Want to challenge yourself and grow the best career you can? Make a move to Anglicare Victoria

It’s no surprise that working in this sector involves stepping out of your comfort zone (many times over!) But at Anglicare Victoria, you’ll be supported every step of the way. You’ll also have access to incredible opportunities across the breadth and scale of our services. Hear from three of our people what that’s meant for them. 

Now, Melissah oversees a team of approximately 300 staff, working across numerous programs spanning Melbourne's inner western suburbs to Ballarat. Melissah’s view is there’s always more to explore with Anglicare Victoria. 

“There are so many roles you can move into. For example, we have social workers with strong writing skills who have wanted a break from direct practice and have moved into tender writing. And we’re always looking at developing new services and improving service design, so there’s all these opportunities there that aren’t even known yet.”

For Kelly, it’s meant empowering others

Kelly Harris knows what it’s like to be a fish out of water. In 2005, she made the leap from a background in early childhood education to working in foster care, facing a steep learning curve along the way. Kelly says her experiences combined with the supportive leaders she’s encountered have reinforced the importance of empowering others.

“Being in leadership has helped me realise that everyone has different strengths. So, for me, it’s about how I can help each person utilise their skills and strengths in a way that works for them and allows them to shine. Several staff have recently said to me they’ve felt really well supported by my approach. To have people giving that feedback is really nice.”

Kelly says she also values Anglicare Victoria’s focus on helping people find the role that’s right for them.

“Some people start with us and instantly love it. Others don't. But if these people choose to stay, we’ll actively try to help them find the role that’s right for them. So, it’s asking, ‘Well, what do you want to do?’ They might talk about family services or financial counselling, and we’ll put them in touch with those teams to get more information. Then they might get the chance to do a day-in-the-life with that team. What this means is they can find a role that means they stay with us.”

For Sinead, it’s meant the opportunity to be continually challenged

When Sinead Hope joined our Integrated Family Services team in 2019, she didn’t know what to expect. Her background was in supporting people through acute family violence situations, but joining Anglicare Victoria meant adapting her skillset while developing her therapeutic abilities.  

“I felt like I was beginning my career again in a good way and things just grew from there. I think that's the beauty of Anglicare Victoria - you don't stay stagnant in a role. You’re encouraged to observe different programs, do secondments to different teams, get your foot in the door and just give things a go.”

Now, as Team Leader of Family Preservation and Reunification (FPR) / Rapid Response, Sinead has grown professionally more than she ever thought possible, and she’s done it in the unique Anglicare Victoria way. 

“We have this real focus here on therapeutic knowledge. It’s about being able to work from a strength-based perspective and being encouraged to grow different skills and knowledge.”