In this episode, Astrid and I discuss her more than 31 years of experience predominantly working for the Commonwealth Department of Human Services including in 18 Centrelink offices both in Victoria and New South Wales. Astrid recounts her other roles within Centrelink such as Job Capacity Assessor and an eight-month stint as a Case Manager in the aftermath of the 2009 Black Saturday bushfire disaster. In addition to being a social worker, Astrid is also a rehabilitation counsellor and has a strong interest in assisting injured people to return to work.

Links to resources mentioned in this week’s episode:

Commonwealth Department of Human Services, encompassing Centrelink, Medicare and the Child Support Agency – https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/

Commonwealth Department of Veterans’ Affairs – https://www.dva.gov.au/

Vocational rehabilitation (providers of occupational and workplace rehabilitation) –

https://www.arpa.org.au/

Rehabilitation counselling – https://www.asorc.org.au/aboutus/about-rehabilitation-counsellors

2009 Victorian Bushfires – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Saturday_bushfires

Maslow’s hierarchy of needs – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maslow%27s_hierarchy_of_needs

Rob Gordon, Psychologist (ABC 7.30 Report) – https://www.abc.net.au/7.30/trauma-for-bushfire-survivors-can-last-a-very-long/11698456

Apartheid in South Africa – https://www.history.com/topics/africa/apartheid

Australian Association of Social Workers – https://www.aasw.asn.au/

This episode's transcript can be viewed here:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1HdJsmFzXbhM98TNNglBFfXoHi0SkYt9I/view?usp=sharing

Thanks to Kevin Macleod of incompetech.com for our theme music.