EDUCATION
EMPLOYMENT
1998-Present Consulting/casual Senior Program/Resource Officer, Disability Services Queensland
Casual/consultancy engagements with various work units. Jobs include recruitment and selection; investigating consumer and staff complaints; direct services program development and policy implementation projects; management consulting; training and facilitation in ethics, conduct, team development; writing information kits and procedures.
1996-1998} Program Development Officer/Policy Resource Officer,
1991-1995} Disability Services, Dept of Families, Youth and Community Care
Duties: Developing practice standards, procedures and program guidelines; researching and writing reports, submissions and briefing papers on policy and program issues; consultation with regional services and other agencies; and providing advice to senior management and regional services on service delivery and staff management issues.
Achievements: Developed practice guidelines, protocols and training packages on duty of care, SRV and the least restrictive alternative; negotiated Public Trustee delegation of authority; developed practice standards and procedures for client financial management, shiftwork, clients’ medication .
1995-1996 Project Officer (Code of Conduct), HRM Section, Dept of Families, Youth and Community Care
Duties and achievements: Completed broad consultation, development, publication and implementation of first departmental code of conduct to operationalise the new Public Sector Ethics Act. Developed a departmental ethics awareness and training strategy; provided advice to management on ethics and conduct issues and sensitive cases.
1991-1995 Policy Resource Officer, Intellectual Disability Services Dept of Families, Youth and Community Care [See above]
1986-1991 Principal Residential Officer, Ipswich Alternative Living Service, Intellectual Handicap Services
Managed staff and resources to ensure provision of quality community-based residential services to people with an intellectual disability. Assisted in planning, coordination and monitoring of regional services. Seconded to Secretariat of Ministerial Taskforce on services to people with an intellectual disability.
1982-1986 Assistant Program Director (Special Projects), Basil Stafford Centre, Intellectual Handicap Services
Carried out projects and tasks to support management decision-making. Researched and prepared information kits, discussion papers and procedure manuals. Coordinated recruitment and selection of direct care staff. (Assisted the Intellectual handicap Services Librarian for a short time, preparing specialist subject bibliographies and journal article indexes).
1977-1982 Unit Director, Basil Stafford Centre, Intellectual Handicap Services
Managed direct services in one residential unit. Participated in staff recruitment and selection, and training direct care staff.
1976-1977 Psychologist Div II, Wolston Park Hospital, Qld Dept of Health
Psychological assessments; individual and group counselling; design of ward activity programs.
1968-1974 Casual employment
Various casual and vacation jobs including retail sales assistant, packer, assistant in nursing.
OTHER SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE
Costume design and dressmaking
Design and make dancewear and theatrical costumes, fancy dress, formal gowns and children's fantasy/special occasion garments.
Illustration
Illustrations for professional publications, and artist's concept drawings for a motel/convention centre development.
Business and professional writing training
Develop and deliver training courses in business and professional writing skills.
Creative writing
Short stories, satire, humorous articles and verse.