Amos has direction and purpose

Amos was referred to the Australian Institute of Social Relations to get the skills and knowledge he needed to gain employment as a lived experience peer worker in the community services sector.

Amos enrolled in the Certificate III in Community Services as a culturally and linguistically diverse student, having arrived in Australia as a refugee. Since his arrival, Amos has encountered numerous experiences that have challenged his sense of identity and self-worth but he has maintained a high level of resilience.

From the outset, Amos has maintained a positive attitude, he has sought support when needed and has demonstrated great skills in joining with and supporting others.

Amos has brought a level of honesty and transparency to the classroom, attributes that are highly valued in community services work, and through this has demonstrated leadership and inspiration to his fellow students.

Amos is passionate and dedicated to his studies and has openly expressed that the knowledge and skills he has gained have been significant in providing an anchor of hope during a very challenging time in his life. Engaging in adult education has given him purpose and direction, to achieve something which will benefit his future and employment outcomes in the long term.

Learning about community services has helped Amos to be self-reflective and have a better understanding of himself and others. More importantly, the study has helped Amos identify how different people respond to the different challenges in their lives.

He feels privileged to have the opportunity to develop skills and acquire tools to be able to support people who are in need. This has resulted in a stronger desire to give back to his community and make use of his own personal experiences for the benefit of others.

Winning this scholarship will afford Amos the opportunity to continue his education by enrolling in the Certificate IV in Community Services. This is the natural, next step for those wishing to gain employment in the sector and most often considered a pre-requisite for many client support roles with the community services sector.

As future community worker, Amos has shown his ability, skill and knowledge to be curious about others, a willingness to sit and be with people and a real desire to see the world from another’s point of view. This ability will be a great asset from him in his future work in community services.

If you know an outstanding learner why not celebrate their achievements and nominate them for an ALW scholarship.