Griffith University Master of Social Work graduate Zoe Gill is one of those simultaneously efficient and warm people, that tend to excel in whatever field they enter. Graduating in 2017, the mum-of-two is now the Assistant Director, Community and Mainstream Engagement at NDIS and the compassion and passion she has for her field is something that was shared with her educators in the School of Human Services and Social Work.
“Right from the start, the understanding and the compassion shown by the University helped me want to commit further into study,” Zoe says, “I felt that the teaching team lived and breathed the ethics of social work.” Having completed a Bachelor degree previously, Zoe felt there was an element missing from her practice; however, with a young family and continuing work she needed flexibility in her studies. When discussing the benefits of choosing to study her Master degree externally Zoe says, “It was fantastic with the flexibility of being able to talk via online, email and phone; there was never a query too hard to answer. They also encouraged external peer groups, which I found invaluable.”
In the digital age, there are so many platforms that students can connect on or learn with, that it can seem overwhelming sometimes. Between email, recorded and live lectures, external meetings and more the one thing that Zoe wishes she had known at the start of her degree is asking for help is crucial to any success, “When you don’t know, never battle to find an answer on your own, when the team at Griffith can make it so much easier!”
Working in an industry that advocates improvements in health outcomes and aims to support the community takes a remarkable kind of person, and while Zoe may describe the Health Group as being “well connected, compassionate and community connectors”, that’s exactly how we would describe her. When asked about her favourite element of her postgraduate experience Zoe sums it up perfectly, “Social Work at Griffith University helped me find a place to professionally belong.”
