Shaun Kumarage
Summary
A Bachelor of Psychological Science (Honours) graduate with extensive experience in diverse roles within the educational and psychological support sectors. Proven expertise in supporting individuals with learning difficulties, physical disabilities, and mental health issues. Experienced in roles such as Mental Health Worker, Behaviour Support Practitioner, Behaviour Therapist, School Learning Support Officer, Disability Support Worker, Peer Assisted Study Session (PASS) Leader, HSC Disability Supervisor, Telephone Crisis Supporter and Transcript Editor. Skilled in developing and implementing support plans, facilitating workshops, and providing crisis support. Strong communication and interpersonal skills, committed to collaborative work and supporting individuals with diverse needs.
Overview
4
4
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Disability Services (Transcript Editor)
Australian Catholic University – Strathfield
01.2021
- General consultation meeting with LIC of HLSC 120 unit
- Assisting hearing impaired kids by editing subtitles on lecture recordings
- Scribe lecture recording and adding subtitles so students can follow along
- Take ordered and concise notes during lectures.
Residential Mental Health Worker
Stride Mental Health
11.2022 - Current
- Lend support to adolescents with severe mental health diagnoses
- De-escalating of high stressful situations such as psychosis episodes and suicidal behaviour
- Writing detailed case notes for each client during shifts
- Administering medications and filling out incident reports
- Being a client’s key worker – means making safety plans, monthly goals and case reports
- Attend team meetings with other stakeholders to talk about certain clients
- Increase access and equity for clients within a 'collaborative recovery model of psychosocial rehabilitation'
- Encourage clients to practice personal hygiene and educate on healthy living habits
- Encourage clients to assist in daily household tasks
- Mentor clients in building productive relationships and using effective conflict resolution strategies.
Digital Crisis Supporter
Lifeline
11.2022 - Current
- Volunteers provide one-off crisis support to people via online Chat and Text (SMS) who could benefit from immediate and short-term assistance to cope with crisis or distress
- Occasionally provide telephone counselling to distressed people.
Behaviour Support Practitioner
ORS group
11.2023 - 04.2024
- Completing person-centred Behaviour Support Assessments with children, adolescents and adults with complex behavioural needs
- Observing and monitoring of participant behaviours
- Conducting functional behaviour assessments, including using functional assessment tools in collaboration with the participant and other important stakeholders
- Data collection and analysis to monitor, evaluate and assess behaviour support services
- Writing Positive Behaviour Support Plans, including plans with restrictive practices in line with NDIS-restricted practice policies and State-based frameworks
- Developing Implementation Plans to ensure that strategies are effectively implemented and required training completed, within funding boundaries
- Reviewing and updating Behaviour Support Plans based on data analysis, feedback from the participant and key stakeholders and assessment of interventions
- Identifying high-risk behaviours and providing crisis intervention and de-escalation techniques for participants and their support networks
- Developing and implementing fade-out strategies for restricted practice.
Psychology Intern
Creating Change Psychology and Counselling - Internship
11.2022 - 09.2023
- Work alongside a large team of psychologist and counsellors
- Engage in various clinical and practice activities
- Attend team meetings to learn about nuances of a private practice
- Attend workshops run by clinical psychologists where they talk about major topics
- Assist with the transfer of clients to psychologists.
Behaviour Therapist
ABAlink
10.2022 - 04.2023
- Assist patients in building a behaviour intervention plan
- Work directly with autistic patients
- Help patients identify and address problematic behaviours
- Aim to improve their integration into society
- Interview patients and perform observations.
HSC disability supervisor
NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA)
11.2021 - 11.2022
- Provide practical arrangements to aid students who couldn’t make a fair attempt in their HSC exams
- Assist in scribing for students with disabilities (learning and medical) or injuries
- Assist in reading questions for students with learning disabilities
- Assist with time (stopwatch) during the exams where indication of time left and breaks if needed.
School Learning Support Officer
The Kings School – North Paramatta
04.2022 - 10.2022
- Assist kids with learning disabilities and difficulties (i.e dyslexia and ADHD)
- Identifying a student’s needs, skill and challenges as they arise
- Provide 1:1 instructive support
- Liaising with teaching staff order to maintain a comprehensive support program, tracking student progress
- Supervising classes and excursions
- Attend weekly staff meetings
- Boarding duties and overnight boarding duties.
PASS Leader (Peer Assisted Study Sessions)
Australian Catholic University – Strathfield
02.2022 - 08.2022
- Deliver interactive tutoring sessions across psychology units (PSYC101 and PSYC104)
- Assist in the development of stronger learning and studying techniques
- Encourage active learning to improve academic performance for the students
- Create additional study materials for students.
Research Assistant (placement)
Institute for Positive Psychology and Education (IPPE) – Placement
01.2022 - 06.2022
- Help with current ongoing study (iPLAY) under the supervision of Dr Taren Sanders
- Help with data analyses
- Help with data collection
- Summarizations of previous research.
Mental Health Workshop Facilitator
Solomon Island National Institute of Sport - Placement
12.2021 - 06.2022
- Provide mental health workshops to students in the Solomon Islands
- Workshops include topics such as: Motivation, Mindfulness and Emotional Intelligence
- Do questions and answers with students regarding mental health
- Attend team meetings.
Disability Support Worker
The Kings School – North Paramatta
11.2021 - 06.2022
- Assist kids with mobility
- Motivate and encourage kids to exercise
- Improve motor skills of kids with disabilities
- Notice and prevent any potential hazards
- Provide person-centred and individual support
- Help with participants’ personal hygiene and domestic tasks.
Adaptive Physical Educator
Step-Up Disabilities Services
02.2022 - 04.2022
- Assisting participants mobility
- Motivate and encourage participants to exercise
- Improve motor skills of kids with disabilities
- Notice and prevent any potential hazards
- Provide person-centered and individual support.
Education
Bachelor of Psychological Science (Honors) -
Australian Catholic University, Sydney
01.2023
High School -
The Kings School, North Paramatta
01.2019
Skills
- Experience in working with students of different ages, backgrounds, needs & skills
- Multitasking and time management skills
- Team Player & leadership skills
- Good communication & interpersonal skills
Certification
- Working with Children Check
- NDIS workers check
- First Aid and CPR
- Mental Health First Aid Certificate
- Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST)
- Trauma - Informed Care Training
Availability
Readily available
Volunteer Experience
- Institute for Positive Psychology and Education (IPPE), Research Assistant (placement), 01/2022, 06/2022, Help with current ongoing study (iPLAY) under the supervision of Dr Taren Sanders, Help with data analyses, Help with data collection, Summarizations of previous research
- Creating Change Psychology and Counselling, Psychology Intern, 11/2022, 09/2023, Work alongside a large team of psychologist and counsellors, Engage in various clinical and practice activities, Attend team meetings to learn about nuances of a private practice, Attend workshops run by clinical psychologists where they talk about major topics, Assist with the transfer of clients to psychologists
- Solomon Island National Institute of Sport, Mental Health Workshop Facilitator, 12/2021, 6/2022, Provide mental health workshops to students in the Solomon Islands., Workshops include topics such as: Motivation, Mindfulness and Emotional Intelligence, Do questions and answers with students regarding mental health, Attend team meetings
- Lifeline, Digital Crisis Supporter, 11/2022, current, Volunteers provide one-off crisis support to people via online Chat and Text (SMS) who could benefit from immediate and short-term assistance to cope with crisis or distress., Occasionally provide telephone counselling to distressed people.
References
References are available upon request
Timeline
Behaviour Support Practitioner
ORS group
11.2023 - 04.2024
Residential Mental Health Worker
Stride Mental Health
11.2022 - Current
Digital Crisis Supporter
Lifeline
11.2022 - Current
Psychology Intern
Creating Change Psychology and Counselling - Internship
11.2022 - 09.2023
Behaviour Therapist
ABAlink
10.2022 - 04.2023
School Learning Support Officer
The Kings School – North Paramatta
04.2022 - 10.2022
PASS Leader (Peer Assisted Study Sessions)
Australian Catholic University – Strathfield
02.2022 - 08.2022
Adaptive Physical Educator
Step-Up Disabilities Services
02.2022 - 04.2022
Research Assistant (placement)
Institute for Positive Psychology and Education (IPPE) – Placement
01.2022 - 06.2022
Mental Health Workshop Facilitator
Solomon Island National Institute of Sport - Placement
12.2021 - 06.2022
HSC disability supervisor
NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA)
11.2021 - 11.2022
Disability Support Worker
The Kings School – North Paramatta
11.2021 - 06.2022
Disability Services (Transcript Editor)
Australian Catholic University – Strathfield
01.2021
High School -
The Kings School, North Paramatta
Bachelor of Psychological Science (Honors) -
Australian Catholic University, Sydney
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