Organisation: Bond University
Job Title: Student Counsellor
Word Limit: 3 pages
Location: Bond University Robina Queensland
A postgraduate qualification in psychology or social work, registration as a psychologist or social worker in QLD and eligibility for relevant professional membership
Demonstrating my commitment to a successful career in social work and community services, I possess relevant tertiary qualifications including a Bachelor of Arts in Social Work in addition to Diploma of Arts in Disability Care. As a current professional member of the Australian Association of Social Workers, I understand the supreme importance of remaining up-to-date with relevant industry developments, regulations and best practice methodologies through my own research and participation in networking events. This includes active subscriptions to related social work publications, as well as a dedicated interest in news and current affairs. I have applied this knowledge and code of ethics into my daily work practices, to guide and encourage youths and adults from all backgrounds and diversities towards a fulfilling life. As a passionate and driven individual with a commitment to supporting others to achieve their goals, I strongly believe that with the right opportunities anything is possible, even for disadvantaged people or those with disabilities and mental health conditions. My qualifications are further supported by 15 years of experience providing professional and confidential counselling services with organisations including Queensland Health, Centrelink, Anglicare and Education Queensland.
Proven experience in counselling, particularly in a tertiary setting, and in dealing with a range of problems pertinent to students, e.g. personal, social, cultural, academic, career and financial
In numerous social work roles throughout my career, I have demonstrated my ability to provide intensive case work support, crisis intervention and therapeutic and emergency care to children, youths and adults in a wide range of circumstances. This includes the effective delivery of programs and services to facilitate the supervision, caring and development of children and young people in an educational setting. A good example of this was demonstrated during my employment with Education Queensland (EQ) where I acted in the role of Teacher’s Aide specialising in the design and facilitation of evidence-based programs for students with disabilities and behavioural challenges. During this time, I was head-hunted by the Principal Education Officer to provide coaching to South East Queensland teachers in regards to best practice frameworks and learning strategies designed to meet the individual needs of students. Additionally, I collaborated as a member of a multidisciplinary team of teachers, families, schools, regional personnel and external agencies to set up an Autism Spectrum Disorder Unit dedicated to assisting students on the autism spectrum to achieve positive educational outcomes.
Through my experience to date, I have personally provided counselling services to individuals dealing with homelessness, mental illness, disability and alcohol and drug issues and witnessed the impact that these issues can have on the personal, social, cultural, family, academic, vocational and everyday needs of an individual. For example, in my role as a Social Worker with Spiritus (Anglicare) Foster Care, I coordinated foster care placements for children and youths entering into supervised care. Often they were dealing with mental health conditions, disabilities, substance abuse or challenging family circumstances and were not equipped with the basic living skills and tools that others take for granted. As a result, this made it difficult for them to work or study effectively and often caused mental, physical and financial anguish that prevented normal daily function. Committed to enhancing their quality of life, I worked closely with the youths to develop their social and living skills in order to support their effective transition into the community and reunification or reconnection with their families. This experience equipped me with a thorough understanding of the issues and problems that character adolescence, enabling me to tailor my approach and encourage participation in activities based on their individual needs, wants and interests.
Proven experience with a range of counselling styles e.g. crisis counselling, individual and group counselling, group presentations, cross-cultural counselling and occupational counselling and mediation
In my role as a Social Worker with the Gold Coast Hospital (Queensland Health), I applied a range of counselling services to help patients and their families understand a particular illness, work through the emotions of a diagnosis and offer support about the decisions that needed to be made. This included providing clinical assessments and instigating appropriate treatment or interventions when required to ensure the effective delivery of recovery-focussed services. A key component of my role was to initiate, plan and lead workshops and psychotherapeutic programs in response to a wide range of issues, including impairment, illness, death, bereavement, domestic violence, sexual health, drug abuse, homelessness, child protection and aged care. For example, I regularly delivered group treatment sessions to encourage awareness and support for those with similar problems, such as homeless teens, those with sexual health issues or young mothers who have experienced domestic abuse. In this capacity, I guided the discussions, introduced healthy problem-solving techniques and provided realistic strategies to help patients and their families address and resolve the social, financial and psychological problems related to their health condition. My counselling style encompassed a wide range of effective strategies, including mindfulness, creative arts, psychosynthesis, narrative, integral and journal to ensure a solution focussed and person centred approach.
Additionally, in my position as Social Worker with the Queensland Health Emergency Department, I played a crucial role as a member of a multidisciplinary team providing crisis intervention to support patients and their families through medical emergencies. As the only social worker to cover both the wards and the emergency department, this involved helping patients and families understand the illness and treatment options, as well as consequences of various treatments or treatment refusal. At all times, I strive to give people a sense of self-belief and encourage confidence in their own capabilities on the basis of individual case management designed to reduce vulnerability and enhance an individual’s sense of empowerment. By providing them with the tools they need to succeed in the form of healthcare, intervention, social networks and support programs, they are better prepared for the stages of recovery regardless of their of income, physical location, occupation and cultural background.
A high level of interpersonal and communication skills
Throughout my personal and professional life, I am pleased to say I have developed high-level interpersonal and communication skills in roles encompassing youth services, crisis intervention and education support. This experience has lent me the ability to forge sustainable partnerships within the community and encourage an inclusive and supportive environment that recognises and values our diverse society. Contributing within the Gold Coast community in several capacities within community services, I have dealt with a wide variety of people from all ages and cultural backgrounds, including many people with disabilities and mental health conditions. This has required me to demonstrate tact, diplomacy and discretion to effectively communicate with key stakeholders with appropriate social sensitivity and cultural awareness. Testament to my skills in this area, I was commended by the Principal Education Officer with Education Queensland for my “excellent communication skills with personnel in a variety of positions (principals, class teachers, special education teachers, visiting teachers, guidance officers and district personnel)… she has many fine professional qualities that would translate well to working with students in other sectors of education.”
My ability to communicate effectively in writing has been demonstrated through extensive experience in the public and not-for-profit sector where I have prepared accurate, concise and professional correspondence to liaise with various government departments, community organisations, families, social workers and clients. This includes complex case management, associated reports and patient management plans as well as preparing applications for submission to family courts. I am confident in my ability to prepare accurate, concise and professional correspondence, including policies, minutes, agendas, company documents and case notes. Additionally, I was published in the Sexual Health Newsletter for an article I wrote entitled “HIV Awareness in an Aerosol Can” to raise awareness for a World Aids Day art project and community event. Effective communication is the most important issue in any organisation and I endeavour to be clear and concise at all times to mitigate the risk of confusion or misunderstanding; common factors that may lead to conflict. With the presence, experience and gravitas to communicate with key stakeholders at all levels, my skills in this area will be a great asset in the role of Student Counsellor.
Experience dealing with students and staff from a broad range of social and cultural backgrounds
In my capacity as a Specialised Teacher Aide with Education Queensland for over seven years, I gained strong experience dealing with students and staff from a broad range of social and cultural backgrounds. Committed to closing the gap, I maintained regular contact with children, young people, students, their parents and the wider community to encourage participation and interest in learning programs designed to improve the health, social, education, employment and welfare outcomes for students. This experience provided me with the unique opportunity to gain a deep understanding and appreciation of different cultures and engage in interesting, challenging and rewarding interactions on both a personal and professional level. In particular, I understand that cultural issues need to be approached with support, knowledge and dignity and I am committed to promoting opportunities for successful engagement in school life and resolution of welfare issues throughout the region in partnership with local schools and community organisations.
In my role with Education Queensland, my understanding of different cultures has equipped me with the ability to implement effective teaching strategies that are responsive to the local community and cultural setting, linguistic background and histories of the students. This is particularly important when assisting in the care and daily management of students with high needs to promote a culture of mutual respect and create a safe, supportive and inclusive learning environment for all students to achieve to the best of their ability, skill level and interest. My passion and involvement as an active member of the Gold Coast community has the added benefit of strengthening my relationships with students, parents, families, colleagues and the wider public, offering the opportunity to interact in a different social contexts. This helps to develop and promote a vested community interest in a common goal and can lead to the development of new skills and the pursuit of different interests for young people.
A flexible, creative and professional approach
My experience working in numerous social work positions has required me to take a flexible, creative and professional approach in all my interactions to design tailored case management plans according to each individual. This was particularly pertinent in my role as a Social Worker for Centrelink, where I provided a comprehensive range of settlement services for refugees and migrants from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds. Additionally, in my role as Crisis Coordinator with Hobart Women’s Shelter, I applied these same skills to help women make changes and informed choices, offering individual support for women and children. This included effective crisis intervention and risk assessment to help women get back on their feet by providing emotional support, legal assistance, and help to find permanent housing and assistance with applying for appropriate benefits.
Due to the nature of the services provided, it was critical to use my initiative to ensure the safety of women and children leaving domestic violence situations and this often required a creative approach to enable them to do this in a secure manner. Through my experience to date, I have worked closely with my clients and their families towards their self-defined personal recovery by emphasising hope, social inclusion, community participation, personal goal setting and self-management with respect to the principles governing the assessment, treatment and protection of individuals. My professional knowledge includes a thorough understanding of the Mental Health Act 2014 and its intention to promote recovery-oriented practice and protect and support the rights of people living with a mental illness. Applying these principles when developing individual learning or case plans for young people, I have demonstrated my ability to provide clinical assessment and instigate appropriate treatment or interventions for people with critical or life threatening psychological or psychiatric problems
The ability to work as part of a team while also being able to operate without close supervision
Throughout my career, I have built a reputation as a collaborative team player with a proven track record for consistently going beyond the required levels of day to day business activity to achieve positive and mutually beneficial outcomes for the client and the organisation. With a high degree of self-motivation, I am able to lead by example and take full accountability and ownership for achieving positive work outcomes within a team environment. While I thoroughly enjoy working within a team, I also relish the additional challenges that come with working under limited supervision. In my previous role with Education Queensland, I was often required to work and travel autonomously and I applied my superior planning and organisational skills to manage multiple competing priorities, uphold a high standard of work and overcome any challenging situations.
In order to work effectively under limited supervision, I understand the importance of remaining up-to-date with employer objectives and I always make the necessary effort to contribute to regular meetings and collaborate within the wider team to share ideas and responsibility, seek input and identify opportunities for improvement. This allows me to remain flexible and responsive to the demands of the organisation as a whole and I use my initiative to identify areas in need of attention, carrying out these tasks independently to ensure the smooth day-to-day operation of the organisation. Additionally, I am prepared to work overtime or outside the scope of my usual role to accommodate the needs of the job and support the provision of quality community services.
An ability to handle crises
Commended for my empathetic approach to daily interactions, I am comfortable liaising with underprivileged and disadvantaged people across a wide range of circumstances. In my previous position as a Social Worker with Queensland Health, I relied on my strong communication skills and a combination of intuition, experience and crisis management plans to handle any challenging or risky situations. This required me to think and act promptly and confidently use my sound judgement when dealing with people who may be violent, abusive and/or drug affected. Managing critical and high‑risk situations, I regularly demonstrated my ability remain calm and intervene during crises to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the staff and the patients.
To achieve this, I use different methods of behaviour management depending on the individual. For example, on some occasions I disengage from the situation and ensure myself and others are in a safe place if the individual is behaving in a violent or aggressive manner. If the behaviour escalates, it can become a Police or security matter, however, I am often able to talk to the individual once they have calmed down. In other instances, I stay with the person and calm them down using a soft tone of voice, relaxed body language and demonstrate I am listening by repeating their concerns and asking open-ended questions. Understanding that frustration and anger is a result of a situation and not me personally, I am able to recognise and manage my emotions when dealing with difficult or distressing situations.
Demonstrated understanding of OHS, quality assurance and EEO principles as they apply to the University
Employed with the Queensland Government in various capacities since 2005, I possess an informed understanding of public service professionalism, including commitment to all relevant policies and procedures, in particular those relating to occupational health and safety (OHS), quality assurance and equal employment opportunity. With appropriate social sensitivity and an informed understanding of cultural awareness, I recognise the supreme importance of the principles and policies that not only provide access to educational opportunities for students, but also deliver fair outcomes for staff. I strongly believe in promoting a respectful and supportive environment to ensure that every person has equal access to education, training and employment opportunities regardless of age, gender, culture, ethnicity or other discriminating factors.
This is particular important in a diverse and multicultural community such as the Gold Coast and I am grateful for my employment within organisations that respects the right of individuals to be treated equally and to value others for their diversity of their backgrounds and perspectives. Throughout my career, I have performed all work in accordance with the requirements of OHS and recognise my specific responsibilities in relation to the prevention and management of illness or injury in the workplace. Maintaining a safe and healthy workplace is a critical factor in any organisation and my experience with Education Queensland and Queensland Health demonstrates my ability to understand and apply relevant organisational and legal frameworks, policies and procedures.
