Safer Futures Fund

[KATHERINE] Hi, Julia. Great to see you today, as always. I really wanted to learn a bit more about your journey at Swinburne and your journey as a psychologist.

[JULIA] Well, what can I say? Swinburne has been a pretty amazing place for me. I'm currently working as a clinical psychologist, but I started my journey here at Swinburne doing the clinical and forensic doctorate out of the Centre for Forensic Behavioural Science.

[KATHERINE] Could you explain to me what that actually means and what inspired you to go down that path of study?

[JULIA] Well, forensic psychology is where the criminal justice system meets psychology, and there's so much overlap within that world being able to look at how people within the criminal justice system and people recovering from trauma, can get better through research. And a lot of the research that's coming out of the centre are things that have actually informed real life projects that are coming out within our police system, within our justice system. So the work that we're doing doesn't just remain within the university but actually hits the real world.

[KATHERINE] I understand that you received a scholarship to do your PhD here. Tell me, how did it feel, Julia, when you found out you had been awarded a scholarship?

[JULIA] Well, I was honoured. It's like someone saying to you, ‘we believe in you.’ It makes you feel like the plans and the goals that you've got for your research are worthwhile. And now I get to be part of the other side where I get to contribute back to the people that started my journey, got me going.

[KATHERINE] So, Julia, your work, your research work is within the CFBS?

[JULIA] The Centre for Forensic Behavioural Science. It looks at criminal behaviour, it looks at violence prevention and mental health and how they're all impacted together. Working towards making the community safer for everyone.

[KATHERINE] And can you tell us, please, about the Safer Futures Fund?

[JULIA] The Safer Futures Fund was something that myself and a couple of the others in the establishment came up with to really give back. This is a career that I love doing, that I feel really grateful that I'm able to do, and so, to be able to provide some finances for future students, to get great research together and to continue to do that good work is a no brainer for me.

[KATHERINE] Is that to provide scholarships for the students or does it have a broader base than that?

[JULIA] Scholarships and supporting research, yes.

[KATHERINE] And they'd be early career researchers, is that right?

[JULIA] Yes, early career, and people that are in their fourth year of their doctorate and needing a little bit of extra support.

[KATHERINE] Could you now provide a bit more detail about what the research actually means to the community and why people should get involved?

[JULIA] Education changes lives and what happens at Swinburne is well beyond just academia. We’re giving to students, we're giving to great ideas, we're giving to innovation. And this is not just something from the professional point of view, but something that I feel right in my heart. When you actually sit in those groups in a prison setting and you see these people actually listening, actually learning, actually coming out of prison with something more than they went in there with. When we go through a tough time, sometimes we make poor decisions. But if we can understand these decisions more, if we can understand the cognitions and the personality traits behind that then maybe we can help change that trajectory for a lot of people.

[KATHERINE] And that change means a safer community for everybody.

[JULIA] Absolutely. Most people get out of prison, right? So we want them getting out in better shape than they went in.

[KATHERINE] Does it matter if people can only give a small amount?

[JULIA] I think every donation counts. We’re all in different phases of our lives. As you reach the end of your career, you may have more money to be able to contribute back. It can be just a little amount each year just to contribute and you're part of such a wonderful fund.

[KATHERINE] Thanks so much, Julia. It's been great to have you here. And if anybody would like to make a donation to Swinburne, to the Safer Futures Fund or any other area of Swinburne support, please go to our website. Thanks.

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