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Rebecca Lean

Rebecca Lean

Multicultural Youth Worker, T Centre for Multicultural Youth Issues

“I chose to study the Bachelor of Social Science (Youth Work) as I was looking to get into the community work sector and the degree seemed like a great starting point. It gives a broad base of knowledge while the youth work specialisation allowed me to focus specifically on an area that I wanted to follow in the workforce.

I love working with the newly arrived community in Dandenong. They have amazing resilience and determination to make a new life for themselves and their families.

Studying at ACU National really expanded my ability to think critically. Not to accept everything I am told, but to learn about it for myself.

My major accomplishments come in small packages such as when a young person I work with trusts me enough to tell me about their journey to Australia, gets their first job, or being asked to join a family for tea or a meal. Small things that may seem like nothing mean the world to me,” says Rebecca.

The tutors and lecturers at ACU National always have time to sit with you, talk through some element of the work you are doing, reflect on the practice of youth work done in placements and go that extra step to make sure their students are on track.

The practical placements were priceless, no amount of studying a text book can give you the knowledge that experiential learning can give.

I am keen to continue working with the newly arrived communities, at least for another few years. I occasionally toy with the idea of going back to do further research or study, but not just yet!”