UQSPIA CLASS OF 2017 ALUM
Jori Etuale - Samoan Bachelor of Social Work
"Upon the completion of this degree I was fortunate to get a job working with young people who are homeless. I love my job and am grateful that this profession allows me to do things that come so naturally to me as a Samoan. Notions of service and community are embedded in my culture and doing anything other than this work would be foreign to me. My long-term goal is to provide a Pasifika lead social work service for our Pasifika young people and communities. Whilst this degree has provided me with the practical tools to carry out these goals, it was my time with UQSPIA that has given me my focus. Social work demands a deep knowledge of self which for a Samoan, born in New Zealand and raised in Brisbane became confusing. My ideas of what it meant to be Samoan were shattered by these people who came from all walks of life with a shared love and passion for the Pacific. I could speak about this for ever but all I will say is that UQ SPIA instilled in me a sense of pride for my culture and how to carry this with me into the future."
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