove as a “legend” and expressed their appreciation for the tattooed cadet in a Facebook post shared by Queensland Ambulance Services (QAS) on Wednesday.
One person said, “Skin is skin Joel, it’s what’s on the inside that counts, your actual self is within your soul.”
Another comment read, “One role serving the community to another role serving the community – you’re a legend Joel.”
Well done and thank you for your time in the military and what you’re doing today, said another person. Never judge a book by its cover, they say.
After his training is through in two weeks, Mr. Hartgrove will be given the responsibility of representing the QAS at the South Brisbane Ambulance Station.
He aspires to finish his education, work as a critical care or flight paramedic, and mentor local indigenous youths.
There is always a way to get where you want to go, he continued, no matter where you come from or what kind of upbringing, influences, or education you received.
There is always a way to achieve where you want to be, so keep trying even though it might be harder for you than for some other individuals.