Gerard McMinn

Newpin (New Parent and Infant Network), through Uniting is a family preservation and restoration specialist service supporting families achieve restoration by undertaking a 2 year therapeutic program supporting the development of parenting and child protection skills that allow children to transition from care to a safe family environment. As Family Worker my responsibilities entail:

· Coordinating, implementing and assessing parent education and support groups.

· Delivering tailored parental support, emphasizing parenting capacity development.

· Demonstrating expertise in child protection and assessment, contributing to safe and nurturing homes.

· Work alongside Department Communities and Justice to support families and children throughout family preservation and restoration.

• Advocate for families and children throughout the legal process of restoration

• Effective oral and in written communication skills

• Ensure comprehensive record keeping, note taking and report writing for legal & court process

• As a member of Minning Minni Kaiwarine Aboriginal Dance Group, and also individual self-employed, delivered workshops to schools and community groups on a volunteer basis as a cultural responsibility
• Provided professional workshops, smoking ceremonies and performance dance to schools across Central Coast, Hunter and Sydney as well as travel to Singapore for cultural performances
• Meeting with schools and organization to plan, coordinate and deliver across all areas of administration, time management and quality of service
• Reliability has been a key success factor in continuity of community and school engagement
• Ensuring workplace health and safety for all performances and workshops

• Every year 1,800 public school children attend Stewart House
• During 12 day stay students are provided with dental, optical, hearing and medical screening and treatment and participate in educational programs and excursions designed to develop their social and emotional skills, build self-esteem and improve their overall well-being
• Stewart House is a specific purpose NSW Department of Education school onsite providing education for 8 days of their 12-day stay
• This experience provides children with a much-needed break from their current circumstance and teachers and staff try to inspire children to see beyond the present and to have real hope and positive aspirations for their future
• 24% of children visiting Stewart House identify as Aboriginal and in as Aboriginal Community Liaison Officer I was required to:
• Collaborate within a team to provide educational support for traumatized children
• Develop and implement strategies to establish safe and supportive learning environments
• Provide cultural support for staff to engage Aboriginal students with a view to nurturing engagement and participation in learning and school-based activities
• Support staff to understand individual needs of Aboriginal students and providing advice on programs and resources to support student engagement and learning
• Undertake playground supervision, contributing to and being involved, in whole school activities, including excursions
• Support teachers in identification and development of resources to support programs for all students and in particular Aboriginal education
• Develop and implement appropriate curriculum for all students and specifically one which meets needs of Aboriginal students
• Provide engaging and interactive culturally appropriate lessons for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous students
• Liaise with schools and families across NSW and provide support in relation to Aboriginal student’s current placements and progress
• Mentor and build positive relationships with students
• Teach students social and emotional skills, in attempt to build up their resilience and sense of self
• Undertake a range of related duties as required by the principal or teachers to support the needs of students, including working after hours to support the needs of students in residence.

As a result of my work at Stewart House I was seconded to Department of Education Gosford in the position of Aboriginal Community Liaison Officer, Central Coast and Sydney region. My role consisted of:

• Cultivating positive relationships among parents, teachers, and students
• Directing Indigenous families to appropriate organisations and resources
• Co- Facilitator for the 8 ways of learning program across the Central Coast
• Managed and facilitated cultural reengagement programs across 6 schools.

• Mentor and build positive relationships with children in out of school hours
• Supporting children to develop social and emotional skills to build up their resilience and sense of self
• Provide fun, engaging activities and supervision for children in residence at Stewart House
• Overnight stays, providing assistance to supervisors around meals, nighttime and bed routines.

• Award:NAIDOC Male Recipient Community Award winner