05 Aug 2021
Liz is a school social worker with Erindale College and previously worked in the Network Student Engagement Team. She is passionate about the wellbeing of all the students and families she works with. Having worked in the industry for eleven years, Liz has built a strong network of support services, having created meaningful relationships with the community.
“I’m passionate about education and the rights of young people to access it. Often students face personal adversities or situational barriers to attending school. I provide case management for students and families experiencing difficulties engaging with their education and who require support. I develop therapeutic intervention plans for students and ensure they can access the right services to achieve their personal goals.”
Social workers work holistically with other allied health professionals to help students who are disengaged with their learning to get back on track. There are a number of reasons why a student might become disengaged, every situation is unique but all students are worthy of a good education and all can be helped. This looks different for every family.
“Maybe they’ve been out of school for years, maybe they’re struggling with wellbeing concerns, family domestic violence, grief and loss, or engaged in risk taking behaviours. I work with these students by taking a holistic and culturally sensitive approach. I start with an individual needs assessment and gather information from the student and their immediate network of support” Liz said.
So, what does it take to be a social worker? Liz notes a few key qualities of a social worker.
“You’ve got to have a passion for working with children and young people and ability to build relationships, optimism, empathy. I enjoy it, it can be hard at times, you need a supportive team and a good manager to support you through it. I work with a great team here,” Liz said.
“Having the ability to engage students through effective listening, open and transparent communication is paramount.”
“To have the ability to build meaningful connections with others is an essential part of social work, to help support students through their life challenges and enable personal growth.”