How did I start?
I saw the TIRO (also known as Client Services Officer) position advertised online and applied through SEEK. At the time I’d just started studying and I saw it as a good way to get some practical experience before finishing my degree in counselling. I also knew RAQ was an organisation I wanted to work for because it was well-respected in the community.
Since I started as a TIRO, I’ve been a Client Service Leader and a Youth Support Coordinator in a venue. Then I came back to Virtual Services as a Family Relationship Advisor, an acting Senior Practitioner, and now I’m a Practice Leader.
Why RAQ?
The biggest thing about RAQ is that the clinical supervision is second to none. There is so much support for all the roles, there’s regularly scheduled meetings with your clinical supervisor and senior practitioners on the floor for an after or mid-call debriefing. I feel the access to support is higher than most other organisations.
Why Virtual Services?
If you want to build your practice, this is the perfect place to do it. You get higher client exposure than in a venue which gives you the chance to build clinical practice skills and figure out how your practice works best for you. And you can do it all without having the stress of managing a case load.
What have I learned?
Practice your practice: When you’re a client’s first point of contact, you are really practicing your basic micro-counselling skills constantly.