Curtin Social Work graduate Ellecha Thorpe is passionate about helping others overcome disadvantage.
Never in her wildest dreams did Curtin Social Work graduate Ellecha Thorp picture herself walking across a graduation stage, let alone graduate with a Distinction and become a Member of the Vice-Chancellor’s list.
Growing up in regional WA in a single-parent household came with its fair share of obstacles, but Ellecha was committed to overcoming any challenge thrown her way.
With the help of two scholarships from Curtin University, Ellecha packed her bags and moved away from her small hometown of Busselton in WA’s southwest to pursue a Bachelor of Social Work in Perth at Curtin’s Bentley campus.
Having experienced the barriers to pursuing a higher education, Ellecha has dedicated her life to making a difference in the lives of others, by helping them overcome disadvantage as a Social Worker.
Since graduating in 2021, Ellecha shares what she loves the most about her work and some of the biggest challenges she has encountered.
What was it like growing up in regional WA in a single-parent household?
Growing up in a household where conversations about human rights and social justice were at the forefront has helped shape me into who I am today.
As a young adult, I started to see more of the injustices of the world, and my desire to make a real difference grew stronger. I couldn’t grasp why there was so much inequality in the world, and I wanted to make a positive difference.
Living in a single-parent household with my Mum had its fair share of challenges; she is chronically unwell and is unable to work, which meant that we didn’t have many financial resources.
I wouldn’t be who I am today without my Mum. Despite all that she has been through, she is such a strong woman and has been one of the biggest inspirations in my life.
Additionally, spending my younger years in Busselton was transformative. Although the town has significantly grown since I was young, living in a small community allowed me to better understand the challenges and benefits of living regionally.
There are a lot of barriers for rural students who plan to study at university. If it wasn’t for the Harry Perkins Memorial Scholarship, which provides recipients from rural and low socio-economic backgrounds support for their living costs, I wouldn’t be where I am today.
So, I feel very fortunate to be the first person in my family to attend university, as I never thought this would be a reality.
Since graduating, what have you loved the most about being a Social Worker?
Social Work can be extremely challenging, but what lights me up every day is knowing the work I do is truly making a difference to someone’s life in their darkest days.
My biggest motivation every day is to make every interaction that little bit brighter or less painful for someone who is struggling. To be able to support or comfort people when they are at their most vulnerable is what keeps me going.
One of the biggest challenges we face each day is the systemic barriers.
For example, the housing crisis means that no matter how hard you advocate, if there are no physical homes, then you can’t support people to access housing. Additionally, if you are trying to support someone with very specific needs but the public resources and systems are not available to meet those needs, then you can feel quite powerless.
Although these barriers can be hard to navigate each day, they encourage you to be creative in finding alternative ways to support the people you’re working alongside.
When you can overcome some of those systemic barriers and achieve something positive for people, such as getting their housing situation sorted or supporting them to access financial resources, it’s very rewarding.
I’ve done a fair bit of work with many young people, and seeing the changes in the way that they talk to themselves and have more hope for their future is very important to me.
Returning to Curtin as a Sessional Academic teaching social work students as they are about to embark on their careers has been such a full-circle moment for me.
Studying at Curtin was life-changing. I had some phenomenal teachers who had a real impact on me, and being able to teach the same course that changed my life has been a massive career highlight.
Finally, if you could tell your younger self one piece of advice, what would it be?
Trust the process – you are where you need to be, and things will sort themselves out. Sometimes when we are faced with a challenging situation, in that moment, it can be hard to look forward. But trust things will get better even when you can’t see it at the time.
Also, it’s important to acknowledge that there are sometimes barriers and things outside of our control that can make it hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel. So, in those situations, accessing the right support is necessary. There is no shame in asking for support.
Ellecha Thorp, Senior Social Worker at East Metropolitan Health Service and Sessional Academic at Curtin School of Allied Health
Graduating from Curtin with a Bachelor of Social Work (2021), Ellecha was the recipient of the Don Watts High Achiever Scholarship and a Member of the Vice-Chancellor’s List. Since graduating, Ellecha has worked as a Senior Social Worker, specialising in mental health, at East Metropolitan Health Service and works part-time at Royal Perth Hospital. Ellecha is also passionate about empowering young rural women and non-binary people to reach their leadership potential as the Volunteer Director of Country to Canberra.
