Bio
Born in Horsham, Victoria
Lives & works in Ballarat, Victoria, Australia
Career Summary
Over the last 25 years I have been listening to what people want, researching and implementing projects and programs that support them to reach a balance between needs and wants at an individual, community and town wide level. I’ve been doing this with great passion and have developed both a broad skills base and expertise that make it easier to enjoy helping you to get where you want to go.
Education
1993
Diploma Graphic Design 2
2012/2013
Diploma Community Development
2012/2013
Diploma Community Services Work
Volunteering and community engagement
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- Current Enjoy Church Kidmania Leader ('Sunday School'), 3 years
- Current, President of the Ballarat Toy Library, 6 years.
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• Former St James Parish School Parents and Friends President / Uniform Shop Co-ordinator 3 year
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First Aid Qualifications including:
- Provide Cardiovascular Resusitation.
- Provide First Aid
- Apply First Aid all undertaken 4/12/2013.
• Client Care Support Qualifications including:
- Assist clients with medication.
- Administer and Monitor Medications
- Assist Clients with medications 2014/2015
WORK REFEREES:
Available on request
Youth Residential Alcohol and Other
Drugs Worker
Oct 2013 - May 2015
Tabor House (Detox - UnitingCare, Ballarat)
- I undertook regular (usually day, sometimes weekend shifts during a season when they needed lots of casual) shifts supporting young people 12 - 25 yrs self/referred to Tabor from throughout Victoria who are ready for change (at the time Tabor had 4 resident beds available in a share house like model with individual stays of between 10 -14 days being offered) within the Residential Detox Facility.
- Conducted session work, formal and informal (1:1 and group based) exploring their knowledge of themselves and other topics such as urge surfing, triggers, healthy/unhealthy coping mechanisms, housekeeping / money management, self-esteem, harm minimization, assessing their commitment to themselves and the goals they had set upon entering Tabor and supporting whatever first steps they wished to explore.
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- Extended this role by developing strongly visual based session tools whilst at Tabor to assist YP with learning difficulties, poor school experiences or ADHD challenges aimed at assisting them to get more out of their time at Tabor, to provide opportunities to plant seeds for behavior changes and to support growth and better health, life and wellbeing outcomes.
- Completed referrals and linked clients into support services, advocated on their behalf when asked to do so, worked with them to find ways to reconnect with 'who they were' (social supports, access to personal hobbies long forgotten or aspired to) or 'who they wanted to start to become' (finding resources to support better relationship outcomes with their children, family members etc) where ever appropriate.
Our Neighbourhood Early Literacy Project 2010
(Reservoir Neighbourhood Renewal Project)
- With a large group of 4 – 6 year old children and their parents, we created a love of books through the production of our very own book – great fun!
Pilot project to determine if school transition and early literacy outcomes could be influenced within neighbourhood school student population by working with parents and children before they started their first day of primary school that next year.
Specifically worked with families living in households with low/no English and /or evidence of “no books” and the potential literacy challenges arising from this.
- Negotiated additional sponsorship support for project from international publisher (Puffin)..
Early Years Directory Best Start Program 2010
(Brimbank City Council)
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- Responsible for initial research, advice and assistance with the development of a “One Stop Shop” resource guide for the parents of 0 – 8 year old children living within local government area of Brimbank.
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The Magpie Files Kit 2009 Communities for Children (Contract) - Smith Family/Uniting Care
- Skills specifically sought for project due to need for someone to hit the ground running, manage all fine detail including expectations of stakeholders. Responsible for background research, budget management, stakeholder surveys and involvement, compilation, design, promotion and distribution of
“The Magpie Files” a resource kit including material of benefit to child care workers, parents and prep teachers when ensuring an easier transition in first years of care, kindergarten or primary school for the children of Brimbank.
Key Achievements include:
• Completed task on time and within budget.
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Brimbank City StreetsAhead Program Co-ordinator 2009
- Responsible for the development, co-ordination and delivery of health promotion project aimed at increasing children’s Active Transport and Independent Mobility within Melbourne’s North Western suburbs of Ardeer and Albion.
Key Achievements include:
• Conducted Literature Review.
• Developed film concept, identified funding, film director, developed script and locations then sought community participation / interviewees. Filmed short documentary based on identifying and teasing out issues surrounding why we do and don’t allow our children to play in their neighbourhoods.
• Identified necessary skills base and experience and implemented community based project management structure.
• Identified opportunities which the community could capitalise on within broader community including International Speakers Symposium
• Successfully gained support and active participation from all 4 schools and researched, developed, co-ordinated and publicised the introduction of 12 separate programs within the project area including provision of free bikes and bike sheds for schools and increased linkages to Council foot and bike path planning.
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• All of above achieved within first six months.
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Facilitator, Coffs Harbour Streets Ahead Inc.
1999 - 2004
(Facilitator, Streets Ahead 377 Advisory Committee
Coffs Harbour City Council)
- Responsible for the implementation of a Citywide Main Street Program (which is the NSW equivalent of StreetLife Program or Neighbourhood Renewal) in partnership with and answerable to the Senior Facilitator and the Board of Management. Board made up of volunteer teams of civic leaders, business people and residents of each area of the city.
Role included: planning, monitoring, implementing and evaluating projects, sourcing resources, finance, promoting and marketing the region and its events/projects; designing publications; managing and assisting volunteers; and managing internal and external stakeholder relationships along with several Community Place Committees.
Relevant Key Achievement included:
- Developed Community Action Plans (CAP) for all of Coffs Harbour Streets Ahead’s community place committees (CPC) identifying needs, dreams and challenges and then successfully analyzing and applying relevant theory towards achieving these goals in partnership with CPC.
Mainstreet Program Co-ordinator, Hamilton Main Street Program
1994 –1996
(Hamilton Chamber/Newcastle City Council)
Responsible for implementing Hamilton Main Street Program
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- including all aspects of business development
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- working frequently on increasing retail skills, shop merchandising, improving financial planning, facilitating segment cluster marketing initiatives {e.g. the pamper yourself health clinic, decadent coffee shop and the limousine hire packages} physical upgrading projects i.e. facilitating the installation of funding partnerships between private and public sector for pavement mosaic’s, promotions/marketing initiatives such as event management of two major regional events.
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