Study social work at ACAP
Disability advocacy is a vital part of our society that ensures people with a disability receive the services to which they are entitled. ACAP graduate, David Skidmore, is a qualified social worker and advocate for the Multicultural Disability Advocacy Association (MDAA). Part of his work involves representing clients living with a disability to help them obtain the best services from agencies such as the NDIS, Centrelink, and the Department of Education.
“At the moment I’m assisting one client with the Centrelink benefits he’s entitled to, and another get the best deal out of their NDIS plan. I’m also organising a forum around housing issues, so I’m coordinating the speakers and information required with that,” David said.
“On occasions I’ll also be asked to contribute information for a presentation on behalf of the MDAA which may be submitted for a NSW Parliamentary Inquiry – so the role is varied in that respect. A part of the role is also managing expectations. There is no guarantee that you’ll 100 per cent be able to resolve the client’s problem, so it’s important you’re able to communicate that.”
Having previously worked in the not-for-profit sector, David explored the idea of a career in social work, which is when he came across ACAP’s Master of Social Work (Qualifying).
"What stood out for me with ACAP was the [Master of Social Work (Qualifying)] course was professionally accredited by the peak social work body, the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW), in Australia.
“What stood out for me with ACAP was the course was professionally accredited by the peak social work body, the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW), in Australia. In addition, a lot of the content like structural change and critical theories was very different to what other universities were offering at the time, which appealed to me.”
ACAP’s Master of Social Work (Qualifying) provides professionals working in the human and community services sector with a deep insight into why we think and act the way we do, and the skills and knowledge needed to develop and identity as a social worker.
As part of the master’s course, David’s placement at a community centre in Malabar provided him with a unique opportunity he wasn’t expecting.
“That was certainly very interesting as I didn’t foresee a community centre as an option for social work, so it taught me to be open minded, rather than being fixated in a particular area.”
In addition, David found the teaching and support from ACAP’s lecturers to be knowledgeable and helpful with his learning.
“All the lecturers were supportive and well qualified, with some of them active social workers, while still teaching at the same time, so all the experience they were sharing was current and highly relevant.”
“All the lecturers were supportive and well qualified, with some of them active social workers, while still teaching at the same time, so all the experience they were sharing was current and highly relevant.”
For those interested in following in David’s footsteps, he explained that an emotional commitment to social justice is just one of the key personality traits required to have a successful career as a disability advocate and social worker.
“Clients don’t want to work with someone who is going through the motions, they want a professional who has an emotional commitment and is invested in them,” David said.
“It doesn’t mean you have to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders, but you must show an interest in their issue and do your best to resolve it. That is what will make you stand out.”