GUEST BLOG BY ALYSSA VAN GRONIGEN
ABOUT ALYSSA
As an accomplished Policy Officer for Indigenous Primary Health Care at the Australian Department of Health, Alyssa is passionate about public health as a practical means of promoting reconciliation and self-determination.
CHOOSING AN IMPACT DRIVEN CAREER
“I decided to pursue a career in public service because I believe that public policy plays a critical role in creating a fairer and more inclusive Australia.
I have always been driven by a strong sense of justice and wanted to help guide our nation a tiny bit further down the winding road of reconciliation by learning about the inner workings of government and how decisions are made at the structural level.
Anyone familiar with the history of colonisation in Australia knows how destructive public policy can be when done badly. I was motivated to learn how we might do it well – in partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, approached with humanity and heart, and backed by rigorous evidence – to advance self-determination.
I thought long and hard about how I might contribute to this cause most respectfully, and whether it might be better pursued in academia or the not-for-profit sector.
I ultimately decided that government was a good place to get started, because understanding government decision-making would likely make me a more effective researcher and a more pragmatic advocate.”
EVERY DAY IS DIFFERENT
“Every day for me is different and, and having now worked across five government departments, I can definitively say that every role is different!
My role in native title policy at the Attorney-General’s Department was exciting and fast paced, with tasks ranging from progressing legislative amendments, drafting Cabinet briefings and undertaking research to support the understanding of various policy issues, through to coordinating Indigenous policy across the department (such as Closing the Gap).
I was also an active member of the Women’s Network, which gave me the opportunity to get involved in lots of fun event management and fundraising initiatives.
My new role in Indigenous primary health care policy at the Department of Health has a stronger emphasis on research, data and substantive policy development.”
FOLLOWING MY PASSION
I love working in Indigenous health policy firstly because, as I described above, I’m passionate about it. If there’s a social cause you care about, it may be that some government department somewhere is working on it!
There’s also a strong sense of privilege and responsibility that comes with being a public servant, which energises me further to work effectively and ethically.
The second reason I love working in policy is the interesting and challenging nature of the work. Having spent nearly five marvellous years studying philosophy, I’ve always loved researching, analysing and writing about complex questions.
And finally, I’m very grateful for the excellent training and professional development opportunities available in government. I was lucky to receive extensive training as part of the Graduate Program at the Attorney-General’s Department, and am now being supported to study my Masters part-time.”
ALYSSA’S TIPS FOR YOUNG WOMEN INTERESTED IN A CAREER IN POLICY
TIP 1: CONNECT WITH YOUR PURPOSE
Think hard about your values, interests and impact that you want to make. Government departments are big places, where it’s easy to get lost and where it might be tempting to follow promotions instead of career paths. Strong self-awareness will help to anchor you, and to steer you in the right direction.
TIP 2: TALK TO PEOPLE
My second tip is to talk to people working in public policy, preferably around the level you would be entering at, and ask them to explain what they actually do. A friend recently told me that she didn’t feel qualified to apply for a government job partly because she found it so mystifying. Chatting to people will help to dispel the opacity and will give you a better sense of whether it’s for you. Also, don’t be afraid to ask them for advice! Government interviews are bizarre, so it can be helpful to hear from someone who has gotten through one.
TIP 3: BACK YOURSELF
If you decide that policy is for you, my final tip is to back yourself. Like so many women, I struggle with imposter syndrome, so I know how annoying this can sound. Being told to simply ‘be confident!’ sounds almost glib – it overlooks the many anxieties and schemas that condition us to see ourselves as less worthy.
Those anxieties are real, so I recommend that you surround yourself with wonderful women who will build you up and insist on your worth, even when you struggle to see it yourself.
> Get your friend to read over that job application with an eye to where you may have subconsciously devalued your experience.
> Surround yourself with supportive colleagues who tell you to apply for the promotion that you’d automatically discounted yourself for (as happened to me recently!).
> Why? Because you are so much more capable than you think!