Social Work Spotlight - Episode 50: Richa

Episode Date: February 4, 2022

In this episode I speak with Richa, who came to Australia as an International Student in 2017 and completed a Masters of Social Work (Qualifying) from Western Sydney University in 2019. After completing her final social work placement, Richa began working at Settlement Services International as a Community Hub leader.  She moved into the NSW Department of Education as a Community Liaison Officer in Westmead Public School, working with newly arrived culturally and linguistically diverse families to adjust to a new country through a wide range of programs. She provides casual tutoring at Western Sydney University and supervises social work students during their placements as well. Currently Richa works at Feros Care as a Community Development Coordinator leading community capacity building projects in partnership with local stakeholders, NDIS, and people with disabilities.Links to resources mentioned in this week’s episode:Settlement Services International - https://www.ssi.org.au/Feros Care - https://www.feroscare.com.au/StandBy, Support After Suicide - https://standbysupport.com.au/This episode's transcript can be viewed here:https://docs.google.com/document/d/1rNhTb55EslR5VveRp0BaziN6coojfVxTJ_JQII1KciM/edit?usp=sharingThanks to Kevin Macleod of incompetech.com for our theme music.

Hi and welcome to Social Work Spotlight where I showcase different areas of the profession each episode. I'm your host, Yasmin McKee Wright, and today's guest is Risha. Risha came to Australia as an international student in 2017 and completed a Masters of Social Work qualifying from Western Sydney University in 2019. She received the Rotary Club of Padstow Award while studying at WSU, awarded to someone who was shown academic excellence, broader community involvement, a commitment to helping their peers, building community on campus, and emerging wisdom and worldliness as demonstrated through field placement. The award is close to her heart as it is a constant reminder for her to follow her passion. After completing her final social work placement, Risha began working

at Settlement Services International as a community hub leader. She moved into the New South Wales Department of Education as a community liaison officer in Westmead Public School, working with newly arrived culturally and linguistically diverse families to adjust to a new country through a wide range of programs. She provides casual tutoring at Western Sydney University and supervises social work students during their placements as well. Currently, Risha works at Feroz Care as a community development coordinator, leading community capacity building projects in partnership with local stakeholders, NDIS and people with disabilities. Hi, Rhee, thank you so much for coming onto the podcast, really happy to meet with you and have a chat with you about your

social work experience so far. Thank you so much for inviting me. I'd love to ask you firstly when you started social work and what drew you to the profession in the first place. It's been a long journey. Academically, I studied my bachelor's of social work when I was in Nepal. It was in 2013, so it's been a while. Since then, I have been practicing social reg. So when I was studying social degree in Nepal, I had to do a placement like how we do here in Australia as well. So from there I started, but again, going back before I joined my bachelor's, I was supposed to be an engineer. I was supposed to be an architect engineer, but I couldn't see myself in that sector. So when I finished my high school and I had some time before I joined my bachelor's, I started engaging

into various volunteering-based organizations like the Scout, Red Cross, and Lions Club, and I really enjoyed it. I felt like, okay, this is what I should do, rather than going into a retro, like, okay, you pass on, you go into the technical sector. So I just followed my heart. And my dad, he's a social worker as well, and he's a politician, but I always grew up in a family where we value community first. And I saw him doing all of that, and I always admired the way he always put community first.

So maybe it's ingrained as well. So that's when I thought of making a U-turn in my life and went back to the social work. And I truly enjoy this. I'm glad I didn't end up being an engineer and I would be a horrible engineer. But yeah, that's when I started. So when I started volunteering, I started connecting with people and, you know, like it came very naturally. So I didn't have to put additional pressure over. anything it just came with a flow like and I said like hey this is it I went to my family and said I want

to change my career I want to become social work and they supported me and then I started my social work journey brilliant so yeah and have been working in different settings different kind of work yeah and then the more I practice the more I realize like there's so much knowledge you need to gain like there is so much of experience you still have to tap into there is so much you have to learn. But I'm grateful that I made that good decision. Yeah. And what kind of social work does your dad do? He is more into community development. So he has an MBA degree, but again, he was more inclined into community service. So more of advocating and being the voice of one heard. So like he did

a lot of projects with marginalized family in Nepal and supported them when he was a mayor as well. So, like, his primary focus was in community development. So that's what I saw when I grew up. And my mom always supported my dad as well. So, like, we have been in the community, like, supporting them. So I think that's what drew me as well. But when myself started practicing, started with volunteering and everything. So, like, I could see, I could thrive.

Like, I was really passionate. And, yeah, I think it was just very organic and very natural. And is Nepal similar to Australia in the sense that it's quite diverse with ethnicity and culture and language? Yeah, yeah, absolutely. Like, it's a very multicultural country as well. We have a lot of ethnicity. Like, it's culturally very, very rich. But, like, it's still a third world country.

Like, there are a lot of issues that you won't imagine here in Australia could be an issue. So, like, people have to struggle for the daily leaving, which you don't have to think over here. So it's a different arena of social way. there, but my work, what I did in Nepal, I could still draw what I learned and how I work there. It's still reflecting on my practice here in Australia as well. So I moved to Australia in 2017 to study Masters of Social Work at Western Sydney. And yeah, I am now. Yeah.

Did you find much difference in terms of the teaching styles or the curriculum between the two countries? Of course, like the more into practicality, like the teaching styles and everything is different. But you're in Australia, like, you have to do your own research. You just don't rely on the professors or you have to do your own research the way you do your assignments. And if you're a passion, you just go extra mile to look into it. But when you look into Nepal, the way it is taught in Nepal is different. Like you have a professor who has a retro mode of teaching and you have to give an exam. So it was quite different.

And you've had experience teaching in Australia as well. So you could probably translate the teachings and the experience, the knowledge that you picked up in both places. What does that teaching look like for you? Are you teaching specific subjects? Are you doing a lot of hours or just every now and then? So I'm doing every now and then at the moment because of the COVID. So the placement and everything has been highly impacted for the university students as well.

but you know like just just sharing my short experience with west in Sydney when I was tutoring but like you're drawing to experience you don't really have to look into the books and stuff like i was more into FAQ kind of a session where people students will ask me questions like how do you do that and looking into more of a practicality like how it's exactly feel to work as a social worker in the community so drawing from the experiences was a major change that i found between in Nepal in Australia because in Nepal we still are into like books and stuff obviously books and journals and everything's important but how does it feel to work as a social worker when you just graduate? You know like what are the practical challenges? How do you do self-care? How do you

maintain that professional and personal boundaries? You don't discuss those kind of questions when you are in a tutoring sessions but I always encourage my students to talk about it and it has always been a very interactive session though it was virtual. So providing a safe space where they can feel comfortable talking about those things. Exactly. Exactly. And also acknowledging, like, it's not a perfect world. You know, like, there are multiple layers and barriers as well when you are practicing social work. And also, like, challenging that traditional norms, like working as a social work in a hospital setting is one year's social worker. It could be a community development sector as well. You know, like all those kind of things. And I enjoy doing that. Yeah. Is there a reason you needed to do the master's in Sydney in order to work in Australia, or was it just a matter of you wanted to get local experience before you started working here?

It was a blend of both, I guess, because before I start practicing here, I need to understand how everything works around here as well. Like, I can't just have that bias. You know, as a social degree, you need to be non-biased. You need to be non-judgmental. but I can't just bring in everything that I learned in my home country to come and practice here. So the reason I moved in here was, first, my degree was not acknowledged by ASW. So you need to have a degree from a recognized university, a recognized course to become a social worker or be a member of ASW. That was one of the reason.

But I learned a lot when I was in Western Sydney as well. So it's learning how things work around here, putting theory into. to practice and how it actually blends when you start working in the community settings as well. So, yeah. And what was your experience in Nepal before you came to Australia? What did your work roles entail? Yeah, so I was working as a social worker. I did work in multiple projects and stuff, so like community development, social health,

prevention, mental health, youth sector in the school setting. Like, I put in multiple, multiple hats. Yeah. Like when I grew up, I grew up in a conflict situation in Nepal. We had 10 years long armed conflict. So you're like living in a situation where you have to worry about your life and bed every single day. And because my dad was a politician, he was frequently attacked. During the conflict situations, there was kind of like living in that trauma, living in that uncertainty was a part of my childhood as well. So when I graduated from the Bachelor's Association where I did my master's in conflict peace and development studies so that I could understand how can you move from conflict situation to the piece and ultimately move towards the development phase because that's the roadmap, right?

Yeah, so that's how it way. Yeah, I imagine that would be something that you could definitely translate to the Australian context as well. it would be very similar here in terms of approaches and international best practice, I would assume. Yeah, yeah, absolutely. Yeah. So when you came to Australia, you started working at SSI, SETL settlement services international. Can you tell me a bit about that? Yeah, so when I came to Australia and did my Master's of Social Reg, I didn't have to do my first placement.

So as you know, when you do the Master's of Social Reg, you have to do two placement. But because I had my experience and everything, so I got an exam. to do my first placement, so I gave my second placement at SSI, Salvin Service is International. And it was an eye-opening experience as well because I have never experienced working with refugees because we didn't have that situation in Nepal. So, you know, like it's a different context. And when we got a paper from university saying,

which area would you like to do your placement? I ticked in the future because I have never had an experience. And I want to learn about it because in Australia it's so important that you know how to work with them as well. So I tapped into that. And when I was doing my placement, before I finished up, wrapped up, I was offered a job there.

So, yeah, I took into the role of community hub leader at SSI and finished up my final semester. And after that, I was hired by the New South Wales Department of Education. I was working at the community liaison officer in West Mid Public School for almost three years. Before I moved to Canberra, I left that job. Yeah. And what did that involve working for Department of Education? Yeah, so it was an interesting role, to be honest.

Like, they had a community hub setting within the school where families were encouraged to come in. It was more about providing that connection, providing that support and, you know, like being there for the community as well. But I took it as an opportunity to develop my strength and also bringing my experience as well. So I started doing many programs, like, for example, in Western Public School, 98% of our students were from non-English speaking backgrounds. We had my own families. So there were so many things like barriers and challenges. And because I came in as an immigrant as well, I could understand the layers of barriers

and stuff. So I started tapping into it and drew from my experience personally as well. So I started creating in multiple projects where I could involve families. and I started working very closely with the Cumberland Council with different organizations as well so that we could bring in that support for our families because if the families are well supported, if they feel safe coming to school, if they feel being heard and the overall environment within the family changes, that means the child will thrive as well. So I took into the holistic approach and it was really good.

Like I still miss working at the school and I'm still connected with so many families through different platforms, you know, like that's really close to my heart. And the principal, he was really amazing. He is one of the person who is so much committed towards community development I have ever seen. You know, like any projects I would come in. So like, his name is David. I was like, David, what do you think about this? So that I could I organize. It's like, hey, go for it. You know, like, when you have someone who supports you and who understand where it comes from, yeah, it just makes a life so easy. Yeah. So I did many projects like English classes, cultural cooking classes, like I started celebrating the Harmony Day and different festivals which

our family celebrates. So it's like celebrating the diversity within the school. So like people feel supported, valued. And because, you know, like when you start tapping into community, I think school is the best place because when family comes into drop and pick up, that's when you start making that connection. And when you want to understand what's going on within the family or what's going on within the community, I believe, like, when you start talking to people, eating at school, with the families, with the parents, then you know better, and then you can support them better.

And, yeah. I can imagine that's so important from an early intervention perspective, and parents would just be reaching out for any sort of support. So they wouldn't be reluctant to accept support, I imagine. They just want to take on board anything that you might be able to offer, which is a really great social work environment to be working in is, you know, everyone's on board straight away. You don't, you know, you're kind of preaching to the converted there.

I'm wondering, though, it would be a very similar experience for them trying to focus on their studies, trying to get along just day to day, let alone all the other complications that are happening for them. And you've had experience being an international student yourself. what was that social work pathway for you and what have you learned through that process and how does that then inform the way that you support students now? So like giving you a context and like how it works in Westmead so that, you know, I can explain you better.

How it works in Westmeet is like a husband or a dad comes to Australia and starts working. He already has a job or something. But a mom and a child comes in a few months back, like maybe six months a year back. and then the day they land, the next day they come to the school, putting an enrollment form to join the school. Mom has a very limited English because obviously there are immigrants. It doesn't mean like they don't have, but the fear of uncertainty and not knowing what to do, how to process their head and everything. So like there starts all the complications starts and mostly dads are really busy. And when I was around the admin section, you would usually see mom coming in with a child not knowing what to do.

the forms are handed over, she doesn't know, she is very old. And then child starts the school. And 90% of our families were living in an apartment. So coming from, for example, India, where they lived in a joint family setting, where they had all sort of support and everything, a woman just moves to a new country, husband goes to work, child goes to school, she's left by herself in a photo, in an apartment, that's it. Yeah.

Not knowing what to do and how to figure out. So tapping into those, the family is tapping into those women and start building that connection so that she feels supported and linking them with people from similar background, like from similar place or similar culture or similar interest starts forming a relationship. But if school doesn't get happy, you know, if school doesn't have a community health program or someone like me, you know, like in that setting, that mom will always be left alone. So like, and there starts all the mental health issues and whatnot, you know, like when you just move into a new country, you don't know how to work. You don't know how to figure out things. You don't know how to take a cat a train. You don't know where to go for a shop. You literally have no idea, right?

And you're just left by yourself. So that's when the concept of community hub came into place. And when I started working, you know, like what I do is like we start this is a very good process in the school where there is a new enrollment comes in the school. the family is directly towards me. And then I started working with that new family, building that connection, linking her to different supports and services or to the family. And then you will see them grow.

And that was a natural process. And before this lockdown started, we would have five to six new families joining the school every single week. So I can see the flow of students, like new families coming in. It was kind of repetitive tasks. But there's so much to learn into it.

And I imagine if you've got that many students coming every week. It's actually really hard for the teachers to keep up with what the child's needs are going to be. Yeah. It's like we had, in 2019, we had over 1,700 students in a primary school so you can't imagine the level of pressure. Yeah. I went to a public school that had 70 students, you know, completely different world. Yeah. And I guess then it's easy to get lost in the crowd, you know, if you've got an issue, you keep your head down and then you don't get noticed. so those issues continue to become bigger issues later. Exactly, exactly.

And I started working really well with the teachers. So like if teachers identify any child who is not responding well or having some issues or anything, so teacher would have a meeting with a student and I would be linked with the parents. So I will have a meeting with a parent and so that we find a holistic way of supporting the family. So like it could be small things.

It could be a TV issue. It could be just a matter of not, knowing anybody, it could be just an isolation. You know, like there are multiple things, the multiple layers. It's just when you start having that connection, when you start, you know, building that rabble, people will start opening up. And again, like, I talk more about people from India because 80% of our families in West Midway from India. So like, you have high level of education. Everybody would have at least pastoral master's degree. But when they move to a new country, they would like, oh, my education is not going to be recognized. And these and that.

And then, you know, like, all the talks that goes around the community, oh, you won't be able to find a job and these and that. So, like, you know, like, nobody tries to lift you up. Everyone tries to pull you down. So I started working into an employment project where, let alone in 2020, I supported 60 individuals to find a full-time employment in Sydney. So it takes a lot of work, but identifying the strength. So coming in from the strength-based perspective, like, okay, where do you come from? So, like, what's your interest area? What's your strength?

If you want to change your career, maybe it's time to identify your passion. And anyway, you have to change your career. Why do you want to go into the retro setting where you never enjoy the IT sector? But you come from an IT sector. If you want to change a career, let's find out something that you're passionate about. So I supported many families to enroll into TAFE in the area of their interest. Because it's a very retro kind of setting when you grew up in a third world country. Like, okay, your families decide this is what you have to study rather than you decide.

what you want to study. That's what I always tell them, like, it's your chance now to follow your passion. You know, like, and there's when the social work intervention comes in play, looking into the strength-based approach, looking into community development approach, and how do you boost them. And plus, not making them dependent how to make it sustainable as well and how to create a group of people who are there to support another family when they come in for the first time, you know, like, because, see, I'm not there now,

but it's working well. So it's sustainable. Yeah, so that is sustainable. You know, like identifying few leaders within that group who could tap into others and support that others. And yeah. That's beautiful. Metamorphosis.

So when I did one brainstorming session with our families, it's like, what do you want to see as a mural? So we decided like discussing about the murals. So like what do you want to see in the school? and we started looking into, and one lady gave me an example is like, how about we draw a mammophysis of a butterfly? Because when we just come to a new country, we are, we don't know anything. We are in our own cocoon.

We are in our own bubble. But when we start coming in, talking to you, you're like opening up ourselves more, and we find our feet, and then we fly. And another group people come in, and that's the process. They thought about the school. They thought about the community hub, and we did the mural as well. the same mean rule. Yeah.

I know that a lot of international students are having trouble at the moment because they're not entitled to a lot of support and they don't have the regular jobs that they might have in hospitality or entertainment. Do you have an opportunity to support them as well? Or is that not really your group of people that you're funded for? When I was studying in West Sydney, we established a local club in West in Sydney to support the international student. So we started a Nepali social club that supported all these Nepali students.

So when I and two of my other friends, we looked into, we went to the student central. So that's where uni-happies, we started looking into who are the students here. So what's the data? How many international students are here? How many are from Nepal or other countries? How do we support them? And with that vision of supporting that international student, we formed the club, and that club is still running.

I graduated when I'm 19. I'm part of an advisory group. I'm still providing that support, whatever I can. but sometimes I feel like as an international student, I shouldn't be saying that, but we heavily rely on other people. Like we need to do our own research as well. Like when you move to a new country, you need to understand how it works. You know, like you can't just be dependent on others. And plus, you need to keep moving as well. Like just looking into the job perspective, when I came to Australia for the first time, my first job was at Woolies. So I started working as a customer service at the Willways.

And then I didn't stop there, but I had to do a job to sustain myself here, right? But I always looked into opportunities and stuff. And I started building that connections and stuff. And I worked in a disability sector. I got a job in Disability Services Australia. But I didn't stick to that. I moved into SSI and I moved into Department of Education. And now I am working with Ferros Care.

It's like just making your plans and taking your plans and taking. one step ahead, like not just sitting on your comfort John. That's what we usually do. When we are so much into our comfort zone, we don't think of taking any risk or, you know, like enhancing our own career pathway. The reason I said, give an example of Willowers to disability sector to SSI is like, if I was very comfortable working at Woolwest, I wouldn't be here talking to you, Ashman. Like I wouldn't be here.

You know, like, but having said that I don't, I'm not saying like working at Woolwich is a bad thing. you have to do what you have to do, but you need to look into what you could do as well. So taking that ricks, taking that leap as well. Ironically, they're the jobs that have stayed throughout the pandemic, right? Those, you know, the front line, the essential services. Yeah. And we just assume, like, I wouldn't get that job just because I don't have these or I don't have that.

But have you tried, have you applied for the job? That's what I do. Like, even now I have been mentoring so many social ex-study. students like national and international votes through LinkedIn and stuff. So like all the students who my tutored from Western Sydney, they are all connected via LinkedIn and they ask me questions. And I give them direction, but I said them like,

it's your responsibility. I can't give answers to everything. I can help you with the interview because I have taken a lot of interviews as well, like myself. And I have been supporting, but it's all about what you feed in as well. Like you have to draw from it. I can help you in one way,

but you have to reach the point by yourself. You know, like not making them dependent, but also supporting them, encouraging them. But we have a tendency like, okay, she is there to support me. But as a social worker, if we don't take that risk, if we don't look into ourselves, how we'll be able to support our communities or families or our clients or our participants, like everybody, right?

So, like, yeah. That's so important. Can we then fast forward? That's probably a good segue to the way. that you're doing now. How did that come about and what might a typical day look like for you? So I moved to Canberra for my personal reason, this may, and started my role as a local area coordinator with Ferroske. So local area coordinator is a role where you work directly with the NDIs participants. So we are kind of a face of the IndyIS. So if somebody meets an access,

they come to Ferroskare. Like Ferrosker is the partners in the community in the ACT region. and the participant will come in and then you interview them, we talk to them, build the plans and support them. And the plan is submitted to the NDIA and then it gets approved. He'll follow back to the participant. Okay, these are the plans. Reach me out if you have anything or any support you need or anything. So that's a typical day of a local leader coordinator.

But I stayed in that role just for three months because I'm more, as you now know, I'm more into community. So when a new role came into Ferros K, the community development coordinator role was advertised, I reached out to the manager and said, this is what I bring into experience. And I absolutely love LAC role locally coordinator, but I'm more passionate into getting out there and supporting the community and doing all those community development programs. And I was interviewed and I got the role and now I'm a CDC in the same office. So again, going back to what I said,

before. You just follow your passion. I didn't have to lose anything. If I didn't get the job, I still had an LSC role, but I just followed my heart. And now I'm working as a community development coordinator and day-to-day in this role is quite different. I work independently, like with very minimum supervision. But then like what I'm doing now is I'm doing a lot of consultation with the community identifying where the gaps are because what I believe is like until and unless we identify the gaps, we wouldn't find out the opportunities. And without identifying the gaps, it's not an evident to design any project without identifying the gaps and opportunities.

So, like, that's how I work. So that's what I'm doing at the moment. I just stepped into this role. It's been two months now, but I have done a lot of consultation already, and I have submitted a few project ideas, and one of them has been already approved, and I'm working on another project as well. So, yeah, it's basically soul-driven, but, Because I'm passionate, I just try to connect with people and identify some of the gaps and

design some projects. Yeah, that's what I'm doing now. Yeah, and I can imagine it's going to be so much easier to do your job well if you're passionate about it and if you feel like it's a right fit for you. Because I think as social workers, we can apply ourselves in so many different areas, but after a while or if it's just not the right fit, we kind of feel like it's hard work. whereas, you know, we're always going to be working hard, but it's not going to be as hard if we feel like it's something that comes naturally to us. So I know that Ferros care,

they do quite a lot in terms of aged and disability support. So you have home care, NDIS work, wellbeing programs and residential villages. Do you have an opportunity within the CDC role to work across all of those programs? Not exactly, but I'm actually, but I'm actually looking into that as well, like just giving an example. When I started this role, I connected with the standby project. The standby program is funded by the Department of Health and is a national-wide program that's working for the people who are impacted by suicide. And it doesn't have to be now. It could be at any point in your life. It could be like an individual themselves or any of the family members. I think like that project could be used throughout Ferros,

within the residential, home, within the HK, and within the disability as well. So that's how I have started looking into things as well, like how do we all work together to support the community? So just an example, you know, like, and I'm in a process of creating a resource kit. It's still in a conversation, I guess,

when these things will be out, it will be done. But when you look into the mental health issue, the number of psychosocial disability and the intellectual disability, participants are really high within the NDIS. Yeah, there's so much crossover. Yeah, there is crossover. But when I had a chat with the Sandbike coordinator

and asked him, okay, this is a fantastic resource, but what about people with disability? He said, that's where the gap are. And I said, how about we work together? We have expertise of disability. You have expertise of suicide prevention. How about we work together? And I'm in a version of scoping out the project at the moment.

And again, it comes all naturally when you're passionate, as we have been talking about it, like, it's a job, obviously, but when you're passionate, you start thinking out of the box. Yeah, the ideas flow more easily. Yeah, and then my kind of a brain is like, it goes, like, that's how, like, that is my strength, but that's my weakness as well, because so many ideas pops up on the guy. You've got to pull it back in. Yeah, and then, like, hey, Reese, time to relax.

You know, like, win the Paralympics, and we have been all the high. And when I looked into Ferris and I started talking with my seniors, what about sports pathway for people with disability? Because one of the KPI for all our locally coordinators is to identify community or mainstream support so that we can link them. And I started looking into the data and demographics of our participants in ACT. And interestingly, around 70% of our participants are from age between 17 to 24. And I asked my seniors, like, what about the sports path?

ways, right? Young people, they need to be engaged in sports. But nobody has tapped into that. I can proudly say that because actually nobody had looked into it. The first thing I did, I contacted Athletics Australia and got in touch with Sean, who is a Paralympics coordinator, invited him to one of the meeting, got a connection with him. He connected with Athletics A-City. I had a meeting with them. I have connected with Special Olympics. So it's just a matter of connecting the doors and that's how you can provide a holistic support you know like for a child who is seven years old who already has a disability and has a multiple barriers and stuff isn't it important that child gives an inclusive sports program rather than we're just thinking about therapies and stuff be so good

for their self-esteem exactly it's just thinking out of the box and being curious and exploring what's out there and I form a working group and is four of us and we're we have started looking into various organizations who provides inclusive sports program. And, you know, like... Yeah. Are the other people you're working with to develop these programs? Did they have a social work background or is it quite interdisciplinary? It is interdisciplinary.

And there are few people who are from social work backgrounds as well. And yeah, but it kind of becomes challenge for me personally when I start working. is like, and quite young, you know, like, and there are people who have been working in this role for a long time and when a new person, I think that's a challenge for all the emerging social workers of new social workers. You have to prove yourself.

You have to prove yourself. And when you bring in that energy, people they don't understand or upset. Like, when I ask those questions about sports, like, oh, yeah, yeah. But that's a big question. That was a big question for me. And then I started connecting.

and but you have been here for a long time now haven't you you know like and it's hard we have to prove ourselves constantly like even when I was working in a school you know like when I would talk over the phone people would know how old you are or how you look like and when I would have a meeting with seniors from the councils and stuff oh you're quite young for the role it's like yeah but I bring in experience as well and that's the kind of a challenge, I guess, for those people who are passionate and people would try to bring you down, but it doesn't really matter. Sounds like it makes you more determined to kind of fly the social work flag and say,

this is what I bring to this context. Exactly. And what do you say? Do you go back to your experience or do you say a social worker can do this or does it not really come down to that? Do you just say, I have experience and I have an idea? See, it depends like in which context we have a chat. Depends on your audience.

Yeah, but like I tell them like, say, but I bring in experience. Like this is what my family wants. This is what I want to do. You know, like I usually put it in a way because sometimes when you say you're a social work, people think you're showing off your degree or something. It's not just about that. It's about the passion. Yeah.

You know, like and still people, they don't have much understanding of social work. what does social wagons do? Like when I was working in a school, few parents would come in and they would say, so what's your role? I said, I'm social wagons. But what do you do? This is what I do.

People might think you're just talking, but it's not just talking. It's about lifting that community. That one chat, how we'd say about our year-a-day, one conversation could save a life or change a life. That one conversation could actually change a life. When you are non-judgmental,

when you are active listener, empathetic, you know. So the social work values are something that you practice in your everyday life and the magic happens. Yeah. Hopefully that means that it's a bit more of a blank canvas because people don't come with preconceived idea of what a social worker is in that case. Whereas in Australia, there's such a deep-seated history and context to say children being removed, those sorts of things, whereas if you've got people who have come from another country or another background who don't know what a social worker is, that's an opportunity to say, here's what I do and here's what my skill set is, which is kind of great, I think.

It is like absolutely even, like there are many people who wouldn't understand why it is appropriate to have a social worker to work within a disability sector. Like, it's not just a job, you know, like, it's about being out there and listening to people, you know, like, anybody could do an interview. basically anyone but how curious you are how invested you are in that conversation the type of questions you ask you get all of that from the trainings from the social academic degree like you know the motivation interviewing and everything but if an engineer is hired in the same role as an lAC would he have would see have the same perspective building different sorts of bridges right

I know, you know, like, and as a social worker, like, it's a very fluid industry, I guess, because you can bring in that skill set to any job or any, even if you're working as a customer service, you could really draw into that. Like, when I was working as a customer service in a customer service at Woolworths, I still had that social work skill set when I was talking to people, when I was having that conversation with them, is embedded. Yeah. Makes it easier to start that conversation in the first place.

Yeah. What do you love most about the work that you're doing then? I think I just love everything, to be honest. That's a very difficult question. What gives you energy? I get very excited when I could be the change maker. Like if I get a chance to talk to people and listen to them and then support them in a way that is more sustainable.

So like it just excites me when I, get a chance to talk to people. Like that was the reason how when I moved from LAC to CDC was there is a lot of scope, a lot of opportunity. And when I start talking to people, listening to them, you know, like I just get excited and intrigued and then, okay, this could be done. Okay, these are the possibilities. And then my brain, it just starts working and calculating. Like when I looked into the Paralympics, like, what about in ECT? And then it just starts, you know, like folding up and something comes up out of there. So like, yeah, it just comes natural.

That's a very hard question, yes, man. Well, even if you can, I'm sure there are loads of Paralympians who live in the ACTs. Yeah. Even network with them, they could be ambassadors for the program. Exactly. You can get really creative about how that would go. Exactly. That's what I'm working on as well.

I'm working on creating a terms of reference and starting consultation groups. So like a reference group where we invite people with it is a really. and understand how is it to live and work in ACTI and understanding from them and understanding where, again, like, is it working well, where the gaps are and where are the opportunities? And then from that evidence, like from where it comes from the people, people will accept it as well, rather than somebody coming in, okay, this is a project we're going to do. It doesn't work that way. You know, like, it should come from the community.

It should come from the people so that people own it. Yeah. Yeah. Given the challenges that you've faced coming to Australia in the first place, being an international student, working in a role where you have to demonstrate on a regular basis what the difference is that you make, what support do you need in your role? How do you get through it and not sort of fall apart? I think the main thing that I practice, because every day is a challenge, right? like every day having that difficult conversation is a challenge and trying to prove yourself

within a office or in a work setting or it's a kind of a challenge and when you come from a different country there's another layer to it but i don't take things personally i guess like that's the main motive for me like and i learned it over the course of time but having that personal and professional boundaries is so important and that has been giving me going like even at work like if you have some differences, I tell them, like, see, it's totally professionally only, but there's nothing personal about what I'm saying. It's just about the nature of work, or it's just maybe, like, the way you are doing things, I'm not really accepting the way you are trying to do things. I think your background in conflict studies probably helps with that.

So, like, that is one thing that's keeping me going, because, like, on everyday basis, you hear a lot of stories, you support different people, and you have your own personal challenges as well. but if you don't bring that to home, if you don't bring it back on yourself, that's the only way of being sane, yes. Even in the school setting, I told you before, like,

I met multiple people, like everybody has different issues, different challenges, but like if you start taking on board, you will just collapse. Yeah. But, like, having that separate boundaries is so important.

And other than that, I have few friends whom I talk to, IT brief, they are social workers as well, and talking to them and understanding their perspective and how could I do it better as well. That's such good advice.

Yeah. And another important thing for me is like I don't take any criticism personally. So when I get into the role as a CDC, when I had my first meeting with my manager, first Katzabaitola, see, her name is Begg. So like, if you have any feedback, you should never be hesitant. You should come forward and tell me because I want to improve. I want best for the organization. and I want best for the people.

So if there is anything that's not working well or if you see anything, just come and tell me. So like accepting the criticism or accepting that constructive feedback is so important as well. That's what is keeping me going. Like if I'm very open to my mentors, if I'm very open to my seniors or my friends,

they will be able to help me as well. So like I can go back to them and they can come back to me. It's a two way. So not taking personally, I think, is the best it has been a way of keeping myself sane and yeah also to motivate myself as well like that that's the biggest motivation for me as well so given that the indiis across the board is a fairly new program in Australia have you seen many changes or have you been told about changes in terms of how we're learning as we go and making things better for the participants it is it is absolutely it's as you mentioned

like the whole india is is very new and you are so aware of the independent assessment and everything so there was a lot of chaos and people were not sure like there was a fear of uncertainty and everything people would come in and ask you questions and when they know like you are working for the ntis and you know like first of all you don't know what's going to happen and people are getting more anxious about it it just yeah it was difficult and obviously indiais is is evolving and everything, but when you start working in the Indy eye sector, is when you are very empathetic and very open to the participant, tell them, if you don't know, just tell them.

Like, see, I'm not sure how it's going to be rather than giving a fake hope or a false hope. And having that very open conversation has been helpful within the pharaohs and within our participants as well, India as participants and everything. So, like, because people assume, like, you know everything. we don't know things. It's a very hard answer. No, that makes sense. And especially because the fact that it is evolving means that you giving feedback provides an opportunity for further development, right? So you're in a position where you can influence how things develop and maybe improved opportunities for people who are part of the program. Absolutely. And how to be

more inclusive society, how to be an inclusive and create an inclusive environment. Like, one of my colleague is employment CDC. So he is looking into an employment space where people with disability could be included. How does the inclusive environment look like? So when we start having that conversation, obviously the organization are bound to have those conversations. So like it's a slow process, but obviously we are the change maker as well. Like if we don't look into, for example, again, going back to the sports, if we don't look into the inclusive sports program and everything, how would we think about being inclusive with our kids? Yeah.

You know, like, and my next approach would be linking all those organizations within the school. So, like, how can school start creating those inclusive sports program for the kids when they are in the school? It's a long process, but at least we have taken that step. And until we take that step, you can't just sit back and say, oh, yeah, they are not doing things but we should be taking that first step. I think there's that saying a journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step.

Exactly, exactly. And as a social worker, we are, everybody is taking steps in their organizations, in their setting, you know, like, and I guess it's a long shot. Like, it's a long way to go, but we are taking that first step. And you're walking with the participants rather than trying to steam ahead and not explain what's happening. exactly and let it grow organically as well rather than rushing it's like it's a slow process and understanding that it's a slow process but making that start is itself a big thing yeah given that

you are fairly new to social work as a profession but having had all that international experience and the fact that you didn't have the opportunity for a second placement in in sydney Was there anything else that you wanted to try? I know that you're in a perfect position at the moment and you're enjoying what you're doing, but do you want to work internationally again? Do you want to keep teaching? Do you want to volunteer? Where would this take you, do you think?

I think there is a lot to learn within the social work itself. And I am so intrigued with how it's happening around the globe as well. When I look into designing some project ideas and stuff, I look into what's working best in the organizations. I'm more into international social work and what's working well around the globe and how we can replicate that in Australia or the work that we do. So that is something I'm really interested in. And I always try to do a bit of extra research and see what's going on.

So like even with the community development, how are the organizations doing it? You know, like within the disability, how is Norway prospering? Like how is it such a happy country? Like, you know, like looking into international social work is something I think I still have a long way to go. And whenever I get time, I look into that. But yeah, I think that's an area. I need to do more research, invest more time. Yeah.

Yeah. Are you linked in with the International Federation of Social Work? Yeah. Yeah. I get their newsletters as well. And it's just, yeah, some amazing work that's being done overseas. Yeah. And also in US, like, it's a small.

area of social work, but still they are doing some amazing work, like in the UK and other countries like where people are put first, like even in New Zealand, like there are different projects and different leadership, the feminist approach, like how is evolving and how far behind we are and learning from them and putting into the practice here in Australia, like I think, or elsewhere in the world, you know, like there's so much to learn. There's so much to learn. People are doing amazing things. Yeah. Are you still in touch with any of your colleagues? from Nepal? Yes, I am. There are few people whom we talk and what are they up to at the moment. They are also working. They are working within the social work sector as well. But yeah,

it's a different industry, you know, like in Nepal, especially social workers are not as recognised as it is here in Australia. And everybody calls themselves a social baker rather than it's being a profession. If you are working in community, you're a social worker. And sometimes I find it here as well like yeah I'm a social worker but hi you so yeah in Nepal it's a challenge but I think it's evolving as well are there any other programs or projects that you've been able to be a part of it sounds like you've got a lot of research opportunity and stakeholder partnerships within what you're doing and I think the sports and disability program is fantastic but is there anything even with I don't know if there's a Nepalese community in the ACT or any other programs that you'd like to be involved in?

Yes, I would like always to be connected with the communities and the families, but because of this lockdown and the COVID situation, it has been difficult. But another project that my group is scoping is like when we looked into the, again, the data and stuff, the people from the cold's background are accessing NDIS. So like there's very less number of people who are actually existing NDIS. And when we talk to them, we are in a lot of people. We are in is like either they don't have much understanding of how NDICs or either they don't have enough support coordinators who are from their background. So there is a huge gap. And those people who have been accessing in the AIS, they don't utilize their funding. There's an underutilization of

the funding. So we are designing another project where the LACs, the local area coordinators, will go out in the community and do an FAQ like a question answer or drop in or what is that is important. Like now at this days, we are. looking into tapping the religious leaders or the community leaders, talking to them and understanding where the gaps are or what do they need from us? Because my role is solely the community development, right? So like if that's a need, I'm happy to bring in my team and then reach that gap. So there are multi-projects. It's initial. Overlapping things. Yeah, absolutely. Like within the Qualls community, I have already designed an art project.

where people with discipline, they have to have a boy, so I'm looking into doing a mentorship program, so including the diploma or certificate for visual arts people with the high school, special high schools program here in ACT. So the people who are doing the diploma in visual arts would be the mentor, and the high school students would be the mentee and working out together and doing art exhibitions. So that's a project idea that has been approved and eventually doing murals. That's beautiful. Yeah, I've submitted a blending colors dream big project.

So hopefully it will come in play next year. And what are the funding opportunities? I can imagine because the NDIS funding is so particular to a participant, so it's so personal. Do you get funding from local council or schools? How do you do that? Yeah, a lot of funding opportunities, to be honest, within the ACT as well.

And same was in Sydney when I was working, like a lot of community grants, Cumberland Council, they used to announce so many local grants, events grants and whatnot. So, like, it's tapping into that. Here, like, for example, with the arts, the ministers of art and culture, they have $5,000 grant goes out throughout the year. And there's another grant, $50,000 grant, that goes out twice a year. So, like, I have already done that research. And then I presented my project idea.

So, like, there are funding. It's just a matter of designing a project and working closely with the people. So it's just an example. And same with the sports. Like there are $320 million grant has been provided to few of the inclusive sports program, but we work with the people with this big and they have not been linked. So the funding has been announced and people are not accessing or not aware of the inclusive sports. So how do you please that gap?

So I guess like there are a lot of opportunity. It's just a matter of tapping. But it's so important to as someone who's applying for funding and be able to so succinctly explain what the next. need is and then how you're going to actually carry it out. Exactly. That's why I looked into the data first, like why I'm designing the project with the sports. If our 6, 70% of her participants frequent 7 to 24 isn't supposed the most important thing at the stage of your life, I think it is. So like, let's do this. So there is an evidence. So like it's evidence based. And plus there is a funding

already. So you know, all those things are so important. Yeah. Oh, that's really exciting. If someone was wanting to learn more about the work that you're doing or the approaches that you take, like you mentioned the strengths-based approach and community development principles, what would you recommend they do? Is there any good reading out there, any good organizations they should check out? I believe it's just a matter of talking to people. I think before you start designing a project or everything, according to my experience, I believe if it comes from the community, just go out and talk to people.

and have the chat and understand what's missing or like where the gaps are rather than just coming in and saying, okay, this is a project I'm going to do. But if it is an evidence based, like if we have this group of people, they are not doing this. Okay, so we have identified a gap. So talk to people. How do they feel like? What would they like to do, see as an improvement? Like what would they like to see? And it grows naturally. It will be easy for us to have people on board because even if I design a project, I would need a project team, right? Like, I can't do everything on my own. So how do you bring all those organizations together?

Invest a lot of time on pre-planning rather than executing. That's my model. If you have a strong plan, if you have a focus, if you have a direction, if you know what you want to achieve and if you know where the gaps are, the project is done. But if your vision is not clear, if you don't have a clear idea what you want to achieve, if you're not sure where this project is going to lead, it will just be lost. It will be just a waste of time, waste of money.

Like, it might bring in some results. But like if you, no matter it could be just a small project, it could be just a week long, it would just be a two weeks long or two months. But if you invest your time on pre-planning, I think that's when you have a good result. It seems like writing an assignment. If you don't do a proper research, your assignments will be all over the place, right? So it's about pre-planning, having that framework and having a clear vision. That's where you can have a successful project.

And sometimes it doesn't go as a plan and taking it on board. It's okay if it doesn't go, but you try, taking one step and learn from that and then move ahead. And just because it doesn't work one time doesn't mean it won't work another time. You've still got that research. It's not lost time. Exactly, exactly. It might just be that the priorities within whatever, council or government it is at the time, isn't there?

And that's when you can write down all the limitations when you're designing a project. Because at this situation, COVID is one of the biggest limitation. Even though I have so many project ideas, I write down my limitations, these are the limitations and this could impact my project so that you don't get disheartened as well. You know, like, yeah. Before we finish up, is there anything else that you wanted to say about the work that you're doing or any words of advice to people out there? I'm not that experience to give any advice, but the only thing I would say is like, see,

if you are passionate, just follow your passion. And social work, it's a big sector and there is a lot of things you can do. It does not just have to be in one sector. Like when I was studying, many people were so much focused in being a social worker in a hospital setting. But for me, that's not where my interest is. I can't imagine myself working in a hospital setting because that's not my passion. And if I somehow jumped into, I don't know. if I will try or not.

So just follow your heart, follow your passion, and do what you enjoy doing. It comes from your heart. It just flows naturally. Yeah, that's great. I really loved hearing about, even just from your early days

of wanting to put community first and supporting people to keep moving, keep evolving, like beautiful butterflies, and the importance of being curious and creative in providing that holistic support to communities and individuals.

And I think hopefully you'll be able to inspire more people to look for roles with that capacity for change because there are obviously so many opportunities for social workers to make an impact. And it's just about thinking outside the box and about being confident in what we bring to roles as varied as they might be. So, yeah, I think it's so important what you're doing. and I think it's, as you said, it's only been a short time that you've been working, but you've done so much in that time. And because of your passion and because of your attitude towards, especially the community development principles,

I think that will develop a lot more as you go along and provide more opportunities for a lot more people in the future. Yeah, just follow what you really enjoy. Yeah, thank you so much again, Re. It's been wonderful hearing from you, and I hope people find this as inspiring as I have. I really just wish you all the best with your projects that you're doing and everything else that you want to do in the future.

Thank you so much, yeshmin. It really means a lot because it's hard to get a platform where you can share things. And I hope this podcast will be insightful for people who are trying to explore the social web career or a social web journey or going into a community development sector. You know, like because as mentioned, It's a vast industry and just follow your heart and follow your passion.

Thanks for joining me this week. If you would like to continue this discussion or ask anything of either myself or Risha, please visit my anchor page at anchor.fm slash social work spotlight. You can find me on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, or you can email SW Spotlight Podcast at gmail.com. I'd love to hear from you. Please also let me know if there is a particular topic you'd like discussed, or if you or another person you know would like to be featured on the show.

Next episode's guest is Nursi, who has over 15 years experience in supportive mental health services. She has worked in a range of clinical fields, including providing community mental health services to marginalised families in inner city Los Angeles, specialized support services for refugee communities in Sydney, Southwest, and more recently providing solution-focused counselling in the EAP well-being space. I release a new episode every two weeks. Please subscribe to my podcast so you'll notified when this next episode is available. See you next time.