If you get an opportunity to apply, definitely apply. I feel more settled in Adelaide, more confident, more connected. Cowork Coplay helped me get there so much faster than I would have on my own.
When Jodilee Menezes arrived in Adelaide with her family for their first Defence posting, she expected a fresh chapter. Instead, she found herself overwhelmed by a whirlwind of change: new motherhood, a new city and a sudden pause in her medical career.
“I was navigating being a Defence family for the first time,” she recalls. “We didn’t know anyone in South Australia. With a five-month-old baby, no support network and my husband adjusting to Defence life himself, it was a lot.”
At the same time, she was experiencing postpartum anxiety, something she didn’t recognise until much later. Her days at home felt long and isolating.
“I only talked to my husband or my baby for five months. That was my whole social life.”
With her GP training briefly on hold, she started exploring the practicalities of continuing her training in South Australia, hopeful about the opportunities the new state could offer.
That’s when she found the Cowork Coplay program and everything began to shift.
Creating space to breathe again
Jodilee initially joined the program to focus on her Graduate Diploma in Child Health, but quickly realised the sessions offered something more valuable.
“It was three hours a week of learning to let go,” she says.
“Because of my postpartum anxiety, it was really hard to physically separate from my baby. Just three hours of not being ‘mum’ was a weird experience, but it was good for both of us.”
Those weekly sessions became the first consistent time she had for herself.
Just as importantly, they connected her with other Defence and veteran spouses who understood the pressures she was facing. Friendships began forming naturally, offering the support and reassurance she had been missing.
“Cowork Coplay gave me friendships I still have now – people I can actually turn to in an emergency. I didn’t have that before.”
Rebuilding confidence, career and wellbeing
With encouragement from the group, Jodilee sought ongoing support through Open Arms to continue her growth after postpartum anxiety.
Over time, she felt her confidence return. She enrolled her son in daycare two days a week, allowing her to return to hospital work, resume postgraduate study and begin transitioning back into GP practice. Routine returned to her life, along with a renewed sense of purpose.
“My life isn’t chaotic anymore,” she says.
“I’ve become a better wife, a better mom, a better person and doctor – just because I was able to fix that social part of my life and my mental health.”
A stronger future for her whole family
Jodilee’s investment in herself through participating in the program delivered stability, clarity and a renewed sense of belonging. Cowork Coplay also helped her and her husband plan personally and financially, using goal-setting tools to map out their next steps.
Her message to other Defence and veteran partners is simple: “If you get an opportunity to apply, definitely apply. I feel more settled in Adelaide, more confident, more connected. Cowork Coplay helped me get there so much faster than I would have on my own.”
For Jodilee, the program didn’t just support her through a difficult period, it helped her reclaim the future she had worked so hard for.
“It changed everything,” she says. “I’m really grateful.”
About the Cowork Coplay program
Veterans SA is proud to support Cowork Coplay, an innovative eight‑week program designed for families of current and former-serving ADF members. The program is delivered by Human Quotient Group, a veteran family social enterprise.
The program helps participants build social connections while progressing career or study goals, offering access to modern coworking facilities, onsite child‑minding, mentoring workshops and a supportive community environment.
Applications for the 2026 intake are now open.
