I have worked in a variety of roles within the non-government community services sector since 1996. On top of that I have also held roles in communications (media campaigns and writing for the web), web design, database development, website administration, and systems administration (linux servers and mixed linux/windows/mac desktop environments).
Expertise
- Community Project Management - action research projects, events, communication strategies, development of networks.
- Facilitation - for planning, for inquiry, for consultation.
- Communications - planning and implementation of one-off communications campaigns or regular meaningful contact with stakeholders.
- Research & Survey Development - for analysis, evaluation, planning or review.
- Writing - reports (turning data into knowledge), press releases, op eds.
- Training...
- Data collection for needs analyses and planning.
- Developing and implementing your social justice advocacy campaign.
- Writing for the Web, search engine optimisation (SEO) strategies.
- Joomla or Drupal website administration.
- And coming soon... Teaching
Qualifications & Experience
- Qualifications:
- Grad Cert Social Science (Human Services) - QUT
- Bachelor of Social Science (Human Services) - QUT
- Currently completing a Grad Dip Education (Senior Years - ICT) through QUT, to be completed in November 2012.
- Committees/Advisory Groups:
- Welfare Rights Centre Management Committee (Secretary), 2010 -
- Young Workers Advisory Service Steering Committee, 2004 - 2010.
- Queensland Youth Protocol Implemention Working Group (Governmental advisory committee including representatives from Peak Community Agencies, Centrelink and Child Safety), 2004 - 2008.
- Australian Services Union (QLD Branch) Social and Community Services Industry Committee, 2009 - 2010.
- Youth Participation advisory committee (chaired by the Commissioner for Children and Young People) for the 2008 Australasian Conference on Child Protection & Neglect held on the Gold Coast.
- Positions:
- Community Development & Project Officer - BoysTown Deception Bay (Communities for Children Initiative), 2011-
- Secratary (Management Committee), Welfare Rights Centre, 2010-
- A/ Director, Youth Affairs Network of Queensland, Nov 2008 - June 2009.
- Network Development Officer, Youth Affairs Network of Queensland, 2004 - 2010.
- Policy Officer, PeakCare Queensland, 2002-2004
- Project Officer, QCOSS, 2000-2002.
- Tutor, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, QUT, 2001-2005
- Youth Worker - HAND Inc., 1999-2000 (supporting young people with intellectual disabilities).
- Web/Database Developer (freelance), 1996-present.
- Outside School Hours Care Worker (holidays and casual relief during school terms) - Logan West Community Centre, 1996-1998.
- Volunteer - Logan West Community Centre Family Support Program - 1998-1999.
- Other Notable Training/Courses Undertaken:
- Collective Narrative Practice, delivered by David Denborough of the Dulwich Centre (thanks to Jabiru Community College for the invitation).
- Group Facilitation, delivered by The Change Agency (non-accredited)
- Edgeware's Build Your Business Course (accredited through TAFE)
- Computer Programming and Database Design (completed through UQ as part of a Double Major in Cognitive Science, 1994-1996)
Highlights
- As part of my Community Development Work in Deception Bay I participated in the Reading Rockets program, reading stories to children in Prep at one of the local schools.
- (Re)-Initiated monthly shopping centre stalls and children's activities on a monthly basis in the Deception Bay to start building relationships with residents.
- Drafted the Community Strategic Plan, 2012-2014 for Deception Bay Communities for Children.
- Chaired steering group for the Factors of Success in Alternative Schools research project - 2008 to 2010.
- Member of planning team and co-MC for the 2010 NEYON Re-engagement Forum.
- Facilitated the planning team for the 2007 Queensland Youth Mental Health Summit, with YANQ in Partnership with the Queensland Alliance and a coalition of service providers.
- Facilitated the planning team and event managed 2008 Moreton Bay Re-engagement Forum & Expo (find related content at http://www.yanq.org.au/reengage), with YANQ in Partnership with local youth services.
- Conducted a Census of 'Re-engagement' Services in Queensland - the report (A Snapshot of Queensland's Re-engagement Services) was published in 2009.
- Development of YANQ's Youth Consultative Network - a transparent online tool for youth sector intergencies to interact with their Peak Body.
- Successful online campaign in 2010 to gain support for a youth disability advocacy service in Queensland.
- Member of research team and co-author of Maximising Community-Business Partnerships in Logan City in 2002.
- Supported the amalgamation of the Queensland Association of Foster-care Services and PeakCare Queensland in 2002.
- Foster Care Week 2004 - management of small grants program for regional FCW activities and publication of the Foster Carers diary for 2004.
- Establishment of solutions focussed policy consultation processes within the Youth Affairs Network of Queensland.
- Member of planning teams for a number of statewide conferences - QCOSS in 2002, PeakCare in 2003, YANQ in 2005.
- Developed a comprehensive Membership and Event management application (using Filemaker) for the Queensland Council of Social Service. Application was in use and supported from 2001 to 2006, after which the organisation migrated from Macs to Windows.
- Developed lightweight membership management application - utilising L.A.M.P. (The P in this case is for PHP) technology stack for the Queensland Alliance in 2004.
- Developed and supported conference management software for a number of Statewide Peak Bodies from 2000 - 2007.
- Supported a young singer with an intellectual disability to pursue his dream of singing professionally by competing in Briz 31's Karaoke TV Show in 1999. He was great and so were the lessons he taught me.
