Stephanie Jessup
Cannon Valley,Australia
Summary
Compassionate Senior Social Worker possessing deep understanding of social policies and regulations. Offer comprehensive experience in providing counselling, crisis intervention, and case management services to diverse populations. Skilled at building strong relationships with clients, families, and community resources. Demonstrated success in facilitating improvements in client well-being through effective advocacy and support.
Overview
22
22
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Senior Social Worker – Wellbeing Workforce
Proserpine State High School and Proserpine State School
Proserpine, Australia
10.2023 - Current
- Applied trauma-informed methodologies in educational contexts
- Conducted assessments of clients' social, emotional and family functioning to determine appropriate interventions to improve wellbeing.
- Developed and implemented treatment plans in collaboration with clients, families and other professionals.
- Provided crisis intervention services to individuals experiencing acute distress or suicidal ideation.
- Monitored client progress through regular reviews of case notes and contacts with relevant stakeholders.
- Researched evidence-based practices for use in developing treatment plans tailored to each client's needs.
- Assessed safety risks for victims of domestic violence or abuse and developed safety plans accordingly.
- Maintained thorough case history records and wrote detailed reports.
- Encouraged and motivated clients to develop new coping mechanisms and techniques to drive behavior modification.
- Acted as role model for clients by exhibiting positive behaviors.
- Maintained and developed community relationships to support various client referrals.
Social Worker Advanced
The Prince Charles Hospital
Brisbane, Australia
08.2023 - 09.2023
- Led and supported an understaffed junior team in a high-pressure environment
- Provided feedback on service delivery improvements upon request from the Director of Social Work
Donor Family Support Coordinator
DonateLife Queensland
Brisbane, Australia
05.2023 - 08.2023
- This role was a specialized role delivering bereavement counselling and support to families who have had a loved one donate
- Provided bereavement counselling to families during their time of need
- Goal-setting
- Collaborated effectively with Donor Specialist Coordinators
- Established connections with community support services as per family consent
Senior Social Worker / A/Social Worker Advanced
RBWH Social Work Services
Brisbane, Australia
10.2020 - 05.2023
- Exhibited extensive adaptability transitioning between roles
- I backfilled the Advanced role 10 out of the last 18 months in this team
- Delivered team support and leadership
- Managed significant competing demands across multiple roles at times
- Supported and supervised the team with complexity of cases, management of workload and ensuring staff well-being
- Promoted development of staff
- Recruitment of staff to the team
- Input into the establishment of processes for two satellite hospitals for renal care
- Supported the Advanced Social Worker when in the Senior role
- Grief and loss counselling with patients and their families, including bereavement support
- Independence with managing complex cases, in consultation with the relevant seniors as appropriate
- Leadership in the Grief & Loss portfolio and development of a quarterly newsletter
- Training delivered to the Social Work Department around conversations about death and dying as part of this role
- Participation in the End-of-Life Care Committee and RBWH Voluntary Assisted Dying Committee
Senior Social Worker
RBWH Social Work Services
Brisbane, Australia
06.2018 - 10.2020
- This position included a focus on leadership within the team as well as supporting colleagues and the Team Leader
- Outcomes included providing a psychosocial context to ensure maximal outcomes for clients towards recovery and efficient and effective discharge planning to maintain patient flow, with a particular focus on the context of stroke
- Proactively sought participation in a research project to validate mood screening tools in patients who have had a stroke
- Implemented new protocol handling code strokes within the Emergency and Trauma Centre
- Effectively oversaw a challenging caseload while aligning with organizational benchmarks
- Supported and supervised junior staff and students
- Facilitated efficient handling of workforce gaps
- Leadership in the Medico-legal portfolio
A/Social Worker Advanced
RBWH Social Work Services
Brisbane, Australia
11.2017 - 06.2018
- This position is the Team Leader role for the Surgical/ICU team, which includes providing support and leadership to the team, as well as a supportive role to the Director and Deputy Director of the Department
- Complex case management
- Offered guidance to navigate clinical challenges
- Supervision of senior and junior team members
- Encouragement and support for team members to develop new initiatives/ quality improvement activities
- Managed recruitment processes
- Handled various management responsibilities
- Undertook extra responsibilities for management team support
A/Senior Social Worker
RBWH Social Work Services
Brisbane, Australia
07.2017 - 11.2017
- This position built on previous experience as a Social Worker with increased responsibility for supporting the MASA team; colleagues and the Team Leader
- The role included supervision of students and junior staff
- Initiated key improvement activity developing mood screening tool for stroke patients
- Maintained high-performance standards by efficiently overseeing challenging caseloads
- Aided the Team Leader in managing staff absences
- Assessed support requirements within the team environment
Social Worker
RBWH Social Work Services
Brisbane, Australia
01.2014 - 07.2017
- Facilitated efficient client movement within the acute hospital environment using specialized management techniques
- Provided psychosocial context to maxmise client outcomes
- Specialized in crisis intervention, trauma and grief and loss adjustment
- Assisted with discharge planning, with a client-centred approach
- Collaborated with cross-functional teams to achieve desired results
- Delivered internal in-service training
- Referrals to external agencies
- Presented the social work role as part of the P.A.R.T.Y (Preventing Alcohol and Risk-related Trauma in Youth) program
- Supervised students and mentored junior staff
Support Worker
Salvation Army (Pindari Men’s Hostel)
, Australia
12.2012 - 01.2014
- This was an all-rounder position supporting the case workers and also providing office support
- Completed intake and inductions for new residents
- Gained expertise in homelessness sector
Personal Trainer (Part time)
Bootcamps Australia
, Australia
09.2012 - 01.2014
Student Placement (Social Work)
RBWH Social Work Services
Brisbane, Australia
07.2013 - 11.2013
- Experience gained in the hospital setting as detailed above
Student Placement (Social Work)
Reclink Australia
, Australia
07.2012 - 11.2012
- This was a community development role, working with member agencies to facilitate social inclusion activities
- Responsibilities included: organizing key events (Men’s Shed Opening Day, Reclink Australia Charity Paddle); assisting with the running of activities on the calendar (Men’s Shed, art groups); liaising with member organisations; research project about member organization involvement; fundraising and awareness for Reclink; involvement in network meetings; organizing and participating in volunteer expos, and; developing, organizing and running group exercise sessions
- Integrating social work and personal training to provide gentle exercise sessions for vulnerable clients and older adults, including teaching basic skills
- Collaboration and liaison with member agencies to provide activities
- Planning and organising activities
- Engagement of clients attending activities and assessment of need for additional support
- Building rapport with clients of varying complexities and needs
- Event management skills
- Administration skills
Customer Service Officer/Customer Service Supervisor
VWR International
, Australia
05.2009 - 07.2012
- The customer service role involved answering customer queries, via phone and email communication, and entering orders
- As Customer Service Supervisor, I was responsible for monitoring workflow of the team, developing standard processes, assisting team members with queries and problems and dealing with complaints
- I was also a key link between the different departments of the company and was often relied on by these departments to help deal with issues and problems
- As a CSO, I undertook key project work, which included customer service functions, purchasing and warehousing functions, logistics and some inventory management
- Advanced customer service
- I am bright and friendly and aim to make the customer’s experience pleasant and memorable
- I also seek to build connections and rapport with my customers
- Problem solving
- Issues often arose and I aimed to achieve a positive outcome for both the customer and the company
- This often involved coordinating other staff members
- Time management & organisation
- My role required me to plan ahead to meet my outcomes and I proved my ability to do this
- Proactive
- I anticipate potential problems and resolve them as quickly as possible
- Also, I was proactive in contacting customers to advise current status of their problem
- Experience with SAP, Propella, Microsoft Office, Lotus Notes and the ability to learn new systems quickly when required
- Ability to work autonomously but also as part of the customer service team
- My role included specific project work, which only I could complete, and which I ensured was completed by the end of each month
- I also provided assistance to team members to ensure they completed their tasks each month and trained new staff members where required
Project Facilitator
National Centre for Marine Conservation and Resource Sustainability
, Australia
05.2008 - 12.2008
- Company Overview: University of Tasmania
- This was an administrative/research role involving data entry and presentation, word processing and some personal assistant duties
- University of Tasmania
Store Manager
Dominos Pizza
, Australia
01.2004 - 01.2008
- This role involved the management of staff, including rostering, training and associated administrative duties
- Customer service was central to the role, with the manager being essentially another team member during key periods
Fruit Packer
Red Knight Pty. Ltd.
, Australia
01.2004 - 01.2005
Delivery Expert
Dominos Pizza
, Australia
01.2003 - 01.2004
Education
Masters - Social Work
Queensland University of Technology
01.2013
Certificate III/IV - Fitness
Australian Institute of Personal Trainers
01.2012
Graduate Diploma - Fisheries
Australian Maritime College
01.2007
Bachelor of Science - Psychology and Zoology
University of Tasmania
01.2003
Skills
- Clinical proficiency
- Supervisory skills, including clinical supervision
- Capacity Building
- Staff Development
- Service planning
- Staff recruitment
Certification
- Certificate III & IV in Fitness
- Current and full manual car licence
References
- Anne de Ruiter, Director of Social Work, Caboolture Hospital, 0415 419 990, anne.deruiter@health.qld.gov.au
- Leanne Riley, Principal, Proserpine State School, 4940 6333, lrile45@eq.edu.au
Skillssummary
Ability to provide quality social work service., Engagement with clients, their families and supports to conduct comprehensive assessments and develop appropriate and timely interventions., Effective client advocacy within a multi-disciplinary team and external agencies., Collaboration and liaison with internal and external agencies to develop appropriate future care plans for clients., Effective and timely discharge planning., Collaboration and liaison with both social work and multidisciplinary colleagues to achieve outcomes for clients and the organisation., Demonstrated ability to develop positive working relationships with colleagues., Student supervision and support to junior staff., Knowledge of the systems and processes within the hospital setting., Proactive participation in professional development., Received the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital Hero Award in first year of practice., Volunteered for roles as Fire Warden and as Basic Life Support Trainer., Willingness to support the department through Sexual Assault Response Team back-up service., Case presentations to University of Queensland Social Work students., First female employed in the Support Worker role at the Salvation Army Men’s Shelter (Pindari)., Excellent multitasking and organisational skills., Focus on building a professional network to provide comprehensive service to clients., Flexibility to successfully move between clinical areas and organisational contexts.
Accomplishments
- Received the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital Hero Award in first year of practice
- Delivered case presentations to University of Queensland Social Work students on the role of social work in health and development; invited regularly to return
References
References available upon request.
Timeline
Senior Social Worker – Wellbeing Workforce
Proserpine State High School and Proserpine State School
10.2023 - Current
Social Worker Advanced
The Prince Charles Hospital
08.2023 - 09.2023
Donor Family Support Coordinator
DonateLife Queensland
05.2023 - 08.2023
Senior Social Worker / A/Social Worker Advanced
RBWH Social Work Services
10.2020 - 05.2023
Senior Social Worker
RBWH Social Work Services
06.2018 - 10.2020
A/Social Worker Advanced
RBWH Social Work Services
11.2017 - 06.2018
A/Senior Social Worker
RBWH Social Work Services
07.2017 - 11.2017
Social Worker
RBWH Social Work Services
01.2014 - 07.2017
Student Placement (Social Work)
RBWH Social Work Services
07.2013 - 11.2013
Support Worker
Salvation Army (Pindari Men’s Hostel)
12.2012 - 01.2014
Personal Trainer (Part time)
Bootcamps Australia
09.2012 - 01.2014
Student Placement (Social Work)
Reclink Australia
07.2012 - 11.2012
Customer Service Officer/Customer Service Supervisor
VWR International
05.2009 - 07.2012
Project Facilitator
National Centre for Marine Conservation and Resource Sustainability
05.2008 - 12.2008
Store Manager
Dominos Pizza
01.2004 - 01.2008
Fruit Packer
Red Knight Pty. Ltd.
01.2004 - 01.2005
Delivery Expert
Dominos Pizza
01.2003 - 01.2004
- Certificate III & IV in Fitness
- Current and full manual car licence
Masters - Social Work
Queensland University of Technology
Certificate III/IV - Fitness
Australian Institute of Personal Trainers
Graduate Diploma - Fisheries
Australian Maritime College
Bachelor of Science - Psychology and Zoology
University of Tasmania
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