Right up until late high school I dreamed of becoming a famous actor, but then I discovered my love for psychology and legal studies and that sent me on a completely different path! I completed an Advanced Diploma of Justice straight after high school and loved every minute of it. It was during a prison visit with TAFE that I knew I really wanted to work with forensic clients and make a difference. Meeting with people in prison and listening to their stories was so valuable and opened my eyes to the struggles that people experience and the circumstances that may lead to time in custody. The best part of working in this field is being privileged enough to share people’s stories and why I was so drawn to work for ACSO. Before joining ACSO I’ve had experience working in child protection, community corrections, youth and family support, and youth justice.
Working with ReStart was a wild ride and there was never a dull moment! ReStart is fast paced, full of challenges, and every day was different. When I started with ReStart I had no idea how many people exit prison into homelessness with nothing more than the clothes on their back and literally have to start from scratch. ReStart is an incredible program and provides everything from practical support to advocacy, referrals and case management, and everything in between.
I learnt so much in those two years and was lucky enough to work alongside some incredible people, and support hundreds of participants to transition back into the community from prison. Recently an opportunity to work in Assertive Outreach Service came along and I jumped at the chance to try something new and enhance my skills as a case worker. I already knew everyone in the AOS team, so it has been an easy transition so far. I am in my fourth week with AOS.
Having only just started with AOS I am super keen to embrace this new challenge and learn as much as I can within this program. I really love working within the prison system so maybe a stint with ReConnect could be on the cards down the track.
My favourite part of this role is getting to know participants, building rapport, and supporting them on their journey for however long that may be. I also really love networking and building relationships with other organisations and stakeholders. Advocacy is a huge part of the work that we do, so it makes sense to have strong professional relationships with other support services to get the best outcomes for our participants. Just like it takes a village to raise a child, it can take a professional village to support a participant and really provide a holistic response.
ACSO is such a great organisation to work for, and everyone is so welcoming and inclusive. There are so many opportunities within ACSO, and I have always felt truly supported by my leaders and colleagues.
A moment that I am most proud of from my time at ACSO was supporting a participant through her first successful ReStart episode. This participant had been a client of ReStart many times and had historically gone MIA once released back into the community and had returned to drug use and homelessness. This time around we developed a great rapport and I met with her at least ten times while she was in custody. Taking the time to get to know her and listen to what she needed led her to trust me and want to engage with services. She made such a huge effort to turn her life around after doing some soul searching and was just a delight to work with. By the end of her ReStart episode she had remained drug free, reconnected with family and culture, moved into stable accommodation and had become a grandmother for the first time. I am proud that I was able to support her on her journey and see how happy and thriving she was at the end.
Working with the most vulnerable clients in the community and supporting them to navigate systems and get their lives back on track amongst chaos and other challenges really ignites my belief in humanity. I have worked with many participants who have been stuck in a cycle of incarceration and homelessness, but focusing on the small wins and successes, and acknowledging the incredible strength and resilience of the people we work with is so rewarding to be a part of.
I will be throwing a big party when I have finished all that study! I was lucky enough to attend the Complex Needs Conference recently which was so inspiring and left me feeling excited about the work that I do, and the work that I hope to do in the future. I am passionate about working with women and children in the family violence space, would love to one day work in a remote Indigenous community, and would also like to work in the courts and try out a role within Victoria Police. I want to do it all!
Outside of work, uni and running a busy household, I like to spend time with my four kids and go on little adventures. We live down the peninsula, so we spend lots of time at the beach, bushwalking, camping, and exploring our beautiful back yard. I love festivals, musicals, dancing, road trips, dressing up and my new obsession – hot pilates! I am a social butterfly and so are my kids, so my weekends are usually pretty jam packed!
