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I believe there is some way to go in addressing the shortfalls in available support (and funding) for people experiencing issues - whether drug/alcohol related, circumstantial or hereditary conditions. I am therefore interested in transitioning to a career in social work, and have been in conversation with various people in the industry to gain a greater insight into the daily aspects of the industry, and what initial areas I might be able to gain employment in. I am comfortable meeting and getting to know new people, and am empathetic to diverse needs and styles of communication. Having run my own business as a sole trader for the past two years (landscaper/gardener) I am also comfortable working autonomously. For the past decade I have been working in the landscaping and gardening industry (alongside playing music in bands and working in the arts sector in an ad hoc capacity). Whilst I have enjoyed work as a tradesperson, I am wholly ready to move into a career where I see better scope in being of value to my community, and providing meaningful support to individuals and families with complex needs. I come from a family embedded in social work. My father was a clinical psychologist working with recently arrived asylum seekers, which meant that we were exposed to an amazing diversity of cultures and lived experiences growing up. I have an older sister who is a musician with a Masters in Music Therapy, and a younger sister who is currently completing her Masters in Social Work. Skills/hobbies/passions. Music: I am a multi-instrumentalist. I play and perform with bands and individuals. I teach piano, guitar and musical theory to my children. Gardening: We have a thriving native garden plot at the front of our property and a productive veggie garden at the rear of our property with a dozen + fruit trees in tow. Growing and harvesting our own fruit and vegetables is a passionate pastime. Cooking: for friends and family Arts: movies, theatre, live music, reading Sport: I play social basketball + support my kids sporting endeavours (currently soccer) For the past two years I have been engaged by the Sexual Assault and Family Violence centre to manage and tend to their garden and communal refuge spaces on a regular basis, where sensitivity and discretion are vital during interactions with women and children living in temporary and mid-term accommodation. I am also contracted in an ad-hoc capacity to Platform Arts as a program assistant, where I work alongside artists to help deliver and install exhibitions and performance events. I plan to enrol in a Cert III in Mental Health next year, as well as a Masters of Social work in the near future. My highest level of study completed is a Bachelor of Music.