You’re both professionals in the youth and disability support space. Tell us about your work and what you love about it?
Jane: As a youth work academic within the College of Arts and Education at VU, one of my favourite parts of my job is facilitating a classroom discussion and seeing students have lightbulb moments and become advocates for change, challenging abelism in their own communities.
A highlight of my year is watching students walk across the stage at graduation after working alongside them over three or four years.
Honour: I am a disability support worker in Melbourne’s western suburbs. I love my job because of the young people that I work with.
I have been a disability support worker for over a year now and have been grateful for the opportunity to learn more about disability and how to work and communicate effectively with all of the young people that I support.
Jane, you’re also a VU alumni. How do you feel that studying at VU helped contribute to your career development?
Jane: I am a proud VU alumni. I have worked in the youth and community sector and am thankful for my Bachelor’s degree, which gave me a strong, ethical framework for my practice.
I began my studies in vocational education and followed a pathway into a Bachelor’s degree, then onto a Master’s degree and I am now completing my PhD thesis.
VU is the university of opportunity, and I was given the chance to return firstly to TAFE and then moved across to higher education to teach within the Youth and Community program.
A note from Jane and Honour on inclusive language:
We use identity-first language when referring to autistic individuals, as this is the preference of the majority of individuals in the community.
However, we recognise that there continues to be diversity of thought, with some choosing to be referred to using person-first language (as a person with autism, or a person on the spectrum). Always find out from the individual how they wish to use this language.