For those fed up with trying to get a job in the UK or looking for a change of scenery, we hear that Australia is looking to recruit social workers.
We received a press release from HCL International who are recruiting in Victoria and the Northern Territory.
They say:
"For social workers, there are a range of disciplines for which roles are available, especially Child Protection and Adoption and Fostering. In the Northern Territory they will work with rural communities with their own specific needs, while in Victoria they will work in more urbanised environments encountering similar socio-economic issues as in the UK."
You can call them on 020 7861 8950.
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Hi, I'd love to work in OZ, do they have a website and do you know if the vacancies are sponsorships?
Sorry, I don't know much more - I'd give them a call and see what they say. This is their website
I cant find any social work vacancies on their website, it's all nursing
Have you given them a call - what did they say?
I remember looking into this when I first graduated, as both me and my partner are social workers they said we'd 'get in' no problem and they quickly had a rep on the phone to us trying to convince us to go over for a two year 'working holiday'.. until they found out my partner is a bit older and wouldnt be eligible for a working holiday.
I emailed them, they said that they have 2 places offering sponsorship and they want child protecton social workers with a minimum of 2 years PQ child protection experience, and she asked me to give her my number so she can call me.
I thought that to work abroad you had to have 2 years PQ experience, I didn't realise that it had to be child protection experience, I have 18 months experience on an assessment team and 12 months on a CP team, so I'm not sure that I even qualify. Also I dont really know what a sponsorship means, I've just heard that if you're thinking of making the move then make sure you get a sponsorship, can anyone enlighten me?
Pink, I'm dubious about this as they are recruitment agencies and they get paid to recruit, I have to ensure that I have a home and a sponsorship etc etc if I'm going to do it, I just dont want to be dumped with 'a working holiday'
I found some information here about sponsorship - it seems it allows you to work in Australia for up to 4 years
just thought I'd let you know that I've tried to contact the agency to no avail. Well that's not strictly true, I emailed to get further information and someone called Kate Waller emailed me back asking for a phone number so she could contact me, which I emailed to her, I waited a few days and didn't hear anything so I emailed her again, waited a week, still didn't hear anything from her. Not very good customer service IMHO so I'm no further off knowing anymore about the vacanices than when Simeon posted the link, I can't find anything about SW posts on their website either, just health care professionals
This is something that I really want to do and I'm Not overly impressed by this company, will look at others
an update
the agency have finally got in contact with me. The vacacines as described in the Northern Territory as ' working with rural communities with their own specific needs' actually means working the aborigines, which she described as extremely challenging.
imho they are advertising the jobs that noone wants to do, aboriginal way of life is way out of my depth, I know nothing of their culture or even what language they speak. she also said that i would probably have to catch flights or face lenghty drives across the outback to reach these people. I'm sorry but I live in a country where catching a plane means my fortnightly holiday in the sun, not to go to work.
All in all not very appealing jobs at all. I'd love to know if anyone has worked in OZ and in particular with the aborigines, but personally i dont think its for me
The other vacancies in Victoria require 2 years cp experience, which i dont have at the moment, but they dont offer a relocation package and you will have to apply for citizenship after 4 years, and theres no guarantee that you will get it, well i can't take the chance of uprooting my family to oz and then after 4 years not getting a visa and having to come back home to start again
so all in all not as attractive as it sounds. I'll keep looking though
I emigrated to Australia and worked as a social worker there for several years.
I am happy to be back in the UK, although the experience there was enriching in some regards, for a while.
To work as a social worker, one either has to become a full member of the Australian Association of Social Workers (a costly screening process plus >300 pounds pa membership)- each qualification is assessed on it's own merit- or have a qualification deemed eligible for membership (which is rather nebulous as the AASW assess that these days, instead of the Office for Overseas Skills Recognition-as was the case with my MA in Social Work).
I am aware that <30 year olds can obtain one year working holiday visas and work anywhere/in any job BUT not for more than 3 mths in one job.
For people who wish to migrate, there are visas related to family connections, sponsorship by an employer (in the case of social work usually State or Territory bodies) or possibly as an independent entrant (esp if willing to live in remote areas). Australia has massive social problems; in some regards it is a very rough and violent society (have a look at the book 'Advance Australia Where' to get an insiders view of the 'lucky country').
In regards to agency work, I would suspect that this would either be in rural/remote areas (culturally likely to be very challenging for those from overseas with no national orientation to base things on). In regards to the structure of services and law, there are significant differences to the UK. There isn't the same shortage of social workers there, than there are in the UK- very few recruitment agencies (most temp posts are simply available directly via the employer, not via an agency)- websites (e.g. including adding 'health' or 'justice' in a name state search may be of help).
My advice is to read about the country first; if one is at all interested in migrating, go on holiday and have a look about. For many people in the UK, they are often surprised how expensive it can be there- house prices (esp in cities) are astronomical; mortgage rates around 7%. The pound is weak- in transferring large funds there, you will experience a massive real devaluation in buying power unless a very long term view is taken. Although some foodstuffs and energy are cheaper, most other things are very pricey. These are things that are mundane but make the difference as to the experience of day to day life- nearly 30% of 'permanent' UK migrants pack up an leave after a few years- I was one of them and have no regrets in coming back to Britain.
I wasn't aware of the membership to the AASW, do you have to renew this every year at a cost of over 300 pounds? what is the costly screening process? it doesn't sound as simple as being a member of the GSCC
It's all well and good going on holiday there first, but would that really give you an idea of what SW issues the Australians face? I'd want to sightsee and enjoy myself
If there isn't a shortage of SW'ers over there then why do they recruit for overseas SW'ers? Is it to fill the vacancies that noone else wants to do?
I certainly wont be taking up the offer of going to work and live in the NT and work with the aboriginies. I want to go there to get a better quality of life and that isn't my idea of that
I will certainly have a look at the book Advance Australia Where.
Thanks for the insight
Hi could you tell me who the author of advance australia where is as it's coming up with several when i type the title on amazon
cheers
hi from toronto canada!
...just wanted to add the NT (northern territory) australian government is also coming to 3 canadian cities here to recruit also but they're only recruiting for darwin katherine and alice springs ...i attended an information session here in toronto with some co-workers as we actually are child protection workers working with the aboriginal community here in toronto so we were really interested
...the offer includes free flight and relocation costs (shipping container if needed) ...apartment for 3months ...car for 1month...6weeks holiday ...you qualify to apply for permanent residency after contract is over ...salary ranges from 55k-80k AUD (sure that's a pay cut for most) ...the higher end is for team managers (small caseload) which i doubt they would give to those without australian experience
***it is a mandatory 2year contract ...if you leave before completing 2years you have to pay back everything they spent on you
...the health benefits are basic ...10 sick days ...you have to cover vision and dental yourself
...in my research of darwin and alice springs it seems very expensive ...such as rent averaging 250 per week (that's the low end) and basic living necessities (food, gas, electricity) costly due to transportation costs and being so remote ...i would love to go to australia and work there ...if i didn't already have years of child protection experience with the aboriginal community i would seriously consider it ...the salary needs to be higher as no-one wants to just live pay cheque to pay cheque ...the incentive to go to australia was stated as more for those wanting experience not to make or save money ...for some silly reason i'm still dreaming about it lol!!!
...anyways just thought i would share what information i have
thanks and have a great day!!!
p.s. if this is too long a reply be gentle ...i just joined and this is my very first post!!!
Hi happy canadian
they are the same vacancies as I was offered. The jobs are definately not for me, like you say the money isn't great and the work is EXTREMELEY challenging. the reason for me wanting to go to Oz is for a better lifestyle and what they are offering doesn't constitute a better life style to me, I'd be isolated, stuck in a rural area (the city i live in has more population than the whole of Darwin, Alice Springs and Katherine! My children would hate it, so after taking off my rose tinted glasses I can't really see many pro's to taking up this offer (although the australian citizenship is an excellent beneift)
Can I ask why you want to go to Oz are things that bad in in Canada lol!
Can you give me an insight into working with the aborigines?
I have worked in Oz for over a year now and have found it rewarding. See the article on international social work with my case study. I would say that we have a lack of social workers in Oz and it is better to seek a position directly with an employer which I done. I have a perm post and a perm visa.
where is your case study?
which part of Oz are you in and what type of SW do you do?
jelly_tot04: Can you give me an insight into working with the aborigines?
Can I just say that referring to 'the aborgines' can be seen as being prejorative. I do bristle when I read it and especially with the context in which you write.
I refer to that great font of all knowledge, Wikipedia
'The use of "Aborigine(s)" or "Aboriginal(s)" in this sense, i.e. as a noun, has acquired negative, even derogatory connotations in some sectors of the community, who regard it as insensitive, and even offensive.[9] The more acceptable and correct expression is "Aboriginal Australians" or "Aboriginal people," though even this is sometimes regarded as an expression to be avoided because of its historical associations with colonialism. "Indigenous Australians" has found increasing acceptance, particularly since the 1980s'
I expect just like working with any particular group of people, it is a matter of learning and understanding the culture but also being sensitive to it.
jelly_tot04
Thanks for your posts on this subject - it has brought out some useful information from people who have explored/done SW outside the UK.
My case study is in the community care mag on 26th Aug 10. You can view it online under international social work.
I work in Canberra in Child Protection.
The majority of aboriginal people live iup north. We don't seem to have a great deal of aboriginal people in Canberra compared to other more northern states. We have services specifically for aboriginal people and a department within the office who provide cultural awareness to workers. I don't think it is that much different because social workers work in an anti oppres/discrimination way in any case. It is about acknowledging that everyone is different and find out ways of working with individuals. It seems that many aboriginal people come from different background, beliefs etc, so one fit does not fit all.
Hi!
Sorry for not responding sooner.
Working with the Canadian Aboriginal community has been a great experience ...you truly learn the importance of culture ...as mich has stated there is a wide variety and diversity in beliefs ceremonies and traditions within the greater Aboriginal community and it is important to be sensitive to these differences ...and working from an anti-oppression perspective means not seeing the community as a monolithic other (meaning all Aboriginals from east coast to west coast and up north are exactly the same)
...i think in what jelly_tot04 was asking what not really offensive as it's better to ask for insight and gain understanding than just assuming one is an expert and generalizing a community one has not interacted with ...as a non-aboriginal person i always ask my aboriginal co-workers for their insight and knowledge before i open my mouth ...i learned that real fast when i first started and asked my blond hair blue eyed supervisor how she's learned to work with the community ...only to have her tell me she's Aboriginal!!! (Nordic father) ...and the Aboriginal supervisor in family services was japanese!!! ***biggest lesson ---never assume!!! (better yet -keep your mouth closed before you insert your foot in it!!! lol)
...I've truly learned the meaning of belonging and feeling connected for a community that has been so marginalized and excluded ...many clients and families feel disconnected not only the dominant society but also from their own community ...when services and programs are respectful of them as an Aboriginal person and they aren't being forced to adopt the mainstream ideals clients have engaged more as they feel valued ...
....clients often say they're happy their file was transferred from the regular children's aid agencies ...you often hear "oh i'll work wtih you not them ...they don't understand me ...i'm Aboriginal...they don't care" ...being seen and engaged with as a person as well as an Aboriginal person or family is very important ...i would say this can apply to anyone who feels disconnected and excluded (even workers)
,,,as for challenging work ...most definitely!!! ...co-workers who've worked in mainstream agencies say they've never had such complex cases with so many multiple concerns within one family ...you definitely learn crisis intervention and prevention as well as case management and service planning ...as complex as the cases may be (and that's not all cases!!!) i am very grateful and honoured to work with the community ...it's made me a better person
...i still dream of going there ...right now it's not the best option for me ...keeping fingers crossed australia comes back to recruit!!!
Thanks - I wasn't for a moment suggesting asking the question was offensive - it was only the language and referring to 'the aborigines' rather than 'aboriginal people'
But I'll bow out here and try and put my sensibilities to one side as I don't have anything else to add to the conversation.
I thought that was what the lady at the agency said, when i asked her who the indigenous people were she said aborigines, I may have been mistaken as her australian accent was quite broad, but I'm almost sure thats what she said
cb I am mortified at being accused of being offensive, your first comment has made me feel extremely bad about myself, thanks for that
perhaps a quite word or it's aboriginal people not aborigines would have sufficed
Sorry - my intention was not to make you feel bad about yourself and no need to beat yourself up over my sensibilities.
I never intended to claim you were being offensive but just that sometimes some of the language can be construed that way. It is a subtle but important distinction and I don't for one moment think it was what was intended.
Forums don't always allow the clarity that conversation does and everything that is 'on record' remains 'on record' which is more the shame in a lot of ways.
Are some people perhaps not being a trifle over-sensitive? If a strongly non-racist Site refers to them as Aborigines then are they also wrong?
http://www.racismnoway.com.au/classroom/factsheets/51.html
I'm interested in knowing what the issues are with the aborignal people and how you work towards resolving those issues. Do the children go to school? What is their motivation to change and what happens if there is no change is it the same as in the UK going to family/friends or foster care?
Hi i had an interview and was successful for Darwin as a scoal worker. I am excited about this opportunity. I think the wages are quite good£40,000 which is £10,000 more than what i am on here. I know the cost of living is expensive, but people in England, pay mortgages from £500.00 -£800.00 per month, so it is not that significant. However, i think it will be a challenge. Hope to meet some of my fellow colleagues over there. Is anyone going to Darwin??
ann marie
Hi all,
HCL don't state that they require at least 2-3 years of direct CP work to qualifiy for these positions. I have had many dealings with this agency to no avail. I would apply direct with a potential employer. Reed International are also recruiting for such positions.
I have been looking into NZ and have recently been interviewed for a position in Nelson. They are chasing up my references at the moment so fingers crossed. If anyone is interested in NZ I have an excellent website to use etc, so let me know. Social Workers are urgently needed in NZ!!
Hi Stevienicks,
Yes do share the website.
I would love to practice in NZ as a social worker. Wonderful country and wonderful people but unfortunatley not without its problems. I love the north of the South Island but never really stayed in Nelson. Stayed in Picton and on the Abel Tasman. Quite built up along this coastline compared to other areas of the South but its not spoilt is it. A migrant New Zealander told me to avoid this area due to racial tensions arising between indiginous New Zealanders and European Migrants. I did not witness any problems or anomosity but was not there long enough. I left a pair of sunglasses on a bus down in Greymouth and knowing the bus depot was in Nelson I popped in to see if they were handed in a couple of weeks later. They were there, can you believe it. Unfortunatly I am still a student, yet to qualify and get post qualifying experience behind me. When I do I hope I have the bottle to work abroad like you. Very interested, keep us posted.
Darren
Thats a nice story about the sunglasses! Anyway check these out:
http://www.seek.co.nz/
Also I am registered with the agency below:
http://www.nzswrecruit.co.nz/
If you are looking for social work positions register with nz recruit as they are very helpful and professional. My interview with the manager from the organisation was very odd as I was interviewed over the phone! The interviewer asked me loads of questions to do with Maori culture so it is very important to read up on NZ history etc. Will keep you posted.
All the best in your studies Darren!
yes, I am actually thinking of relocating to australia.
Does employer in New Zealand offer fees for visa, relocation and air fare?
Is that you Ann-Marie who was working for Bury? Its Claire from Trafford! Hows it going out there? Would love to hear how you are getting on. I'm really keen to look for a social work job in the Central Coast area of NSW but I think those jobs are hard to come by if you are a Brit looking to migrate over there.
Really hope its working out for you out there.
Claire
Hi Mich, I'm really interested in reading your article but cannot seem to find it. Could you post a link please.
Hi. I am currently working with youth in the territorry of Nunavut in the Canadian Artic working with Aboringal youth. I have my bacholer of social work degree and am a young male. I would love to work in NEw Zealand, how would I go about contacting them and finding out about jobs there? Are you down there now? Thanks for the help:)
Ciaran
What is the website you used in new zealand?