Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Timeline
Generic

Megan Crooks

Torquay,VIC

Summary

Motivated individual with comprehensive knowledge of social justice issues and systems affecting marginalized communities. Passionate about developing and facilitating programs to support communities in need. Collaborative and analytical advocate builds strategic partnerships, advocate for clients and advance change for communities in need.

Overview

17
17
years of professional experience

Work History

Specialist Disability Child & Family Practitioner

BCYF/MELI
04.2021 - Current
  • Provides the highest quality of support to people and families experiencing disability to access supports
  • Coordinate supports to help a family safely maintain care of their child in the family home, with appropriate mainstream and disability supports in place.
  • Coordinate supports for a child requiring accommodation outside the family home.
  • Apply a case management model to a family in order to increase parental capacity to care well for children
  • Focus on the child’s safety, stability, health, development and learning.
  • Delivery of a case management model to families in order to increase parental capacity and care for children and young people.
  • Undertake assertive outreach in the community and clients home.
  • Develop effective partnerships with relevant organisations to ensure effective coordination of client services and specialist supports
  • Develop and maintain positive working relationships with internal and external stakeholders, specifically the National Disability Insurance Agency.
  • Record and maintain data in accordance with program requirements and legislation
  • Seek secondary consultation and advice from relevant experts, specialists and experienced peers to support decision-making.
  • Participate in core capability training, action learning and practice reflection opportunities to support the client support model.
  • Participate in supervision and appropriate state wide meetings
  • Provide support to families to access and implement the range of supports and services outlined within their NDIS approved plans
  • Support families to link in with Mainstream supports and community
  • Help build family’s capacity to understand and navigate service systems
  • Liaise with disability specific service providers to determine expertise and availability of supports for families.
  • Build a collaborative relationship between families and service providers to provide a coordinated support response focussed on the child’s goals and objectives.
  • Liaise with and report as required to NDIA in relation to participants and their plans, including periodic and annual reviews
  • Remain informed about changes to the NDIS
  • Engage with the community sector through networking opportunities

Specialist Family Violence Case Manager

BCYF
04.2018 - 10.2020
  • Apply culturally considerate case management model to young people and families to reduce a young persons use of violent behaviours and increase safety.
  • Apply a group program that utilises concurrent and combined parent/adolescent group sessions that focus on behaviour change and skills development such as communication
    skills, positive parenting and managing emotions, safety planning, recognizing, and managing triggers.
  • Focus on the young person’s safety, stability, health, development, and learning.
  • Ensure that interventions are guided by evidence-based practices.
  • Engage with young people and their families through assertive outreach and innovative responses.
  • Utilise Youth Focused, Best Interest Case Practice Model and the Child and Youth MARAM assessment.
  • Provide service delivery reflective of the principles and values that underpin the trauma informed work undertaken by BCYF that is; person-centred, strengths-based, trauma-informed, individual and systemic, gender informed, culturally sensitive and accurately informed.

NDIS Support Coordinator

BCYF
04.2017 - 08.2017
  • Provide support to clients based on their NDIA plan, implementing all supports within the participants plan including formal, main stream and funded supports.
  • Use a strengths based approach when working with clients to establish a Support Plan with the client and other relevant stake holders Build effective relationships with clients and their families while maintaining appropriate and professional boundaries
  • Manage client issues and complaints with respect and fairness whilst following BCYF policies and procedures Prioritise, manage and administer a caseload / tasks in a coordinated, efficient and timely manner.
  • Ensure that information on relevant community resources are available to clients and that appropriate referrals are made and followed up.
  • Work collaboratively with other NDIS services and allied health providers.
  • Participate in regular supervision, annual performance review and approved training.

Therapeutic Residential Youth Worker

BCYF
11.2016 - 04.2017
  • To participate in the day to day operation of the Residential unit.
  • Ensure that the young people are provided with a nutritionally balanced diet
  • Provide and participate in appropriate recreational activities for and with the young people
  • Support the young people to maintain important links with their family of origin, friendship networks and the local community
  • To provide a high standard of emotional and physical care to the young people living in the unit, ensuring their safety and well being.
  • Report about the children/young people in the unit to the appropriate people (other residential workers, case manager, department, support services etc.)
  • Completed necessary reports and documentation to maintain thorough, accurate case records.
  • Have input to the implementation of the individual therapeutic treatment plans, LAC, crisis management plans and case plans.
  • To actively support the children and young people’s integration into schools, employment or appropriate day programs or therapeutic programs that will meet their individual needs
  • To liaise with counsellors, health workers, drug and alcohol agencies and other professionals involved in the children and young people’s lives, as required.
  • Provided guidance and advice to youth, supporting navigation of diverse personal and social issues.
  • Facilitated youth development and leadership programs for young people from diverse backgrounds.

Mental Health Caseworker

The Salvation Army, Mental Health Services
11.2016 - 04.2017
  • To provide assessment, treatment and recovery based interventions within a multidisciplinary team context to individuals and their families who experience a serious mental illness and/or co morbid substance use disorders and live in the Barwon Region
  • Collaborated with mental health professionals to coordinate comprehensive care for clients.
  • Offered supportive counselling and crisis intervention to individuals in crisis.
  • Deliver high quality interventions that are consumer centred, and family/carer inclusive and are delivered in a timely and coordinated manner in the most appropriate service location
  • Responsible for providing specialist supports as included in all relevant care and recovery plans
  • Management of a caseload of between 10‐12 participants
  • Work collaboratively with NDIS, TSA Corps, Peak Bodies and other service and allied health providers
  • Participate in regular supervision, annual performance review and approved training

Therapeutic Residential Youth Worker

Berry Street Victoria
04.2015 - 11.2016
  • Completed necessary reports and documentation to maintain thorough, accurate case records.
  • Provided guidance and advice to youth, supporting navigation of diverse personal and social issues.
  • Provided key emotional support to special needs youth.
  • Contributed to development of individualized plans to support youth goal achievement.
  • Organized and facilitated recreational activities to engage youth in positive, team-building experiences.
  • Facilitated youth development and leadership programs for young people from diverse backgrounds.
  • Supported and mentored students in developing skills to become successful in community.
  • Collaborated with parents, teachers and professionals to drive youth program outcomes.
  • Developed and maintained relationships with partner organizations to facilitate access to youth-related resources.
  • Developed and delivered educational workshops to support youth in understanding and navigating real-world experiences.
  • Encouraged youth clients to develop own activities and leadership skills through group discussions.
  • Assisted in identifying and reducing barriers to youth engagement and development.

Mentor Leader

Raise Foundation
02.2015 - 11.2015
  • Promoted positive relationships between mentees and other peers and adults to encourage social resilience and connection.
  • Served as role model for mentees by demonstrating strong values and ethical standards.
  • Assisted mentees in setting and achieving educational and career goals to encourage independence.
  • Assisted mentees in developing self-confidence and positive self-image.
  • Monitored behavior and reported any incidents to appropriate personnel.
  • Provided guidance and recommended coping mechanisms for youth dealing with difficult issues.
  • Assisted youth with homework assignments, sports, and fitness, art and literacy.
  • Regularly assessed progress and provided feedback to support continued development.
  • Facilitated workshops and seminars to foster development of problem-solving, decision-making, and critical thinking.
  • Developed and led special events that increased decision making, problem-solving and good judgment.
  • Encouraged exploration of new hobbies and career opportunities to enhance quality of life.

Team Manager

Energy Australia, Customer Interaction Centre
10.2007 - 10.2016
  • Coordinated team collaboration to share ideas and build best practices.
  • Evaluated employee performance and coached and trained team members, increasing quality of work and employee motivation.
  • Led employee relations through effective communication, coaching, training, and development.
  • Delivered regular team meetings for aligned work towards common goals.
  • Analyzed team performance data to provide meaningful insights, enabling informed decision-making.
  • Cultivated positive, productive team environments, resolving conflicts quickly.
  • Drove performance of staff by creating incentives and positive work atmosphere and administering recognition and rewards programs.
  • Established and maintained performance, quality and service standards for professional customer care.
  • Recruited and trained high-performing team members, maintaining optimized customer service.
  • Evaluated employee performance on annual basis and coached and trained team members, increasing quality of work and employee motivation.

Disability Support Worker

AQA Victoria
03.2006 - 12.2012
  • Provided assistance in daily living activities by dressing, grooming, bathing, and toileting patients.
  • Working to improve client’s quality of life
  • Drove clients safely to social activities and appointments.
  • Kept detailed daily logs with care actions, patient behaviors, and incidents.
  • Maintained safety with tidy, clean, and hazard-free home environments.
  • Cleaned house, ran errands, managed laundry, and completed weekly grocery shopping.
  • Prepared nutritious meals to meet individual dietary needs for clients.
  • Adhered to company requirements for patient interactions and care standards.
  • Provided high level of physical support by lifting, adjusting, and moving clients.
  • Transported patients via wheelchair to and from rehabilitation and daily activities.
  • Checked medication schedules and patient needs to enforce medication administration standards team-wide.
  • Kept accurate records for client files and handled related paperwork.

Education

Diploma of Community Services -

Western Sydney Institute
Strathfield, NSW
2016

Accredited Youth Mentoring Course -

Northern Sydney Insitute of TAFE
Melbourne, VIC
2015

Bachelor of Nursing - undefined

RMIT Bundoora
2007

VCE - undefined

St. Monicas College Epping
2005

Skills

  • Case Support
  • Knowledge Base
  • Write Reports
  • Administrative Support
  • Individualized Service Plans
  • Customer Service Management
  • Professional Development
  • Care Coordination Support
  • Social Justice
  • Team Meeting Facilitation
  • Individualized Support
  • Home Visits
  • Client Needs Assessment

Timeline

Specialist Disability Child & Family Practitioner

BCYF/MELI
04.2021 - Current

Specialist Family Violence Case Manager

BCYF
04.2018 - 10.2020

NDIS Support Coordinator

BCYF
04.2017 - 08.2017

Therapeutic Residential Youth Worker

BCYF
11.2016 - 04.2017

Mental Health Caseworker

The Salvation Army, Mental Health Services
11.2016 - 04.2017

Therapeutic Residential Youth Worker

Berry Street Victoria
04.2015 - 11.2016

Mentor Leader

Raise Foundation
02.2015 - 11.2015

Team Manager

Energy Australia, Customer Interaction Centre
10.2007 - 10.2016

Disability Support Worker

AQA Victoria
03.2006 - 12.2012

Diploma of Community Services -

Western Sydney Institute

Accredited Youth Mentoring Course -

Northern Sydney Insitute of TAFE

Bachelor of Nursing - undefined

RMIT Bundoora

VCE - undefined

St. Monicas College Epping

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Megan Crooks