Melanie Joosten
Senior Adviser, Research & Advocacy (Open Circle)Melanie is a social worker, writer and researcher who supports the CIJ’s work in the area of restorative justice. She manages the Transport Accident Commission (TAC) Restorative Justice Program, which provides restorative justice for people who have experienced road trauma.
Melanie also convenes the Oceania Community of Practice for Sexual Harm. This community of practice includes practitioners, academics and professionals from Australia and New Zealand, working to expand restorative justice as an option for victim survivors of sexual violence.
Prior to working at the CIJ, Melanie worked in the areas of family violence, elder abuse and ageing. Most recently, she 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.
Melanie has 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. She continues to work as a consultant with Elder Abuse Action Australia on elder abuse policy.
Melanie is a writer of fiction and non-fiction, including the award-winning book A Long Time Coming: Essays on Old Age.