Working History of a Social Worker

After Working 20 Years As A Dressmaker In 1980 Aged 49 Years I Proudlyreceived A Degree In Social Studies From The University Of Sydney.Then In 1985 I Obtained A Masters Degree In Social Work From Theuniversity Of New South Wales.My First Job As A Social Worker In 1980 Was With The Italian Welfarecentre (Co.As.It.) Where I Stayed For Four And A Half Years. Then Sixmonths In A Nursing Home In London. Then One Year With The Departmentof Immigration In Sydney And Parramatta. Then From 1987 I Worked For Theaged Care Assessment Team Attached To The Bankstown Hospital. I Retiredin March 2007 On My 76Th Birthday.I Enjoyed My Work. I Liked Many Of My Clients And Most Of Myco-Workers.I Remember Some Of The Cases I Had To Deal With; Many Were UnusualSome Were Sad Some Impossible And A Few Amusing But All Were Interestingas No Two People Are Alike.In Co.As.It. I Had A Whole Range Of Problems To Deal With. All Theclients Were Italian Migrants Mainly From A Peasant Background. Theyspoke Mostly Their Native Dialects Mixed With Italian. The Greatest Numbercame From The South Of Italy (Puglia Calabria Sicily And Aroundnaples) And From The Poorer Parts Of The North (Veneto).I Spoke Italian And Soon Understood The Different Dialects Although Inever Spoke Any Of Them. So I Was Able To Deal With People From The Differentprovinces.At The Department Of Immigration I Was In Charge Of Several Bi-Lingualwelfare Officers Covering Arabic Greek Spanish Lebanese Polish All8Simone Grandjeanyugoslav Languages The Filipino Dialects Chinese Vietnamese And Italian;My Native Language Is French.I Was Also Able To Use Interpreters For Those Times When A Person Spokesomething Else Such As Portuguese Armenian Or Assyrian Etc . . .In England And Bankstown 99% Of My Clients Were The Elderly Thegreatest Percentage Were Of English Or Anglo Australian Background But Alsoof Many Other Nationalities And Ethnic Backgrounds.So There Have Been Cases Relating To Family Relationship Children Maritalproblems Psychiatric Problems Immigration Needing Information On A Largerange Of Subjects: Health Death Work Financial Problems Sexual ProblemsEtc . . . And Cultural Differences.But First I Was A Social Work Student.