Guest Lecture at the University of Western Australia - Harnessing Lived Experience and Social Work Practice
UWA Social Work Guest Lecture:
On Thursday the 19th of October 2023, I had the honour being a guest lecturer at The University of Western Australia with their Master of Social Work students. Sharyn Frawley, Phd candidate at UWA, and myself delivered a unique session that combined my lived experience of FDV & homelessness, with social work principles and practical knowledge.
After the lecture, students developed strategies and interventions for key stages on my experiences. These strategies were at key stages of my experiences, primary school, high school, youth homelessness, and post homelessness. Many of my experiences have strong aspects of isolation, a side effect of which is a belief that no one cared as I’d experienced various traumas. I’d expected this exercise to be restorative, as the students developed strategies and interventions that should’ve happened.
The exercise exceeded my expectation to be honest, during some of the student’s responses I could feel my throat tightening as I held back tears, as I not only heard things that should’ve been done, but having aspects of what I’ve revealed utilised by the students in such positive, meaningful and tangible ways.
Thank you to Antonia Hendrick for inviting me to work with your students. This was such a restorative process for myself. It felt like a reciprocal learning experience, I got to share my insights and experiences with the students, while the students taught me what could've been identified and what could've been done.
Having the opportunity to do this with my good friend, and colleague, Sharyn Frawley, also meant that there was a level of support that allowed me to share details that I wouldn't normally be able to share.
I'm incredibly grateful for the opportunity. It's been a highlight of my career and has allowed room for further healing and reflection.
Finally, thank you to all the students who to worked with my experiences, I wish you all the best for your careers going forward.
Social Work Guest Lecture Feedback:
As this was the pilot session for the lecture, we requested feedback from the students focusing on a few key areas that might need adjusting. Always at the forefront of my mind with any lecture, presentation, or workshop I conduct is how triggering content is handled and managed.
Also, as a lived experience practitioner, it’s extremely important that the things I’m revealing and discussing, are revealed and discussed with a purpose in mind, and most importantly that these purposes are met. For example, what am I revealing, why am I revealing it, and is it relevant to the overall outcome of the session. One of the ways I gauge this is with feedback from participants, more so if this is a new format, or if something new (in this case the social work exercise) is being introduced.
The feedback we received exceeded our expectations, and was very humbling to read.
Going Forward:
With the success of this guest lecture, we’ve been advised this will be a regular incorporation into UWA’s social work program. It’s also something Sharyn and I want to bring to other students studying in similar fields at other universities, tafes and colleges.
If you’d like us to run a similar guest lecture for your students, please feel free to contacts us.