Sheltering Others, Shaping Oneself: Liza Barlow’s Journey in Service

Liza started her career with Vinnies in a Support Worker role at Margaret House – a respite accommodation service in the Sutherland Shire for people with disability (no longer in operation). Liza describes herself then as “a young single mum, fresh out of TAFE.” Liza had just completed her Diploma of Community Services when she applied for the role, and she nurtured an interest in finding purpose by helping people with disabilities.

The Support Worker role, as it often does, provided a springboard that launched Liza into a variety of subsequent roles with Vinnies, that have come to form the different chapters that tell the story of Liza’s professional growth. “Everything I have learned, I have learned on the job and with training,” Liza says, assuredly.

After a few years at Margaret House, Liza stepped into an administrative role in the Membership, Volunteer and Early Intervention (MVEI) space at Sutherland’s Support Centre, which led to an office management role where Liza then worked across a wider district, formerly known as the Sydney Archdiocese, that included the Bankstown, Ryde and Sutherland Support Centres. “It opened my eyes to the scope of Vinnies and moved me closer to discovering where my passion lies – which is in building those longer-term relationships and working holistically with people.”

The theme of opportunity came up repeatedly throughout our conversation and appears to be one of the favourable conditions provided by a career with Vinnies that Liza has most enjoyed and embraced. “I’ve gained exposure to the complexities of the sector. There are so many different skill sets that we must develop and there are great learning opportunities to help you do that. There is lots of mentoring, and lots of secondment opportunities on offer that helped me find my passion.”

Liza’s vocational calling saw her transition from MVEI and return to the disability service space, where she took up a role facilitating client activities at Como Leisure Centre. This also reduced Liza’s work travel time and enabled her to better balance the demands of mothering young children with her flourishing career.

With a now robust set of experiences in client-facing work and a clear love for helping people, Liza was successful in applying for a case management position working in Housing and Homelessness at Liverpool Men’s Centre and its partner service, St. Judes in Bankstown.

It was here that Liza met a colleague whose influence on her proved to be profound (Ms. Devins, who has since moved on from the Society). “She was my greatest supporter and advocate. She saw in me things that I did not see. She gave me psychological safety to grow and make mistakes and always encouraged me to challenge myself.”

In 2016, six years into her career with Vinnies, Liza had stepped up from her centre-based role to fulfill a case management position in the wider St George Sutherland team. It was at this time that Vinnies received state government funding to establish Domestic Violence Response Enhancement (DVRE) services.

Liza explained that that DVRE was born out of a key learning taken from reviewing the NSW Government’s 2013 Going Home, Staying Home reforms, which aimed to prevent homelessness among people experiencing domestic and family violence. Changes to service operation hours had inadvertently created a gap for people needing to flee during the night. “DVRE exists to bring people into safety until services are open again the next day,” Liza explained.

Liza received a big push from her manager to apply for the newly created DVRE Team Leader position and lead the Society’s efforts in providing safe houses for people fleeing imminent risk in the South-East Sydney and Inner West areas. “I wouldn’t in my wildest dreams have considered putting my hand up. It was only because my manager believed in me. It showed me that I had more potential, and that management is what I’m interested in.”

It was challenging work in many regards. Liza quickly had to learn how to have strong boundaries and an ability to ‘switch off’ outside of work. Vitally, she leaned into her team. “My peers are a great support. We are pro-active and knowledgeable, so we have implemented our own processes to support each other.” It is to this support that Liza attributes her continued ability to thrive in frontline service management.

In Liza’s current role she is responsible for the three refuges, two houses and 21 transitional properties accommodating women and families escaping domestic violence that Vinnies operates in the region, as well as an outreach team who work with rough sleepers.

After 15 years on the frontline, Liza told us that she is most heartened by what she sees as a positive shift toward true person-centred and trauma-informed service delivery that benefits clients at the most practical level. This point of view gives a strong sense of Liza’s humility and dedication.

"It suggests a change in mindset at the sector level. Our buildings are now wheelchair accessible, and one of our services is pet friendly. This focus on clients is what I find to be the most positive change.”

Liza’s 15-year journey with Vinnies is a testament to what is possible when purpose meets opportunity - a quiet, steadfast path shaped by compassion and a deep commitment to the dignity, safety and wellbeing of people. 

* Core and Cluster refuges provide short-term crisis accommodation and integrated support services for women and their children escaping domestic and family violence. This model includes self-contained accommodation units ("cluster") located near communal facilities ("core"), offering a safe environment and access to supports.  It allows families to receive support while maintaining personal space and routines.