From the frontline Michelle Hewett Program Coordinator | IAP Mallee 2021 Employee of the Year
What has stayed with you this year? For me, I look at the last 12 months, I just think the life of everyone changed in the blink of an eye. Our day and our life is unprecedented. Work has made us resilient and resourceful like we never knew before. To continue to deliver our services online, and on the phone has amazed me. We haven’t had a complaint from our clients. And we have dealt with
How did you come to work at HHS?
every challenge that has been thrown our way.
I started in June 2011 on a student placement for three
The 12th March 2020, I’ll never forget it. I remember having a
days a week. The aim was for me to work across all
meeting with my manager and he asked ‘we need to make
programs as there weren't as many programs back then.
sure everyone can work from home’ and I asked, ‘work from
I started in the Intake and Assessment Program (IAP)
home, how do we do that. We can’t!’ And yet, here we are.
and I’m still here. I was employed full-time in 2012.
The generational stuff has stayed with me. I remember
I studied and worked at the same time. I will be celebrating
working with 10 year olds who are now 20 and I know
my 10 year anniversary next month which feels surreal.
their story. The strength in that history through the pandemic
We cover a lot of areas and do all the assessment across the Mallee.
has helped. We know their background so we know the impact on their families. When they ask for support we know exactly what their situation is. I have a lot of admiration
It's hard work. It's relentless work. Every day is
for technology that has kept us all safe.
something new but we can’t stop. We have to
We never closed our doors in the pandemic. We still gave
keep working for the outcomes for our clients.
our clients a little bit of normality by connecting them with
It's exhausting but you have to look after yourself,
the services they needed every day. It's a credit to HHS.
your team, and the people that come to us for help.
Every day we reset and refresh. Don’t take anything
People ask me, ‘how can you do it for so long?’
for granted. We can be told we’re in lockdown at
but the job is completely different every day.
midnight and we can completely adapt to that.
You never know what will be on the next phone call. You never know what the next challenge will be.
16
everything. We are chameleons, we have adapted to
On 17 July this year, we had a positive case in Mildura. We closed the office for three days for a deep clean.
It’s nice to reflect on my experiences to help mentor
We all got tested. We all worked at home and we’re still
my team. I have learned and evolved every year
delivering a service. It’s really rewarding to know that
and have learned from every situation.
we can still help people even when the office is closed.
