Natalie Dillon
Nelson
Summary
Motivated Social Worker with comprehensive knowledge of social justice issues and systems affecting marginalised communities. Passionate about developing and facilitating programs to support communities in need through trusting relationships and advocating for best interest of clients.
Overview
5
5
years of professional experience
Work History
Supportive Housing Worker
Nelson Cares Society
12.2024 - Current
- Assist new residents in settling into the housing program, assess immediate needs, and develop personalized support plans with specific goals and objectives.
- Provide support and facilitate access to essential services such as food, housing, medical care, income assistance, social/recreational activities, and employment opportunities. Connect residents to community agencies, assist with applications, and conduct follow-ups.
- Monitor and ensure the safety and comfort of residents, maintaining the security of the housing facility.
- Conduct risk assessments and implement conflict resolution strategies for individuals facing significant daily living challenges due to the risk of homelessness.
- Maintain complete and accurate records of resident support services and group activities.
- Perform other related tasks as required.
Human Resources Catering Aministrator
Shambhala Music Festival
07.2024 - 08.2024
- Maintained accurate personnel records, ensuring privacy standards were met in accordance with relevant regulations.
- Work was divided between the Shambhala Head Quarters Office in Nelson and the festival site near Salmo.
- Building and managing schedules using appropriate software.
- Ensure efficiency and accuracy in meal distribution process.
- Resolve issues arising from crew ID badges scanned at the crew kitchen during meal services.
- Ensure seamless processing and troubleshoot any problems promptly.
- Supervising volunteers and addressing any issues they encounter.
- Coordinate with stage directors to ensure proper scheduling.
- Administered post-event payroll processes, including accurate data entry, timesheet verification, and timely processing of compensation for all staff and crew.
- Verified volunteer hour logs, cross-referencing attendance and shift records to ensure compliance with refund eligibility criteria.
- Provided administrative support and liaised with department leads to resolve discrepancies in hours, pay, and volunteer reporting.
- Evaluated the effectiveness of current HR systems; identified areas requiring enhancement or replacement.
Social Worker
Gunbalanya School
02.2024 - 06.2024
- As part of Gunbalayna School’s wellbeing approach develop a safe, supportive and culturally inclusive environment that engages staff, students and families.
- Provide in and out of class support, engagement, advocacy, referrals, crisis management and personal support plans within the school’s trauma informed wellbeing plan.
- Provided crisis intervention and support during critical incidents, helping students and staff navigate difficult situations and return to a sense of safety and stability.
- Led professional development workshops and training for staff on understanding trauma, recognizing the signs of emotional distress, and utilizing trauma-sensitive strategies in the classroom.
- Strengthen and maintain appropriate interpersonal relationships between school, families and community.
- Operate within a whole school approach to wellbeing including being part of the school’s wellbeing team.
- Developed and facilitated targeted interventions for students dealing with trauma, mental health struggles, or behavioural challenges, ensuring personalized support based on their unique needs and experiences.
- Implemented classroom-wide initiatives and workshops on social-emotional learning (SEL), helping students build empathy, conflict resolution skills, and positive relationships.
- Identify and coordinate referral pathways for students to access external supports as necessary.
- Maintain appropriate records, case notes and prepare reports as required.
- Provided individual and group counselling sessions focused on enhancing emotional intelligence, emotional regulation, and resilience, helping students develop coping strategies and social skills for both school and life challenges.
Acute Professional 2 Casual On-Call Social Worker
Gove District Hospital
09.2022 - 07.2023
- Provide crisis and acute social work support to patients of GDH in on-call capacity after hours with limited supervision.
- Work within a multidisciplinary team to coordinate acute social work responses to domestic violence, child protection, sudden and unexpected death, severe mental health issues, substance use and sexual assault.
- Gather and document information, maintain records and statistics as required.
- Provide immediate intervention for patients experiencing acute mental health crises, such as suicidal ideation, severe anxiety, psychosis, or aggression.
- Advocate for patient rights and ensure their voices are heard in medical decision-making.
- Coordinate with community resources, home healthcare, and outpatient services to ensure continuity of care post-discharge
- Educate patients on the symptoms, treatment, and management of their mental health conditions, helping them understand the impact of their diagnosis on their overall health and well-being.
- Ensure thorough and appropriate handover and communication of all cases after hours to day staff.
- Follow defined service quality standards, work health and safety policies and procedures relating to work being undertaken in order to ensure high quality, safe services and workplaces.
Child Protection Practitioner
Department of Territory Families, Housing & Communities
01.2023 - 07.2023
- Conducted comprehensive risk and safety assessments to investigate reports of child abuse and neglect, ensuring child protection in accordance with the Care and Protection of Children Act 2007 (NT).
- Interviewed children and young people to assess immediate risks to their safety and wellbeing.
- Carried out statutory responsibilities in line with legislation, departmental policies, and procedural guidelines.
- Prepared and submitted legal documents, including affidavits, case outlines, and care plans, demonstrating strong written communication skills and legal understanding.
- Developed and implemented individualized case plans and safety plans in collaboration with children, families, carers, Traditional Owners, Aboriginal Community Workers, and service providers to reduce risk and enhance stability.
- Delivered case management and direct support for children and young people in out-of-home care, including residential care, foster care, and kinship care placements.
- Contributed to permanency planning, including reunification with family, transition to long-term care, or preparation for independent living, based on the best interests of the child.
- Supported cultural connection by transporting children and young people in care—often via small aircraft—to remote communities to participate in cultural ceremonies, family visits, and community events, in alignment with the Aboriginal Child Placement Principle (ACPP) and trauma-informed practice.
- Collaborated with approved carers, parents, community members, and both government and non-government agencies to holistically meet the needs of children and families engaged with the child protection system.
- Maintained accurate and timely documentation using the CARE client case management system, ensuring high-quality recordkeeping in line with organizational and legal requirements.
School Social Worker
Laynhapuy Homelands School
02.2022 - 01.2023
- Active participation in, and support for, school wellbeing programs both at senior Makarrata workshops and Homeland Learning Centres.
- Lead and deliver professional development programs for school staff focusing on Trauma Informed Practice, student wellbeing and self-care.
- Provided crisis intervention and support during critical incidents, helping students and staff navigate difficult situations and return to a sense of safety and stability.
- Lead and deliver small group programs on resilience, emotional regulation, healthy relationships, problem solving and future pathways with students.
- Support identified vulnerable students within the framework of the school's case management approach.
- Liaise with other Department of Education staff, Allied Health professionals, parents/carers, and community leaders, specifically, Traditional Owners.
- Direct supervision of students participating in Makarrata workshops, including after school wellbeing activities.
Child Protection Practitioner
Department of Territory Families, Housing & Communities
07.2021 - 02.2022
- Duties listed above from previous position with Territory Families, Housing and Communities with Arnhem Office.
House Manager – Residential Youth Support
Life Without Barriers
03.2021 - 07.2021
- Managed the day-to-day operations of a residential care home for at-risk youth, providing a safe, structured, and supportive living environment.
- Led a team of youth workers, overseeing rosters, training, and performance to ensure consistent, trauma-informed support aligned with therapeutic care models.
- Collaborated with Elders, community leaders, case managers, and allied services to develop and implement individualised care plans grounded in cultural and therapeutic frameworks.
- Managed incidents and crisis situations with cultural sensitivity and appropriate de-escalation techniques, ensuring safety while maintaining dignity and respect.
- Ensured compliance with child protection legislation, NDIS and OOHC (Out of Home Care) standards, and internal organisational policies.
- Maintained household operations, including budgeting, maintenance, and coordination of daily routines in a stable, home-like setting.
Social Worker- Integrated Care Services Department
Bendigo Health
11.2020 - 02.2021
- Work alongside diverse patients to assist in complex discharge planning following an accident, illness or operation.
- Complete Psychosocial Assessments.
- Provision of information and health education.
- Complete referrals and interface with community services.
- Ensure development of a safe and suitable discharge plan for patient/s.
- Advocate for patients and families within the hospital system and in the community.
- Facilitate family meetings.
- Complete assessments and interventions for high-risk situations eg: elder abuse, family violence, dependent person at home alone (patient carer).
- VCAT for Guardianship and/or Administrator.
- Assist and support patients with the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) application process.
- Transition to residential aged care facilities and other housing issues.
- Loss and grief counselling.
- Bereavement support.
- Provide a social work perspective in weekly case conferences and team discussions.
Education
Bachelor of Human Services, Master of Social Work -
La Trobe University
Bendigo, Victoria, Australia11.2020
Skills
- Multidisciplinary team collaboration
- Client Confidentiality
- Case Management
- Mandatory Reporting Procedures
- Records Management
- Time Management
- Referrals and networking
- Organizational Skills
Professional Development
- Working with Individuals Diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder - Opening Minds, Mental Health Commission of Canada, 2025
- Mental Health First Aid - Opening Minds, Mental Health Commission of Canada, 2025
- Introduction to the Homelessness Services Sector - Homelessness Services Association of BC, 2025
- Levelling-Up For new and Aspiring Managers - Homelessness Services Association of BC, 2025
- Non-Violent Crisis Intervention - Nelson Cares Society, 2025
- Strategies to Manage Student Anxiety - BeYou, 2024
- HLTAID011 Provide First Aid (includes CPR) - Australia Wide First Aid, 2024
- DV-Alert - Men who use violence - Lifeline, 2024
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Mental Health First Aid, 2023
- Understanding Traumatised Children - Play Therapy Australia, 2023
- Level 1 Interplay Therapy - Play Therapy Australia, 2022
- Love Bites Junior & Senior Program Facilitator, NAPCAN, 2022
- Yolngu Cultural Competency Training - ARDS, 2022
- Safe & Together Model CORE Training - Safe & Together Institute, 2021
- Recognise, Respond to and Refer Domestic Violence effectively - Lifeline, 2021
- Suicide Prevention Summit - Mental Health Academy, 2021
- Preventing Dementia - Wicking Dementia Research & Education Centre, 2020
- Complex Forms of Violence Workshop - LifeLine, 2020
- Introduction to Suicide Bereavement Counselling - Primary Health Network Gippsland, 2020
- Working with Young People Through a Trauma Informed Framework - Centre for Excellence in Child and Family Welfare, 2020
- Accurately identifying the person most in need of protection - ANROWS, 2020
- Accredited DRUMBEAT Facilitator Training Program, HOLYOAK, 2019
- Cross Cultural Perspectives in Aboriginal Health - Broken Hill University Department of Rural Health, 2019
- Strategies for Managing Abuse Related Trauma - Australian Childhood Foundation, 2019
- Domestic and Family Violence Response Training with Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Peoples - Lifeline, 2019
- Accidental Counselling Training - Lifeline, 2019
VOLUNTEER HISTORY
Gove Netball Association - 2023 Netball season
Committee member
Falcons Netball Club - 2021 Netball season
Committee member
I am Woman: Rural India Project – 2018 – 2020
Secretary position
Bendigo Association of Social Work Students (BASS) – 2018-2019
Secretary position
References
Katherine Chippendale
Team Leader
Territory Families, Housing & Communities
katherine.chippendale@gmail.com
0427 190 021
Christine Riches
Team Leader
Gove District Hospital
christine.riches@nt.gov.au
0403 773 269
Renae Hering
HR Manager
Shambhala Music Festival
renae@shambhalamusicfestival.com
Timeline
Supportive Housing Worker
Nelson Cares Society
12.2024 - Current
Human Resources Catering Aministrator
Shambhala Music Festival
07.2024 - 08.2024
Social Worker
Gunbalanya School
02.2024 - 06.2024
Child Protection Practitioner
Department of Territory Families, Housing & Communities
01.2023 - 07.2023
Acute Professional 2 Casual On-Call Social Worker
Gove District Hospital
09.2022 - 07.2023
School Social Worker
Laynhapuy Homelands School
02.2022 - 01.2023
Child Protection Practitioner
Department of Territory Families, Housing & Communities
07.2021 - 02.2022
House Manager – Residential Youth Support
Life Without Barriers
03.2021 - 07.2021
Social Worker- Integrated Care Services Department
Bendigo Health
11.2020 - 02.2021
Bachelor of Human Services, Master of Social Work -
La Trobe University
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