University of Newcastle supervising psychologist, Saskia Behan (pictured second from right), has been recognised with a Work Integrated Learning Staff Member of the Year award for her role in facilitating the children’s support program at Jenny’s Place.

Saskia supervised postgraduate psychology students to deliver support services to children in Jenny’s Place emergency accommodation through the weekly Sunshine Hut clinic. She was nominated by her students for the staff category in the 2022 Employability Excellence Awards.

Her award citation recognises Saskia ’s extraordinary passion for providing support to women and children escaping domestic violence through Jenny’s Place.

She applies her dedication and expertise to the benefit of clients and her Master of Psychology students, who gain the opportunity to develop their critical trauma-informed psychological support skills.

Having developed and implemented the Jenny’s Place Work Integrated Learning Program, Saskia has received widespread praise for her commitment to developing students’ counselling and case management skills. The care that she provides to her students ensures they are well-supported within a field that is often challenging.

Under Saskia’s guidance, the success of the Jenny’s Place partnership with the School of Psychological Sciences has now been recognised through a four-year plan to further expand the program.

Saskia said: “It is lovely to be able to walk this path with students. These early groups have been exposed to the program’s development, which has helped develop a sense of ownership as well as a space to grow critical case management skills.”

Jenny’s Place was also nominated in the New Partner in Employability category in this year’s Employability Excellence Awards.

Read more about the program and partnership between Jenny’s Place and the University of Newcastle’s School of Psychology here.