Ellen Thomas

As a qualified social worker with a Master of Social Work (MSW) degree, complemented by a background in psychology (BPsycSc), cognitive behaviour therapy (GradDip), and philosophy (GradDip), I bring a robust foundation of multi-disciplinary knowledge and skills to my professional practice. 

With sixteen years of experience spanning various sectors, I have engaged with government schemes aimed at addressing social welfare, mental health, and aged care, leveraging my knowledge to advocate for policy improvements and improved service delivery. Within not-for-profit organisations, I have played integral roles in community development, disability rehabilitation, and aged care consultancy, fostering partnerships with stakeholders to address systemic barriers and promote social inclusion. My experience extends to managing projects aimed at improving service delivery and enhancing outcomes for vulnerable populations, where I have overseen resource allocation, coordinated teams, and supervised students.

Bachelor of Social Work (Honours)

SWSP1001, Professionalism, Values and Ethics in Human Services

SWSP1002, Social Work and Welfare States

SWSP1003, Human Rights and Social Justice 

SWSP1006, Introduction to Critical Thinking in Social Work

I am interested in researching contradictions within social justice efforts, particularly ideological coercion. 

My independent research (MPhil), undertaken through the University of Western Australia, examines political indoctrination in social work education. It is a qualitative study on educator bias and teaching practices in Australian universities, divided into two projects which encompass the completion of a PhD.