Tell us about your working life before Aspect?

I worked with occupational rehabilitation and disability assessments as a Psychologist for the federal government.

How long have you worked with Aspect and what are some highlights?

I have worked at Aspect for 15 years. Some highlights have been the immense pleasure at being part of positive change for people on the spectrum and the ability to be part of an organisation that celebrates diversity, difference and promotes ability.

What is the most rewarding part of your role as a Psychologist?

The great privilege of partnering with families and autistic individuals who may feel vulnerable at diagnosis, to being able to support with deepening their understanding of autism and to find ways to support differences in social understanding and to view neurodiversity as a rich part of our community.

What’s it like working with our Northern New South Wales team?

The team at Aspect NNSW is like family. There is great support for one another, great collaboration and a passion for working with one another to provide a range of services for those with autism in our region.

What learning opportunities has Aspect provided you with?

Aspect has provided opportunities for me to always stay informed about the research and evidence-based practices regarding autism. I have attended national and international conferences, can access internal professional development courses and also experience a breadth of learning experience from my colleagues across various allied health and education disciplines.

What’s your advice for people thinking about a career with Aspect?

If you want to work for an employer that has your wellbeing at heart, a vision that embodies great care and passion for autistic individuals and their families, an employer that fosters fantastic work life balance, and the chance to work with skilled and professional colleagues – then consider a career at Aspect.

Tell us about your working life before Aspect?

I came to Aspect Therapy straight from university. I was lucky enough to complete my fourth year occupational therapy placement at Aspect in 2018 and loved the role diversity, students, school and team environment.

How long have you worked with Aspect and what are some highlights?

I have worked at Aspect since April 16th, 2019! A highlight was definitely my successful application to become the Hunter School’s school Occupational Therapist. I love working closely with teachers, executive and other Aspect Therapy staff to support our students. One of my favourite career highlights was a little boy I was supporting with toileting rushing to the door to tell me he had ‘gone wee in toilet’, and then leading me straight to the bathroom to point at the toilet.

What is the most rewarding part of your role as an OT?

The difference and impact we can make on a community. When you work with a child, you are not only supporting that child to learn, grow and achieve. This also impacts on the child’s family, their siblings and their school environments. I find it incredibly rewarding to see our clients learn new skills, thrive and show their personalities.

What’s it like working with our Hunter/Central Coast team?

Every day I leave working having learnt something new. I love sharing resources, strategies and ideas with the team. Due to the nature of being at our Aspect Hunter School 4 days a week, I am fortunate enough to cross over with the majority of our team, which provides opportunities for case discussion and collaboration. I love approaching the team and breaking down a challenge that a client is facing, seeking information and knowledge from a range of sources and feeling better armed to support the client. The collaboration across disciplines to share ideas really encourages open and clear communication.

What learning opportunities has Aspect provided you with?

The transdisciplinary format that Aspect has adopted provides a multitude of informal learning opportunities. I frequently collaborate with our team of psychologists and speech pathologists when I need support. Within Aspect, the training opportunities both internally and externally allow for individual choice and control. For example, last year I had a professional goal of wanting to focus on supporting students and families with fussy eating. This was an area I had very limited experience in and so I joined an internal community of practice. This saw a group of individuals all come together at various times across the year to share research, ideas and staff’s experience supporting clients with fussy eating, within Aspect’s scope of practice. This year, I shifted my goal to focus on supporting individuals with more complex needs. As a result, I joined the community of practice which brings together a variety of disciplines and looks at how to best support clients who have a range of complexities, as well as completed external training on how to better support client’s emotional regulation.

What’s your advice for people thinking about a career with Aspect?

My biggest concern when I joined the team in a full-time itinerant (working in the environments of our clients) role was that I wouldn’t have enough supervision as a new graduate, and boy was I wrong. I have felt nothing but supported here at Aspect from both a clinical and administrative perspective. This role provides you with incredible opportunities and the ability to extend your skills and knowledge. Our client population is so diverse that every day is different, and the professional relationships you are able to form with families, clients, co-workers and communities are invaluable.

Tell us about your working life before Aspect?

I joined Aspect as a new graduate, over 12 years ago. I had an interest in community-based work and have never left!

How long have you worked with Aspect and what are some highlights?

I’ve worked with Aspect over the last 12 years. I have found that there are a lot of opportunities for people that are willing to put up their hand for new and interesting roles. Some career highlights have been travelling to Kathmandu, Nepal in partnership with CSU to support Autism Care Nepal. I’ve also loved the opportunity to be involved in new and innovative programs, such as screening young children for signs of ASD.

What is the most rewarding part of your role as an Operational Leader?

I find working in community one of the most rewarding parts of the role. You get to see real-life progress of the individuals we support in their home and school settings.

What’s it like working with our South West Sydney team?

The team at Aspect is so diverse – we have a really bright bunch of staff. Everyone is friendly and approachable. Even though we work remotely, there is a great team spirit – and everyone does a great job at reaching out to give and get support.

What learning opportunities has Aspect provided you with?

Through my career at Aspect, I’ve had the opportunity to both learn but also educate. I have presented at team national conferences and the team have local meetings a few times a year which is a great opportunity to do some formal learning. The greatest learning opportunities have been working collaboratively in a team of like-minded individuals and learning from the brilliant Occupational Therapists and Psychologists in our team. It’s helped me to become a well-rounded therapist and much better prepared for working with complex cases. We also have a PD budget, allocated PD days and a lot of internal learning opportunities

What’s your advice for people thinking about a career with Aspect?

Working at Aspect is a challenging but very rewarding role. There is a great induction program for new graduates and you’re guided so well by supervisors in the early weeks to help develop the best autism practices.