I’ve been part of the SSRV team for a while now, starting back in 2017. In that time, I’ve had many roles, and even more than one identity.
I began at SSRV as an intern through Deakin’s internship program while I was studying my law degree. I stayed on as a paralegal, primarily helping with SSRV’s phone advice service before also helping with our Worker Help Line project.
After being admitted to the legal profession in late 2019 I led our DSP Help Project, where we used human-centred design and technology to help people better understand, apply for, and appeal rejections for the Disability Support Pension.
This project concluded in March 2022 and I’ve been working in our Integrated Services Project since. DSP Help was and is still my ‘baby’, so it’s incredibly exciting to note that we’re now kicking off a sequel. We’ll be taking a similar approach to create a new resource helping people address Centrelink Debts. Stay tuned for more information about this!
As for identities, at the start of 2022 I came out as a trans and have been on that journey since. So, if you were thinking, ‘Hang on, wasn’t someone else doing that DSP Help thing?’ well you may not actually be misremembering.
Social security is such an important right, and an important part of the society we live in. I feel privileged to help our most vulnerable to enforce their rights within that system, but also to be able to contribute my expertise to our systemic advocacy efforts. Hopefully we can continue to make positive changes, and make sure we’re there for the people that need it.
Outside of work I collect gins, love to bake, and am teaching myself how to crochet.
