Gellibrand team member Sandra Freeman didn’t reveal her favourite movie but it might be “The Commitments”. She’s worked at Gellibrand for more than 30 years.
Sandra explained why she’s stuck around and offers her advice for those considering a career in the disability sector.
In an era when some people change careers as often as their socks, Sandra Freeman’s more than 30 years with Gellibrand Support Services is a special achievement.
“I started here when I was 10,” she joked, before saying she’d joined Gellibrand when her son was six weeks old. “He’s now 33!”
Sandra had one other job before a friend encouraged her to apply for a support worker role with Gellibrand, then known as ‘Crana’. Sandra was hired and worked at the Linnet Street house, which is still today a Gellibrand SDA property. She said support work back then was much different to what it’s like now.
“I remember taking my kids to be with clients,” she said, noting that regulations had changed regarding who could be present on shifts. But, for Sandra’s children, those connections may have gone deep.
“My daughter Samantha, who used to do lots of colouring in with the clients at Linnet Street, now works here. And I was pregnant with Lara when in my early years at Gellibrand and she works here, too.”
Yes, Gellibrand is very much a family affair for Sandra and her tribe, which she said isn’t surprising.
“It’s a much bigger organisation than when I started, but the team members working together are very much like a family.”
Sandra has been a support worker her whole career with Gellibrand, but she has worked in many administrative roles within the organisation. She started with 15 years in the Service Site Support team (now the Customer Wellbeing team), before moving into other roles.
“I have been in the Resource team, worked on audits and been in the Occupational Health and Safety team,” she said, adding that she feels she has come to understand a great deal about how the organisation operates.
Despite the many changes she’s seen – including the aforementioned growth of Gellibrand and the introduction of the NDIS – Sandra has remained committed. Part of that comes down to her nature.
“I’m a stayer,” she said simply, while adding that her professional growth and sense of connection had kept her at Gellibrand. “And it’s never been just a job for me.”
Sandra said that she had built close ties with many clients over the decades, which sometimes felt as close as her own family. She has three children and five grandchildren, and she cherishes her family with that same enduring commitment that is her hallmark.
With so much experience in the disability sector, Sandra’s advice for those thinking about a similar career is clearly worth considering.
“To work in disability, you need to be resilient, have compassion, patience and be ready for every day to be different.”
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