Media releases

Federation University Australia and Anglicare Victoria are teaming up to create a pipeline of skilled family violence social workers to meet a growing demand. 

Brooke Pym has been working at Anglicare Victoria in Gippsland for 11 years working as an Integrated Family Services Team Leader and has recently enrolled in the Bachelor of Social Work at Federation to enhance her skillset. 

“I am enjoying learning the theory around the work I have been doing for many years now, gaining a deeper understanding into the work that I do and why we work in the manner that we do,” Brooke said. 

Brooke feels lucky to be working in her chosen profession while completing a Bachelor’s degree and says that there is a massive demand for skilled and experienced social workers in the region. 

“There is such high demand for front line workers in child protection, family violence and family services that we need as many new graduates as we can get,” she said.  

Anglicare Victoria Gippsland Regional Director, Vicki Levey says that more social workers are needed to fit the current demand in the region. 

“The demand for skilled social workers in the Gippsland region is very high, specifically in the family violence space. As part of the recommendations from the 2015 Royal Commission in Family Violence, we need more social workers who are qualified or becoming qualified in family violence roles by July 2026, particularly as part of The Orange Door network,” she said.  

According to the Victorian Skills Authority, the demand for social workers continues to increase in Gippsland and throughout the state, with an additional 2,349 workers required Victoria wide by 2026.  

Ms Levey said, “we need to train workers locally as we are more likely to maintain the workforce if they don’t have to travel long distances, and they will gain familiarity with the region and its specific needs.” 

“The community can only benefit by the support of skilled and qualified workers, and our partnership with Federation University is imperative to ensure we continue to have those staff numbers in Gippsland. It’s important we’re responding locally to meet the demand,” she said. 

To read more about Federation University Social Work courses visit: https://study.federation.edu.au/search/?study_area=social-work,%20community%20and%20human%20services. 

Quotes attributable to Federation University Discipline Lead, Social Work, Community and Human Services, Jennifer Martin 

“Federation has had strong engagement from the Gippsland community to co-design a degree to meet local workforce demands with local people.”  

“The Social Work curriculum has been designed with local Gippsland human services providers to ensure teaching and learning content, delivery and assessment is tailored to the needs of the local Gippsland social work workforce.”