Jessica Giovinnazo
Jess refuses to be labelled as a victim of family violence.
Instead, she has used the challenges of her life to empower others through studies in the Graduate Certificate in Family Violence at Chisholm Institute of TAFE.
Higher education was one of those life opportunities Jess kept putting onto the back burner. As a single mum with two young children, recovering from an abusive relationship, she always put her own needs last.
In her mind, she didn’t really know who she was or what she wanted from her life. Taking the leap into study positively bolstered her confidence, her resilience and her life purpose.
While studying for the Graduate Certificate in Family Violence, Jess emerged as a natural leader who has positively used her life experience to inspire, motivate and support her fellow students.
From her personal experiences, Jess has a deep understanding of the impacts of family violence and abuse and is aware of the concept of power dynamics.
Her life journey means she understands the challenges that ordinary people face in their daily lives. While studying, she was also balancing parenthood and part-time work. These demands helped her to become organised and focused.
Courageously, Jessica shared with her class her journey of overcoming drug and alcohol abuse, anxiety disorder, and complex post-traumatic stress disorder. These open conversations helped her classmates to understand the people they would eventually be supporting in their careers.
She also helped reduce the stigma around mental health and inspired classmates who had similar challenges.
Her experiences fueled a desire to create positive change and empowerment – not only for herself, but for others.
By persevering with her studies, Jessica has grown personally and academically. She has overcome her own challenges that would daunt others.
She now works at Uniting Care VIC/TAS, making a meaningful impact in the lives of others and in the field of family violence prevention.
In her community, Jess is a committed volunteer – at her son’s school, local sports events, and at the local Vinnies. Her willingness to help in her community reflects her desire to address social issues and positively impact the lives of local people facing challenges.
Congratulations to Jessica, who was selected as a finalist in the Higher Education Student of the Year (Domestic) category of the 2024 Chisholm Education Awards, in recognition of her remarkable achievements