Project Officer Lisa Kickett will be funded by Embrace @ The Kids Research Institute Australia to complete a placement on a major parenting program research project, paving the way for her to complete her Master of Social Work degree at Curtin University.
The three-year Australian Research Centre project aims to develop and implement a culturally safe, responsive and trauma-informed parenting program for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families. It will seek to address the historical and ongoing trauma of colonisation and systemic discrimination among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families, and to disrupt the successive transmission of trauma through generations.
“One of the major requirements of this degree is needing to complete two 14-week unpaid placements, and I have to do this first initial placement as a prerequisite to do my last two units. Last year I’d deferred because I wasn’t in the right position at the time financially and from an organisational level of support that I needed at the time,” Lisa said.
I am so happy and thankful because I can see the light – it’s so hard in this day with the stress of rising levels of cost of living and especially while I have a mortgage – unpaid placements can be hard for so many people.
“Social work really fitted for me as a person, in the work I’ve already done and where I’m going. This placement will open more doors and leadership roles for me.”
Beginning in February, Lisa will divide her time between the parenting project and the cultural safety project she works on as a Project Officer. Both projects are part of Embrace @ The Kids Research Institute Australia.
On the parenting project, Lisa will begin by mapping the agencies and services providing support for Aboriginal parents and their children, first in Perth before expanding across the nation.
“I’m hoping to learn more about the structures of organisations and to get experience with project management. Part of that is in how we go about decolonising these processes for families and making services more accessible.” Lisa said.
“I know it’s going to be a challenge but I’m ready for it and I know I can do it.”
Project Officer Lisa Kickett has joined a major parenting program research project for her placement.