Melissa Burgess
Summary
Community Development Specialist / Social and Environmental Project Manager / Partnerships and Stakeholder Engagement / Researcher / Experienced Social Inclusion and Access and Equity Advocate
Overview
20
20
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Senior Project Officer
Department of Premier and Cabinet, Aboriginal Affairs (NSW State Govt)
05.2023 - Current
- Working with the Survivors of the Stolen Generations, the development of Keeping Places, Heritage Futures
- Working in partnership with Stolen Generations Organisations, Local Aboriginal Land Council’s and state Govt Departments to develop Keeping Places and Healing Hubs
- Working within Aboriginal Cultural and Intellectual Property protocols framework
- A trauma informed approach to working with communities
- Developing briefs, presentations etc as part of the procurement and tender processes for contractors to work on sensitive projects including the delivery of strategy for land negotiation between Indigenous parties
- Project management and stakeholder engagement across 4 sites
- Supporting mediation, negotiation, facilitation of decision-making processes
- Working in collaboration with other government departments, Heritage NSW and CREATE NSW, Infrastructure NSW, Department of Public Works.
- Evaluated completed projects for lessons learned, incorporating feedback to refine future initiatives and drive ongoing improvement.
- Contributed to strategic planning sessions with senior leadership teams to align projects with organizational goals and objectives.
- Strengthened stakeholder relationships by maintaining open lines of communication and providing regular progress updates.
- Updated customers and senior leaders on progress and roadblocks.
Community Projects
Inner West Council
01.2023 - 05.2023
- Managed planning and delivery of Mental Health Forum
- Stakeholder Engagement
- Developed Report on Mental Health to inform future Community Wellbeing Strategy
- Convened and coordinated Council’s LGBTQ Working Group including work on member recruitment and governance
- Responding to and delivering on community social media campaigns as a response to discriminations and events impacting the LGBTQ community
- Working together with council services such as swimming pools and libraries to create safe and welcoming spaces for the LGBTQ community
- Supported Pride Inner West Festival and events and planning of the Pride Centre Newtown.
- Increased overall project efficacy by continuously refining objectives based on feedback from participants.
- Facilitated stakeholder meetings, fostering open communication between various parties involved in project planning and implementation phases.
- Collaborated closely with other departments within the organization to align resources and objectives in support of overarching goals.
- Coordinated successful community events, managing logistics, budgeting, and volunteer recruitment.
- Designed promotional materials for events and campaigns, increasing public awareness of community initiatives.
- Strengthened relationships with local organizations through strategic partnerships and collaborations.
- Developed engaging social media content to promote upcoming events and share success stories from completed projects.
- Conducted extensive research on community needs, prioritizing projects accordingly to maximize impact.
- Scheduled and facilitated meetings between project stakeholders to discuss deliverables, schedules and conflicts.
Network Organiser
Climate Action Network Australia CANA
04.2021 - 07.2022
- Network Organising - maintaining an overview of the network membership, identifying opportunities and risks
- Supporting, mentoring, and connecting leaders in the network to further CANA strategic priorities, convened working group meetings and shared capacity building opportunities
- Working with a range of stakeholders convening Membership Outreach and Stakeholder Engagement committee and Small Grants Program Committee meetings
- Developed CANA Member Outreach and Engagement Strategy
- Directly undertaking outreach to diversify the network utilising Small Grants Program and other methods to engage groups who are less represented and highly affected by the impacts of climate change
- Supported organising projects that educate and organise new and/or diverse voices to advocate for a rapid transformation to net zero emissions using principles of climate justice
- Managed Small Grants Program, including convening and administering meetings and assessments, inducting committee members and onboarding Diversity and Inclusion Advisor
- Advocated for additional grants funding and supported fundraising
- Led and project managed CANA's member conference and 20th Anniversary celebrations, “Power Through Collaboration”, creating opportunities for members to engage and collaborate
- Developed conference agenda, run sheet and content through process of attaining expressions of interest from the membership and facilitated Conference Advisory Group
- Demonstrated exceptional time management skills while working on multiple projects simultaneously
- Participated in strategy development and planning to grow organising program and advance campaigns.
- Collaborated with cross-functional teams to ensure smooth execution of large-scale events, resulting in positive feedback from stakeholders.
Community Projects Team Leader
Cumberland City Council
09.2019 - 11.2020
- Management and supervision of staff within the Community Development Directorate of Council
- Strategic direction to the development of programs and projects based on community identified needs in line with Councils Strategic plans
- Community Engagement and the creation of capacity building opportunities to the NFP community and Volunteer sectors
- Development of targeted campaigns for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse and emerging communities focusing on; Community Health and Wellbeing matters, equity and access, and Council’s Community Grants programs
- Development of Councils extensive Grants Support Program
- Project Management to “Refugee Camp in My Neighbourhood” a 12 day major collaboration and annual event with community partners and stakeholders
- Coordination and communication of Councils Emergency Relief response to COVID-19 for the community sector
- Development of multilingual resources in collaboration with Domestic and Family Violence, Community of Practice. (delivered in conjunction with “Living Safely in Cumberland” Strategy.
- Monitoring and evaluation of projects and ongoing review to policy and procedure.
- Monitored team performance and provided constructive feedback to increase productivity and maintain quality standards.
- Empowered team members by delegating responsibilities according to individual strengths and areas of expertise.
Community Development Project Management
Central Land Council, Central Australia
01.2018 - 03.2019
- Working with remote Indigenous communities (NT, WA)
- Coordination of community events, capacity building and training
- Working with Indigenous ranger groups, administering and developing partnership approaches to Indigenous Protected Areas
- Management and delivery of quality infrastructure and human capital projects in line with sustainable and community driven social and economic initiatives
- Identified and developed collaborative partnerships, encouraging community engagement and participation, to support community development including the employment, training and governance aspirations of community groups and Indigenous Corporations
- Monitoring and evaluation of CLC’s Community Development Strategies
- Coordination and facilitation of community meetings and decision-making processes
- Dissemination and feedback of information to stakeholders
- Research and advocacy supporting community and sector interests.
- Boosted local social and economic decision making capacity by coordinating community development initiatives.
- Conducted comprehensive needs assessments to prioritize investments in infrastructure, social services, and other critical areas of concern within the community.
- Monitored progress of ongoing projects providing regular updates to stakeholders and adjusting strategies as needed for optimal outcomes.
- Facilitated stakeholder meetings, fostering collaboration and consensus-building among key players in community development efforts.
Senior Program Officer - Child and Family Wellbeing Service
Ngaanyatjarra Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (NPY) Women’s Council. (NT, SA, WA)
02.2016 - 01.2018
- Managing a team of Child Nutrition Development Officers working across the central desert tri state region NT, SA, WA
- Event coordination and education on health promotion campaigns such as Annual Health Festival
- Stakeholder engagement and advocacy between stores, community medical clinics, schools, childcare centres, community groups and funding bodies
- Research and Advocacy on matters affecting community – Social determinants of health
- Managing Community development led initiatives across 26 remote Aboriginal communities
- Working within a trauma informed approach
- Developing and supporting health promotion strategies, delivering workshops and community education campaigns across the Ngaanyatjarra Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara lands, Tri state region of Central Australia
- Coordination and logistics management of a fleet of 12 vehicles, satellite phones and safety procedures
- Development and ongoing improvements to policy, safety, WHS.
- Directed client support and communicated consistently by liaising between client and management.
ASPIRE Outreach Project Officer
Equity Unit UNSW (University of NSW)
05.2015 - 01.2016
- Working in Regional communities across NSW
- Delivery of workshops to improve equity and inclusion in schools and communities and managing community development initiatives
- Community contact for Indigenous engagement with a suite of regional schools in Walgett, Lightening Ridge, Dubbo, Gilgandra, and Coonamble
- Coordination and delivery of major multi day events at Regional Hub in Dubbo and at UNSW main campus
- Coordination, training and support to Volunteers, ASPIRE Ambassadors who worked alongside project officers to deliver the programs
- Stakeholder engagement with project partners across the state to support the aims and purpose of the ASPIRE program
- Collaborated closely with clients to clarify project requirements, goals, budgets, timelines, ensuring alignment with organizational objectives.
- Mentored junior team members and volunteers to enhance their skills development and overall performance within the organisation.
- Developed and deepened relationships with key stakeholders.
- Identified and resolved project issues and mitigated risks, reducing challenges and improving project results.
Case Management Mentor- Migration Support Programs
The Australian Red Cross NSW
01.2013 - 03.2015
- Mentoring/Training for Migration Support Program staff
- Development of Systems, procedures, guidelines for best practice
- Managing processes and coordinating staff schedules and site appointments
- Working within Red Cross’s national Migration Support Programs
- Advocacy to government departments, dept of Education, FACS, Dept of Health
- Stakeholder engagement and participation of Asylum Seeker Interjacencies
- Trauma informed response to community development and case management.
Complex Casework Coordinator
The Asylum Seeker Centre of NSW
09.2011 - 09.2012
- Coordination and training of a team of caseworkers, volunteers and pro-bono mental health practitioners
- Coordination of Volunteers providing Case Management support, Mental health supports, running fundraising campaigns, managing public events and in-house programs etc
- Project Management and Case Management with culturally and linguistically diverse cultures and communities
- Developed opportunities for capacity building and community development
- Risk management – responsible for development of policy and procedure
- Advocacy to government departments
- Stakeholder engagement and lead collaborations for improvement of services through the Asylum Seeker Interagency.
- Improved team productivity with regular communication and progress updates, fostering a collaborative work environment.
- Coached employees through day-to-day work and complex problems.
- Increased efficiency by streamlining coordination processes and implementing new organizational systems.
Academic Research Projects (Freelance/casual)
UNSW – The Centre for HIV and Social Research
02.2007 - 08.2011
- Administration, collation and compilation of project data in areas of social impact including HIV/ AIDS, Indigenous Cancer
- Compilation of different countries reporting on Millennium Development Goals
- Reporting across 13 countries in English and Spanish speaking countries
- Literature reviews
- Compiling and editing academic papers.
- Self-motivated, with a strong sense of personal responsibility.
- Organized and detail-oriented with a strong work ethic.
- Learned and adapted quickly to new technology and software applications.
Project Management
Seeds for Development, (Semillas Para el Desarrolló Civil Asociación). Mexico
04.2009 - 10.2010
- Supported communities to generate networks across primary production projects in semi desert communities
- Brokered relationships and developed supports between Indigenous communities, private business and local government
- Worked with seven communities to develop sustainable enterprise
- Developed project scopes, milestones and tracking tools
- Collated data
- Generated opportunities for communities to engage and work together in a partnership approach to achieve outcomes
- Reporting and published paper with the University of Queretaro University Autonoma de Queretaro
- Capacity building and education.
- Optimized creative workflow by implementing effective project management tools and techniques.
Community Development Officer
The Factory Community Centre, Redfern/Waterloo Australia
02.2004 - 02.2008
- Developed, marketed, coordinated, evaluated and reported on projects for improved health and social development outcomes
- Developed Community engagement strategies
- Worked alongside a pool of Volunteers and community members in the delivery of projects
- Provided community and client advocacy, created supports and fostered strong relationships with community stakeholders
- Collaboration and engagement of sector services and relevant government agencies
- Participated on boards of numerous community-based projects and organisations
- Utilised the arts and active projects to access and engage target populations
- Established and coordinated a range of community projects.
- Conducted online and in person research to identify community development opportunities.
Coordinator - Open House Program
The Sydney Opera House. Balnaves Foundation
01.2007 - 01.2008
- Coordinated program and recommended the set-up of community reference group for the, Balnaves Foundation, Open House Program at The Sydney Opera House to provide access to communities
- Liaison with Opera House marketing and promotions, community organisations, community leaders, staff, and patrons for events
- Administered, promoted and marketed events and coordinated ticketing procedures.
- Improved team productivity with regular communication and progress updates, fostering a collaborative work environment.
- Gathered and organized materials to support operations.
- Managed project timelines for successful completion, ensuring milestones were met and deadlines were adhered to.
- Enhanced customer satisfaction by responding promptly to inquiries and addressing concerns professionally.
Education
Post Graduate Certificate – Community Development Management -
The Faculty of Political And Social Sciences, Autonomous University of Queretaro
Queretaro, MexicoSydney Leadership Program - Organizational Leadership
Social Leadership Australia,
Sydney, NSWPost Graduate Diploma in Adult Education / Community Education - Community Education/Adult Education
University of Technology Sydney, Australia
Sydney, NSWBachelor of Health Science - Aboriginal Health And Community Development - Honors - Health Sciences
University of Sydney, Australia
Sydney, NSWSkills
- Training and mentoring
- Customer Focus
- Innovation and Creativity
- Risk Assessment
- Data Collection
- Project Management
- Operational Reporting
- Stakeholder Relations
- Meeting facilitation
- Project Scoping
- Team Collaboration
- Team Leadership
- Relationship Building
- Mind Mapping
Certification
- Certificate in Bush Regeneration, (TAFE) Technical and Further Education, NSW, 2022
- Course in Basic Wildfire Awareness – (TAFE) Technical and Further Education, NSW, 2022
- Wildlife Rescue and Immediate Care Course, (WIRES) Wildlife Information, Rescue and Education Service, 2021
- PADI Open Water Scuba Diver Certification, Sea Sports Jervis Bay
- NAUI Advanced Scuba Diver Certification, Frog Dive Sydney
- Kayak Coaching Open Water, Paddle Australia
Professional Development
- 2019, Smarty Grants Administration
- 2019, 4WD Nationally Recognised Driver Training (CADS Alice Springs)
- 2018, Senior First Aid, St Johns Ambulance
- 2016, Direct 4WD Awareness, Alice Springs
- 2016, Vicarious Trauma Management. Full Stop Australia
- 2013, International Program Planning and Evaluation, Australian Red Cross.
- 2012, Mental Health First Aid, NSW
- 2004, Wilderness Adventure Therapy. Accredited Training. NEO Psychology.
Volunteer Experience
- 05/01/22 - Ongoing, Wires Wildlife Rescuer
- 03/01/20-22 Secretary and support on development of Cooks River Litter Strategy – River Canoe Club of NSW
- 10/01/20-22 Bush Regeneration – National Parks and Wildlife Services NSW
- 02/01/17-01/18, Animal Rescue – Wildcare Alice Springs (Macropods)
- 08/01/10-01/11, Co-Coordinator of Projects Los Sustentables, México City
- 04/01/09-01/10, Project Assistant - Apoyo a Gente Emprendedores Civil Asociación. Mexico
References
Provided on request.
Languages
Spanish
Professional Working
Timeline
Senior Project Officer
Department of Premier and Cabinet, Aboriginal Affairs (NSW State Govt)
05.2023 - Current
Community Projects
Inner West Council
01.2023 - 05.2023
Network Organiser
Climate Action Network Australia CANA
04.2021 - 07.2022
Community Projects Team Leader
Cumberland City Council
09.2019 - 11.2020
Community Development Project Management
Central Land Council, Central Australia
01.2018 - 03.2019
Senior Program Officer - Child and Family Wellbeing Service
Ngaanyatjarra Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (NPY) Women’s Council. (NT, SA, WA)
02.2016 - 01.2018
ASPIRE Outreach Project Officer
Equity Unit UNSW (University of NSW)
05.2015 - 01.2016
Case Management Mentor- Migration Support Programs
The Australian Red Cross NSW
01.2013 - 03.2015
Complex Casework Coordinator
The Asylum Seeker Centre of NSW
09.2011 - 09.2012
Project Management
Seeds for Development, (Semillas Para el Desarrolló Civil Asociación). Mexico
04.2009 - 10.2010
Academic Research Projects (Freelance/casual)
UNSW – The Centre for HIV and Social Research
02.2007 - 08.2011
Coordinator - Open House Program
The Sydney Opera House. Balnaves Foundation
01.2007 - 01.2008
Community Development Officer
The Factory Community Centre, Redfern/Waterloo Australia
02.2004 - 02.2008
Post Graduate Certificate – Community Development Management -
The Faculty of Political And Social Sciences, Autonomous University of Queretaro
Sydney Leadership Program - Organizational Leadership
Social Leadership Australia,
Post Graduate Diploma in Adult Education / Community Education - Community Education/Adult Education
University of Technology Sydney, Australia
Bachelor of Health Science - Aboriginal Health And Community Development - Honors - Health Sciences
University of Sydney, Australia
- Certificate in Bush Regeneration, (TAFE) Technical and Further Education, NSW, 2022
- Course in Basic Wildfire Awareness – (TAFE) Technical and Further Education, NSW, 2022
- Wildlife Rescue and Immediate Care Course, (WIRES) Wildlife Information, Rescue and Education Service, 2021
- PADI Open Water Scuba Diver Certification, Sea Sports Jervis Bay
- NAUI Advanced Scuba Diver Certification, Frog Dive Sydney
- Kayak Coaching Open Water, Paddle Australia
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