Robert L. Email & Phone Number

Before I started my BA in Social Work, at the esteemed University of Western Sydney, I had already gathered nearly 20 years of community service experience by working as a Disability Support Worker, Disability Group Home Team Leader and a Co-ordinator/Manager of up to 8 Group Homes with the former Government Dept of Aged and Disability Homecare. My strength while in the disability field was a strong client focus. My greatest achievements was assisting people achieve their goal- be it staff or clients.By studying Social Work I have grown as a person and professionally. My first student placement brought me to the world of qualitative research, as I completed a project for Vinnies in the study of collective trauma post bushfires. I am currently working at DCJ in housing, within the temporary accommodation section. I have been learning about the plight of homeless people, while practicing my social work skills, as I work with people to overcome their homelessness through referrals to many agencies and accessing the various mechanisms DCJ offers with housing assistance.I am passionate about indigenous culture and knowledge. I consider the First Nations People as possessing great wisdom that can inform, not only how we do social work, but how we can live our lives. Additionally, there are many other aspects to my social work framework- empathy, strengths perspective, cultural competency, human rights, evidence base practice, critical based practice, person centred, bottom up community development, trauma informed care, and anti-oppressive practice.My strength is communication through active listening and an acute awareness of the power imbalance between worker and service user. I aim to facilitate positive outcomes through allowing maximum agency while always reflecting on the ethical considerations that social workers encounter constantly. At the core of this is my approach to the importance of self care through wholesome supervision and an holistic approach to my own well-being. I have a loving family who enjoy going bush with many campfires, fishing, kayaking and bushwalking. I swim and meditate daily.