VJ, Senior Team Leader

Since VJ joined us as a Child Safety Officer in 2019, he’s been promoted twice. But for this Senior Team Leader, his role is about so much more than career growth. Every day, VJ taps into a deep motivation to help and uplift others. Read on to find out how he does it.

Community spirit

If you’d asked VJ what he wanted to be as a child, he could have reeled off an impressive number of job titles.

But public servant sure wasn’t top of the list, VJ laughs.

However, growing up within the Sikh faith, VJ chose to set his life by its teachings about helping those in need and fostering community. So, when he and his young family moved from Melbourne to Brisbane in 2019, becoming a Child Safety Officer seemed like the right role.

VJ already had a social work degree and several years of experience working in the disability sector; however, he didn’t know what to expect in child protection.

I think it’s a line of work where you know very soon into the journey whether it’s right for you. In my case, being a family man myself and having a passion for helping others meant I just felt an instant connection to the job.

VJ acknowledges It wasn’t the easiest option. When he first started at the department, it felt like “sink or swim”. The work was challenging and there was plenty of it. Yet, VJ’s life skills and experience in other roles helped him learn the ropes. And now, he says new Child Safety Officers have access to the resources they need to thrive in their role.

Things have changed in the past few years. We’ve got more supports for new Child Safety Officers, like ongoing supervision and better workloads. We’re also running more learning circles and workshops in areas like resilience and training. There’s plenty of help on hand for your journey within the department.

Finding beauty in small wins

As Senior Team Leader for the Ongoing Intervention team, VJ exudes a friendly warmth that’s truly infectious. But perhaps the trait his team appreciates the most is VJ’s incredibly positive attitude.

One of my team will come up to me and say, ‘Hey VJ, we’ve got a problem,’ and I’ll say to them, ‘So, what you’re telling me is we’ve got an opportunity for a solution!’ VJ laughs.

VJ jokes about it, but fundamentally, he says hope and positivity are serious business and essential traits for the job. It’s something VJ emphasises with his team for good reason.

When you’re new to the department, it can be easy to fall into the trap of hanging out for the big wins like reunification or children successfully transitioning out. But those big wins are often only achieved over extended periods. You have to celebrate all the smaller wins along the way.

This could include securing primary placement for a child in care, starting overnight stays for a teenager on the path to reunification or re-establishing connections between siblings.

Celebrating this kind of stuff reminds us why we do what we do. In this sector, we may not always see the immediate impact of what we do, but all these things make a huge difference.

VJ says there is plenty more ahead that he’s looking forward to celebrating, too.

At the department, we’re changing old ways of thinking and finding new ways of working. There’s still a long way to go, but with the right tools and supports, we can help reunify more children and ensure more kids never need to come into care in the first place.

Building a purposeful career

Since joining us in 2019, VJ has gravitated towards ever-more challenging roles. He’s progressed from Child Safety Officer to Team Leader to his current position as Senior Team Leader, supporting and leading six Child Safety Officers. And outside work, he and his wife are raising four lively boys while also conducting language classes for Sikh youth on their weekends!

VJ’s incredible work ethic, passion for challenging himself and genuine enjoyment of the changing nature of our work have all helped him thrive. Yet, VJ says another important ingredient in his success has been the support he’s found within the department.

Since joining, I’ve had managers who’ve invested in me and believed in me. I’ve had the chance to work across different service centres and to act as Team Leader in different locations. When you put in the hard work, the rewards are there, not just from a career perspective but in seeing the results with families and children.

VJ’s advice to anyone looking to join us and build an incredible skill set?

You’ll need to want to learn and grow and be willing to try new things outside your comfort zone. Myself, I have that willingness to help others and put myself out there. You’ve got to take on the challenges and reach out for the opportunities!