Deborah Jane Wager

• Managed project timelines for successful completion, ensuring milestones were met and deadlines were adhered to.
• Collaborated with department heads to develop strategic plans aligning with overall company objectives, fostering a unified approach toward shared goals.
• Coordinated cross-functional teams, resulting in seamless project execution and enhanced outcomes.
• Assisted in recruitment efforts by coordinating interviews and managing onboarding activities for new hires.
• Prioritized and managed multiple projects simultaneously, ensuring all met their deadlines and objectives without compromising quality.
• Coordinated logistics for large-scale events, significantly reducing setup times and eliminating scheduling conflicts.
• Boosted team morale and productivity by organizing team-building activities and maintaining open-door policy for feedback and concerns.
• Resolved issues through active listening and open-ended questioning, escalating major problems to manager.
• Hired, managed, developed and trained staff, established and monitored goals, conducted performance reviews and administered salaries for staff.
• Coordinated individual duties after careful evaluation of each employee's skill level and knowledge.
• Delegated tasks to administrative support staff to organize and improve office efficiency.

CITY OF GREATER GEELONG

Community Development Officer.

While employed by the City of Greater Geelong I have undertaken two short term secondments.

November 1995 – March 1996 Flood Recovery Project working with communities affected by flooding of the Barwon River. Project report “After the Floods” released December, 1996.

October 1998 – February 1999 – Acting Coordinator City of Greater Geelong Youth Services.

PUBLIC TENANTS UNION OF VICTORIA (PTU).

Relief coordinator, 19 hours per week for 8 weeks.

BARWON ADOLESCENT TASKFORCE (BATforce).

Peer Education Project - 120 hour contract to establish this project. My tasks included employment of an ongoing worker, developing contracts for peer educators and host agencies, developing a definition of Peer Education, compiling a resource & contact list and commencing a literature search.

• Self-motivated, with a strong sense of personal responsibility.
• Worked effectively in fast-paced environments.
• Skilled at working independently and collaboratively in a team environment.
• Worked flexible hours across night, weekend, and holiday shifts.

• Provided individualised support for at-risk youth, through the resulting in increased self-esteem and positive behaviour changes.
• Promoted a safe, inclusive environment by establishing clear expectations and reinforcing positive behaviours among participants.
• Provided work experience through the operation of Capers Catering a social enterprise business.
• Provided guidance and advice to youth, supporting navigation of diverse personal and social issues.
• Promoted positive peer interactions by facilitating group activities and modelling respectful communication techniques.
• Organised and facilitated recreational activities to engage youth in positive, team-building experiences.
• Advocated for youth needs and interests in community forums, raising awareness and sparking positive change in public perceptions and policies.

This service designed, developed and ran innovative information projects intended to enable young people to take control over issues effecting their lives. As the manager of this service I gained experience in identification of needs, planning and implementing innovative and responsive projects / activities, setting performance indicators and evaluation, team leadership and all aspects of administrative management.

• Accomplished multiple tasks within established timeframes.
• Maintained professional, organized, and safe environment for employees and patrons.
• Enhanced customer satisfaction by resolving disputes promptly, maintaining open lines of communication, and ensuring high-quality service delivery.

FREELANCE COMMUNITY WORK.

Barwon Association for Youth Support & Accommodation (BAYSA).

Tutoring in personal development and life skills for the Youth Skills Program, a program for young offenders.

Community Development Facilitator (CDF) Program.

Reviewed the pilot CDF program operating in four remote Aboriginal Communities in Western Australia. Report published "Adult Education in Remote Aboriginal Communities" - Peter Lorraine and Jane Wager, May 1991

Barwon Youth Accommodation Service (BYAS).

Relief youth housing and administration work. Additionally I undertook a consultation a produced an internal report on service user impressions of the service provided.

Supported Accommodation Research Project (SARP).

Provided support, guidance and background information to the research worker. This included "action research" training and report writing support.

Brunswick Public Tenants' Association.

Author of "Highrise Low Expectations. Is it good enough?" Barkly Street tenants have their say about local services, August 1990, published by the North West Regional Housing Council.

Shelter Victoria.

Setting up a new office, writing and presenting the organisational submission to the Minister for Housing. Preparation and presentation of a paper "Public Versus Welfare Housing" to a Western Australian Shelter Conference.

Broadmeadows TAFE.

Prepared and presented a tutorial to community development students on the role of workers in the community development field.

Barwon Region Tenants' Associations (BRTA).

Undertook two consultations with public tenants in the Barwon Region. Both consultations resulted in reports utilised by the Associations and the Department of Housing and Planning.

Public Tenants Union of Victoria.

Promotion of the "fair rents" campaign which involved facilitating workshops about the public housing rental system throughout Victoria.

• Mobilised local citizens to participate in various community development activities.
• Conducted comprehensive needs assessments to prioritise investments in infrastructure, social services, and other critical areas of concern within the community.
• Cultivated relationships with government agencies at all levels securing support for regulatory changes beneficial to the local area.
• Coordinated professional development opportunities for community members ensuring continued capacity-building within the public housing tenant groups.
• Initiated dialogues between diverse segments of the population promoting inclusivity and a sense of belonging within the larger community context.
• Managed grant applications, securing vital funding for essential community projects.
• Enhanced public engagement with targeted outreach strategies for diverse populations.
• Collaborated with cross-functional teams to address pressing community issues such as housing, education, and workforce development.
• Facilitated stakeholder meetings, fostering collaboration and consensus-building among key players in community development efforts.
• Strengthened community partnerships by developing and implementing collaborative projects.
• Advocated for increased public housing along with review of policy and programs to ensure effective services responding to and supporting the needs of tenants.

• Developed culturally sensitive materials and delivered presentations tailored to engage specific audiences effectively.
• Strengthened organizational capacities by developing systems that streamline operations while enhancing accountability measures.
• Promoted social inclusion by creating opportunities for marginalized groups to participate fully in the life of their communities.
• Monitored project progress, adapting strategies as necessary to achieve desired results within established timelines and budgets.
• Conducted comprehensive needs assessments to identify areas of improvement and develop targeted intervention strategies.
• Developed strategic partnerships with local organizations for collaborative projects, resulting in improved community resources.
• Facilitated open forums and town hall meetings to encourage active participation from diverse community members in decision-making processes.
• Advocated for policy changes at various levels of government based on identified needs within the communities served.
• Built strong relationships with key stakeholders, maintaining open channels of communication that contributed to overall project success.
• Collaborated with multidisciplinary teams to design and execute holistic approaches to address complex community issues.