Stories from the WISE Community: Shaye
Hi, I’m Shaye. I am a proud Wotjobaluk woman born in Sea Lake, Victoria. I have a 14-year-old son who plays baseball, so in between working and baseball I enjoy reading and cooking.
I’ve been with AAG for 6 months, and have now joined the WISE Employment team with our recent merger. I am the Diversity Engagement Officer for Access Skills Training (AST), a registered training arm of AAG/WISE Employment.
Before AAG, I worked across a range of other community support organisations. I have worked for Bendigo Community Health as a Drug and Alcohol Welfare Worker; for the Department of Justice as an Indigenous Community Corrections Officer (ICCO); and for the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing.
My role as a Diversity Engagement Officer involves ongoing support and advice as students’ progress through their learning journey. WISE is a diverse organisation, and I believe AST is a safe place, so with the supports available we are confident of positive outcomes. I love the ability to engage with diverse communities as part of my role, as well as making strong contacts and supporting communities to engage with AST.
I count myself lucky to have a strong family bond to rely upon, where I am supported and encouraged to follow my pathway. My dad was a strong Wotjobaluk man one of 19 children and I’m lucky enough to have a large family support system.
This year’s theme ‘For Our Elders’ resonates with me as our Elders are so important to our community. They have the cultural knowledge and stories, they pass down to the younger generation to keep our culture alive and to educate the wider community.