Organisation: Department of Defence
Job Title: APS4 Administration Officer
Word Limit: 400 words per Criterion
Location: Brisbane
Supports Strategic Direction
- Supports shared purpose and direction
- Harnesses information and opportunities
As a Social Worker for Defence Community Organisation (DCO), I work to sustain the provision of a range of specialist support services aimed at assisting Defence personnel and their families to address personal, family or service-related issues through assessment, brief counselling services, or referrals to community providers. The work that I undertake supports the shared purpose and direction to assist Defence families make the most of the challenges and opportunities provided by the military way of life. Within my role, I ensure that I keep up-to-date with changing policy and directives through harnessing new information, which ensures that I am able to provide the best possible services to my clients. This has been achieved through maintaining membership with the Australian Association of Social Workers, and following the Defence Collaborate to stay in touch with the latest studies and policies. In instances where I identify a topic of interest or importance, I take initiative to share this information with my team.
During my time working for DCO, I have demonstrated my ability to think strategically to support the delivery of services through taking a long-term perspective regarding the work that I undertake. My success in doing so is testament to my skills in embracing a calculated and deliberate approach regarding the overall intentions of my work and the smaller tasks and goals that underpin these. For example, recently I was afforded the opportunity to work temporarily from the Amberley Air Base and, during this time, I identified that the team were utilising an out-of-date manual to guide their writing of case reports. The reports were being written for Command using an outdated staff duties list, and I recognised the implications that this would cause. Specifically, by sending reports to a Unit that were formatted incorrectly and contained incorrect information, the assessment and recommendations would automatically lose credibility. Taking immediate action, I informed the Amberley Area Manager of my concerns and advised of a suitable course of action. Whilst providing an updated copy of the manual was of utmost priority, I advised that this would also be the perfect opportunity to provide staff with training on the new writing methods. The Area Manager was appreciative of this information and perspective to increase staff capacity. As a result, DCO Amberley would be equipped to produce reports of greater value and in adherence to protocols, thus ensuring their value to our associated stakeholders.
Achieves Results
- Takes responsibility for managing work projects to achieve results
- Experience in providing a high quality customer service to a range of stakeholders and clients
- Responds positively to change
A self-motivated and results-oriented professional, I take responsibility for managing work projects to achieve results. When responsible for a particular project, I constantly review its performance and contribute my expertise to make changes if necessary to ensure positive outcomes and the provision of high quality customer service. In instances where I am faced with change or uncertainty, I respond in a positive and flexible manner, whilst encouraging cooperation with others. During my time working as a Social Worker for DCO, I have demonstrated myself as a high achiever through evaluating projects or work processes, and holding myself accountable for continual improvements that lead to the achievement of positive results.
A key project that I worked on that demonstrates my highly developed skills in this area, involved my management of the review and redesign of the KidSMART Program offered by DCO. KidSMART are a set of four week programs for primary-aged children to help them manage issues arising from posting, relocation and deployment. While organising sign-ups and delivering the program, I received feedback and made observations that the program was not inclusive of children of varied ages. The program was split into two age groups and I found that there was a gap for seven and eight year olds where the program did not adequately meet their needs. As a result of my professional knowledge regarding what is required to successfully facilitate programs such as this; I felt that splitting children into two age groups was not achieving results that were in the best interest of both DCO and the children participating. Using my negotiation skills, I approached my Team Leader to request permission to rewrite the program to be inclusive of all primary-aged children. I established a clear plan and timeframe for the project rewrite and implementation, which was to be the same week as it was to be delivered. Even though this was a tight timeframe, I responded in a positive and flexible manner by ensuring that I prioritised tasks, and made effective use of my colleague’s capabilities by negotiating responsibility to assist me with the rewrite. As a result, I saw this project through to completion and the content was altered to suit all ages of primary-aged children through the utilisation of games and hands-on activities. I received positive feedback from parents and my Supervisor, commending me on creating a fun and interactive program.
Supports Productive Working Relationships
- Nurtures internal and external relationships
- Listens to, understands and recognises the needs of others
- Values individual differences and diversity
- Shares learning and supports others
Throughout my career with DCO, I have demonstrated myself to be an active team member with a record of accomplishment for nurturing relationships in order to enhance productivity and achieve shared outcomes. As a Social Worker, I recognise the importance of working cohesively with my team to support the delivery of our services and as such, I value my colleague’s differences and diversity, and the strengths that each of us bring to the team. This, combined with my ability to listen and respect the views of others whilst sharing learning and supporting them, has added to my success in working within team environments.
This was demonstrated recently when I was tasked to project manage an education forum to showcase the new educational policy being introduced by Defence to support schools with Defence children. My first task involved selecting a team comprising another Social Worker, a Community Development Officer, a Regional Education Liaison Development Officer, and a Family Liaison Officer, all of whom brought a unique perspective to the planning stage. We worked collaboratively to determine a project plan and what we wanted to achieve, then compiled a task list on how to accomplish this. Each task had a due date and we all agreed on delegated roles based on our core strengths, and took responsibility to ensure their completion. I found that holding a weekly meeting ensured that we were on track and provided the opportunity for team input and sharing of information. During one such meeting, a colleague made a suggestion about having a Defence Transition Aide speak at the forum and, subsequent to listening to her reasoning, as a team we agreed this would be beneficial. An additional concern that was brought forward was the fact that the forum was due to be held during a busy time for DCO Social Workers. After discussing the advantages and disadvantages of changing the date of the forum, we agreed that it would be more viable to go ahead with our original plan as realistically only one Social worker would be required to be present. Working cohesively as a team to complete the project ensured that we reached our goals and I valued the opportunity to gain a diverse range of viewpoints, opinions and ideas. As a result, the education forum was a success and the two sessions that we facilitated attracted over 60 attendees in Amberley and 120 in Brisbane.
Displays Personal Drive and Integrity
- Demonstrates public service professionalism and probity
- Promotes and adopts a positive and balanced approach to work
With a demonstrated record of integrity, consistency and a focus on quality service and outcomes, I possess practical experience and a range of professional skills and strengths based on the principles of Government legislation, including the Australian Public Service Act and Anti-discrimination | Equal Employment Opportunity principles. In my current role as a Social Worker, acting honestly, ethically and professionally is of utmost importance and I follow a range of processes covering the fostering of relationships, clear and honest communication, as well as frequent participation in peer and supervisor feedback and evaluation. By doing so, I ensure that my actions and decisions are fair and just, whilst upholding integrity at all times.
As a Social Worker, I have displayed personal conduct that is professional, courteous and beyond reproach. Having worked with clients from diverse cultural backgrounds, I am highly experienced in and committed to serving people without regard to ethnicity, gender or religious affiliation. With Defence comprising a large ethnic cohort, including recruits from Afghanistan, Iraq and India, it has been imperative that I maintain cultural sensitivity in order to engage with these families. This has extended to assisting and supporting Lateral Recruits with sourcing appropriate accommodation within an area that best suits their cultural practice, as well as remaining aware of the cultures that do not consent to a woman speaking with men regarding certain issues. As a member of the Bereavement Support Team, this is particularly important as, during these difficult times, I must be tactful in how I speak with family members regarding how funding for funerals is to be utilised, whilst remaining aware and respectful of a wide range of cultural traditions.
In order to Promote and adopt a positive and balanced approach to work, I have taken on the role of ‘Pathway to Change’ facilitator within my team of Defence Social Workers, which supports Defence’s Statement of Cultural Intent and the strategy for realising that intent. This involves facilitating a meeting with my colleagues every two months where we engage in discussion regarding various aspects of the Pathway to Change Strategy in order to foster a working environment in which all staff members have an unequivocal understanding of expected behaviours within Defence. Personally, I enjoy this time with my colleagues as it provides us with the opportunity to share our own experiences and knowledge with each other, thus strengthening and balancing team cohesion.
Communicates with Influence
- Communicates clearly
- Listens to, understands and adapts to audience
- Negotiates confidently
A confident and highly experienced communicator, I communicate verbally with clients, co-workers, Defence superiors and external stakeholders on a daily basis. Within my current role, I demonstrate my high level of written communication skills through reports, briefs, informal memos, emails and letters. When doing so, I write succinct and organised paragraphs, including maintaining concise structure for clarity. I often write to various levels, including high-level managers, colleagues, and external stakeholders, and I am adept at identifying my audience and using the appropriate style and tone for this audience
With advanced training and experience in social work and counselling services, I demonstrate highly developed communication, problem-solving and negotiation skills. Dedicated to serving as a wellness advocate, my approach is one that offers compassion, empathy, and in-depth expertise to appropriately guide and support clients regardless of their circumstances and needs. These skills have afforded me the benefit of being able to ask questions and provide reports that meet the needs of both my client and DCO. I often find that many of my clients do not have a clear understanding of the guidelines associated with compassionate posting and as such, it has been my duty of care to clearly and empathetically explain the guidelines in simple terms that they understand, whilst focusing on alternative solutions and negotiating options. My ability to do so has resulted in the development of positive rapport with clients and their families, thus enabling me to successfully support Defence families.
Moreover, my communication skills have been utilised extensively to foster active involvement in support programs and education for my clients. This requires that I adjust my communication style accordingly so that I can maintain audience engagement and provide important information about DCO and the services it offers. Upon commencing my role, I was responsible for facilitating a presentation for over 100 Military Personnel on the topic of staying connected with family whilst they are on deployment. Knowing and understanding my audience was imperative to my success as often they would seem like they were not paying attention. I realised the importance of not taking offence, and kept on track with my presentation in a professional manner by focusing on key points and using appropriate, unambiguous language. My successful ability to communicate with influence during the presentation was evident when I was personally thanked by numerous Officers for my input into the Mental Health Week information sessions.
Supports Defence Families
- Operates within the boundaries of organisational processes and policies to provide information to support Defence families
- Uses judgement to identify and resolve problems
- Knowledge of or the ability to quickly acquire the knowledge of current ADF policies and procedures
Having worked for the Australian Defence Force (ADF) since March 2015, I have demonstrated my ability to support Defence Families on a daily basis through the facilitation of a broad range of programs and services focused on assisting them to manage the military way of life. Operating within the boundaries of organisational processes and policies, I am responsible for the provision of information and services that promote self-resilience within my clients so that they are independently able to cope through future concerns or setbacks, thus contributing to a strong, connected and resilient Defence Community.
To respond to the myriad issues faced by my clients, I use my judgement to determine the most appropriate course of action that will support them. This was demonstrated in an instance where I effectively advocated for a high-needs family comprising an Officer with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), his daughter diagnosed with Lupus, and two sons, one of whom was diagnosed with Autism. The client’s Unit was looking to discharge him as he had been medically downgraded to JS1 due to the PTSD medication he was prescribed. Under ADF policies and procedures, at his next MECBOARD, it would have been recommended that he be medically discharged. The impact that this would have on the family was significant in that their income would be greatly reduced and they would be required to find alternative housing, which was particularly difficult considering the numerous medical conditions that the family was managing.
Whilst working with the client, he disclosed that his family had threatened to approach the media and the Fair Go Hotline, thus highlighting to me that this would cause potential risk not just to the family, but also the reputation of ADF if he was discharged. Demonstrating judgement, integrity and common sense, I worked to gather medical reports and personal statements on behalf of my client, which were used in a report to negotiate an extended period for him to continue with his role. Although the situation did not meet the policy criteria for a compassionate posting, I was successful in negotiating another twelve months for my client to enable him to stabilise his family’s health and make plans post discharge. Moreover, I ensured the family was provided with access to resources such as Legacy, who provided three hours of free cleaning per week, as well as Ronald McDonald House who offered their daughter a medical ‘scholarship’.
