Melanie Joosten
Senior Adviser, Research & Advocacy (Open Circle)Melanie is a social worker, writer and researcher who has worked in the areas of family violence, elder abuse and ageing. She supports the CIJ’s work in the area of restorative justice.
Melanie is a social worker, writer and researcher who has worked in the areas of family violence, elder abuse and ageing. She supports the CIJ’s work in the area of restorative justice.
Most recently, Melanie was Senior Policy Officer at Seniors Rights Victoria, a community legal centre that works to prevent and address elder abuse as a form of family violence. Melanie has led projects including an analysis of elder abuse data in Victoria, research into intimate partner violence experienced by older women, submissions to numerous government inquiries and Royal Commissions, and the development of a series of discussion papers on issues related to elder abuse. Prior to this she worked as a researcher at the National Ageing Research Institute, contributing to projects on older people’s experience of ageing, with a focus on mental health, elder abuse, caring responsibilities and LGBTI communities.
Melanie has also worked as a consultant with Elder Abuse Action Australia on a project for Compass.info on family accommodation arrangements.
Melanie has a Master of Social Work through RMIT, and a Master of Arts (Editing & Communications) and Bachelor of Creative Arts (Honours) through the University of Melbourne. She is the author of three books, including the award-winning essay collection A Long Time Coming: Essays on Old Age.