Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Timeline
Generic

Michael Brown

18 Cascade Street, Wentworth Falls,NSW

Summary

During the pursuit of a Master's degree in Social Ecology, I focused on excelling in various human services. I possess excellent skills in collaboration, case management, research, and the development of good practices. I have worked across the government and non-government sectors in the Nepean, Hawkesbury and Blue Mountains LGAs for over twenty years. My approach to social action entails a rigorous and compassionate personal commitment to service; empowering individuals and communities to take responsibility for the protection of their well-being; changes in the value systems of service providers so that the participation of people and communities assumes greater importance; the fostering of collaboration between services and workers; the promotion of bottom-up planning and the delegation of power; and changes in policy and decision-making that reflect greater concern for social justice.

Overview

36
36
years of professional experience

Work History

ONLINE TUTOR

Need A Tutor And Badanami Centre
01.2019 - 12.2022

Need a Tutor provides online literacy and numeracy support to Indigenous students. The Badanami Centre for Indigenous Education assists Indigenous students at Western Sydney University

  • Provide online tutoring (infants, primary, high school and university)
  • Ensure a culturally safe student interface
  • Provide literacy and numeracy assessments
  • Devise strategies and plans that build on student strengths and that address deficits
  • Develop training resources for new tutors
  • Network with relevant service providers, especially teachers

COMMUNITY SERVICE WORKER

Sydney Legacy
08.2004 - 12.2018

Legacy supports war widows and their dependents (including those who have a disability) and the families of veterans who gave their health

  • Provide assessments, referrals, casework and case management
  • Network with relevant service providers, especially allied health
  • Maintain a client database
  • Resource voluntary members of Sydney Legacy

POLICY AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT WORKER

Community Resource Network
01.2004 - 08.2004

CRN is a sub-regional peak NGO

  • Formulate responses to public policy issues
  • Conduct research into public policy issues
  • Develop partnerships with all levels of Government, the NGO sector and the community
  • Maintain a website and an agency contact list
  • At this time, I also worked as a PART-TIME TAFE TEACHER (WELFARE) at Nirimba and Blue Mountains Campus

DISABILITIES SUPPORT WORKER

Kirinari Community Services
02.2002 - 01.2004

Kirinari provides a range of care to people with intellectual and other disabilities

  • Provide living skills support
  • Develop and implement case plans
  • Liaise with other service providers
  • Implement the Disability Standards
  • Assist clients to live independently

RESEARCH AND SOCIAL POLICY OFFICER

Mission Australia
11.1999 - 01.2002

MA is a national corporate charity providing community and vocational services

  • Develop a coherent and up to date social policy bank
  • Liaise with a broad range of stakeholders
  • Complement the social marketing of Mission Australia
  • Resource all divisions of the Executive Unit


MEDIATION PROJECT MANAGER

Nepean Family Integration Project
07.1997 - 11.1999

NFIP was part of Penrith Youth Refuge and part of the National Youth Homelessness Pilot Program

  • Manage staff and implement project goals
  • Maintain research documentation
  • Adhere to a strategic plan and research design aimed at reducing the effects of family conflict
  • Work with parents and young people to find solutions to family disputes

LOCUM LIVING SKILLS TRAINER

Hall For Children Developmental School
10.1996 - 06.1997

The School provided education for children and young people with intellectual and other disabilities

  • Implement transitional living skills training programs
  • Conduct client assessments
  • Implement client case plans in consultation with residential care providers and other agencies
  • Liaise with the families of clients

ALCOHOL AND OTHER DRUG WORKER

Kingswood Community Health Centre
07.1995 - 10.1996

The Community Health Centre was a primary healthcare component of Wentworth Area Health Service

  • Provide brief alcohol and other drug interventions
  • Design and implement health promotion activities and strategies
  • Design and maintain a client database
  • Work with a variety of disciplines - both internally and externally

LOCUM THERAPIST

Gunedoo Child And Family Centre
02.1995 - 07.1995

Gunedoo provides child protection and related therapeutic services to children, young people and families

  • Provide therapeutic interventions to children, young people and their families
  • Conduct research and maintain high-quality case records
  • Implement assessment and case planning protocols
  • Establish partnerships with other agencies - especially child protection services

OUTREACH PROJECT CO-ORDINATOR

Salvation Army
10.1993 - 12.1994

Oasis is part of Salvation Army Youth Services and provides "street level" support to "at risk" young people

  • Design, implement and evaluate a pre-vocational program for young people who identify with a street lifestyle
  • Access outdoor learning opportunities including sail-training
  • Implement harm reduction and relapse prevention strategies
  • Train and allocate volunteer workers
  • Produce regular reports for the funding body and to the auspice

LOCUM DRUG AND ALCOHOL WORKER

Corrective Services NSW
06.1993 - 10.1993

Corrective Services provides custodial and other care for inmates with complex needs

  • Provide assessment, referral and counselling services
  • Link inmates with other inmate development services
  • Develop resources and information systems to assist other workers

FAMILY THERAPIST

Relationships Australia
04.1992 - 06.1993

RAPS was part of Relationships Australia and provided therapeutic services to “at-risk” young people and their families

  • Key duties: Assess, refer and provide systemic therapy for vulnerable young people and their families
  • Liaise with other agencies including schools and child protection services
  • Conduct research relating to family conflict, premature school leaving and youth homelessness

DRUG AND ALCOHOL WORKER

Kingswood Community Health Centre
09.1991 - 04.1992

The Community Health Centre was a primary healthcare component of Wentworth Area Health Service

  • Provide brief alcohol and other drug interventions
  • Design and implement health promotion activities and strategies
  • Design and maintain a client database
  • Work with a variety of disciplines - both internally and externally

ALCOHOL AND OTHER DRUG COUNSELLOR

, Cobham Juvenile Justice Centre, Marys
05.1990 - 08.1991

Cobham provides custodial care for young offenders with complex needs who are on remand

  • Assess, counsel and refer young offenders
  • Establish referral networks
  • Conduct training/education programs within the Special School and
  • Remand Centre
  • Liaise with the Children's Court and other juvenile justice workers

SENIOR YOUTH WORKER

Siding Annex Youth Refuge
03.1988 - 04.1990

The Annex was a residential care facility for young ex-offenders

  • Supervise staff, finances, programs and residents
  • Conduct assessment, case planning and referrals
  • Work collaboratively with Juvenile Justice staff and other agencies

TRAINER AND CASE MANAGER

Community Options Program Employment
05.1987 - 03.1988

COPE provided open, competitive employment for people with an intellectual disability and was attached to Blue Mountains Handicapped Centre

  • Recruit, train, place and support young people with disabilities in open competitive employment
  • Liaise with referring agencies such as schools and liaise with families and residential carers
  • Maintain research records
  • Establish collaborative relationships with supported employment staff

Education

Certificate IV Assessment and Workplace Training -

TAFE
2004

Master of Applied Science - Social Ecology

Western Sydney University
1995

Family Therapist Course: -

Relationships Australia
1993

Associate Diploma - Social Science (Welfare Work

TAFE
1992

Skills

  • Excellent trainer/group worker;
  • Broad repertoire of highly effective casework and counselling skills;
  • I use a strength-based approach to case management;
  • I have special expertise in addictions, “at risk” young people, the veteran community, aged care and disabilities;
  • Verbal and written communication is of a high standard;
  • I have experience working alongside Culturally and Linguistically Diverse and First Nations people;
  • I have very sound networking and engagement expertise;
  • While I work well as a solo practitioner, I have strong collaborative and team-building skills;
  • I have expertise in multiple-stakeholder project design, implementation and evaluation;
  • My problem-solving abilities are highly developed and I am very comfortable with complexity; and
  • I have robust action research skills
  • Advanced word processing and desktop publishing - MS Word and MS Publisher
  • Advanced use of Internet (basic web design, desktop research etc) - MS Internet Explorer, Chrome, and ChatGPT
  • Confident producer of presentations - MS PowerPoint
  • Able to use spreadsheets - MS Excel
  • Able to design and use databases - MS Access and other relational databases
  • Able to use statistical packages - SPSS, CDATA MapInfo

Timeline

ONLINE TUTOR

Need A Tutor And Badanami Centre
01.2019 - 12.2022

COMMUNITY SERVICE WORKER

Sydney Legacy
08.2004 - 12.2018

POLICY AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT WORKER

Community Resource Network
01.2004 - 08.2004

DISABILITIES SUPPORT WORKER

Kirinari Community Services
02.2002 - 01.2004

RESEARCH AND SOCIAL POLICY OFFICER

Mission Australia
11.1999 - 01.2002

MEDIATION PROJECT MANAGER

Nepean Family Integration Project
07.1997 - 11.1999

LOCUM LIVING SKILLS TRAINER

Hall For Children Developmental School
10.1996 - 06.1997

ALCOHOL AND OTHER DRUG WORKER

Kingswood Community Health Centre
07.1995 - 10.1996

LOCUM THERAPIST

Gunedoo Child And Family Centre
02.1995 - 07.1995

OUTREACH PROJECT CO-ORDINATOR

Salvation Army
10.1993 - 12.1994

LOCUM DRUG AND ALCOHOL WORKER

Corrective Services NSW
06.1993 - 10.1993

FAMILY THERAPIST

Relationships Australia
04.1992 - 06.1993

DRUG AND ALCOHOL WORKER

Kingswood Community Health Centre
09.1991 - 04.1992

ALCOHOL AND OTHER DRUG COUNSELLOR

, Cobham Juvenile Justice Centre, Marys
05.1990 - 08.1991

SENIOR YOUTH WORKER

Siding Annex Youth Refuge
03.1988 - 04.1990

TRAINER AND CASE MANAGER

Community Options Program Employment
05.1987 - 03.1988

Certificate IV Assessment and Workplace Training -

TAFE

Master of Applied Science - Social Ecology

Western Sydney University

Family Therapist Course: -

Relationships Australia

Associate Diploma - Social Science (Welfare Work

TAFE
Michael Brown