More About Meraki Mentoring

When I was working in recruitment, I completed a unit at my university called Migration and Social Change. I have always been passionate about social justice, but it was through the combination of hearing and witnessing candidates lived experiences, and studying the exploitation of minorities in the workplace, that the barriers faced by minorities to employment became impossible to ignore. Around this point in time I became extremely passionate about economic empowerment and employment equity. I started to volunteer at charities and utilised my knowledge of the employment sector, in conjunction with my studies, to facilitate 1:1 mentoring and group workshops. While volunteering at those charities I discovered my love for employment mentoring, which led to the creation of Meraki Mentoring. Meraki provides free employment mentoring services to everyone who lives in Australia and Canada. Meraki Mentoring also has specific services available for Not-For-Profits that require assistance in providing specialist employment support to their clients.

Metro Assist

I partnered with Farah, the Employment Support Coordinator, to create and facilitate a virtual workshop on economic empowerment for 8 migrant students. The workshop focused on supporting migrant students in overcoming barriers and equipping them with the knowledge and resources to gain employment. This was done by tailoring the workshop to cover topics such as hard skills and soft skills, acquiring experience, virtual and face to face interviews, writing a CV and cover letter, job searching and the application process.

The Girls & Boys Brigade

I partnered with Rebecca, the Family Support Coordinator, to facilitate one-on-one tailored sessions to empower women to enter or return to work. I individually supported five women in building life skills, overcoming challenges and accessing new opportunities. This was done by tailoring sessions to their specific challenges and anxieties. Together we went through their current CV's and interview techniques, job search and application methods, and collectively came up with new approaches.

The Warrior Woman Foundation

I partnered with Sarah, the Director, to create and facilitate an in-person workshop on employment empowerment for 40 mentors and mentees. My workshop focused on supporting the women in entering or re-entering the workplace by gaining skills to overcome barriers and access employment opportunities. This was done by tailoring the workshop to cover topics such as hard skills and soft skills, acquiring experience, virtual and face to face interviews, writing a CV and cover letter, job searching and the application process.

St Vincent de Paul Society NSW

I partnered closely with Katerina, the Vincentian House Activities Coordinator, to facilitate and individually tailor a one-on-one session with a migrant client. The session was aimed at overcoming the barriers associated with entering the Australian workplace with overseas experience and qualifications. I worked closely with the client to discuss local requirements for their previous line of work, in addition to the various pathways available to them.

My Background

Specialisation

I started out my career in recruitment within the Temporary Not-For-Profit sector. I specialised in temporary and contractual roles across all business services such as Donor Support and Fundraising, Event Management, Marketing and Communications, Executive Assistants, HR and Recruitment, Finance, Reception, Administration, and Data Entry. I then moved to the Health and Community Services sector, where I specialised in permanent and contractual roles. My area of expertise was Case Workers, Team Leaders, Program Coordinators, and other Allied Health Professionals and Community-Centred roles. During my time in recruitment my focus was predominately on candidates from sourcing candidates, reviewing applications, screening candidates, interviewing candidates, to providing interview feedback.

Education & Training

I have completed a Diploma in Arts and Humanities and I am currently completing a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Social and Cultural Analysis and sub majoring in Gender Studies.
Within my studies I have covered units that have aided me in having a deeper understanding of the barriers faced by minorities regarding employment. Some of the topics I have covered include the deskilling of migrants in the workforce and their vulnerability to workplace exploitation, the gap in employment and education experienced by First Nations peoples due to intergenerational trauma, the glass ceiling and the gender pay gap, intersectionality in the workplace, and finally equity within the workforce through policies such as gender quotas and identified positions.
Throughout my diploma and degree I have maintained a High Distinction average, and I am included on the 2021 Deans Merit list for being in the top 10% of my cohort. I graduated my diploma with a GPA of 6.7 and my current GPA is 6.8.

I have completed a Certificate III and IV in Community Services, where I learned how to be trauma informed and person centred when working with people who are First Nations, migrants, elderly, and disabled, as well as those experiencing mental health conditions, AOD, homelessness and DV.

I have also completed training with Job Access regarding Disability Inclusion and Black Dog Institute regarding Wellbeing and Help-Seeking Resources at Work.