Proud Aboriginal man and super dad of five Nash Snider is using his skills and compassion to help the Cooktown community after completing a Master’s of Social Work at James Cook University. Photo: Supplied.
Through love, grief and plenty of hard work, a Cooktown man has become the latest addition to the local allied health team to help his community as a social worker.
Proud Aboriginal father Nash Snider, who raised five daughters while completing his Master’s in Social Work, commenced in the role at Cooktown Multipurpose Health Service earlier this year after graduating from James Cook University.
It completed an incredible, and at times challenging and heartbreaking journey for Mr Snider, who was left to raise the girls on his own after the death of his partner eight years ago.
A selfless soul, Mr Snider said he had always been drawn to social work, having previously contributed to the establishment of an Indigenous drug and alcohol family residential rehabilitation service in Cooktown.
“Social work always helped me – I’ve always worked to support my family culture, land and kinship, and I’ve always been drawn to being able to help people,” he said.
“It’s also good to be a good role model to my daughters.”
Mr Snider got his start as an allied health assistant within Torres and Cape Hospital and Health Service (TCHHS), before progressing through the First Nations Graduate Pathway as a social worker.
TCHHS acting executive director allied health Jennifer Mann said the pathway had been established to provide opportunities for First Nations people to commence allied health careers.
“Nash is our third clinician who has joined TCHHS via this pathway, and the first social worker,” she said.
“It is a wonderful way to not only provide these opportunities, but also to increase the number of First Nations staff within our organisation, which is so important for cultural and clinical safety.
“We are so proud of Nash for all that he has achieved, and believe he could go on to be a leader within our allied health team.”
