Jack McWilliam still remembers the quiet conversation that followed the first training session he ever delivered on Affirmative Practice. A young participant approached him and said, “I’ve never seen someone like me do this kind of work. You just made it feel possible.”

That moment stayed with him.

“It was powerful,” Jack reflects. “That’s the thing about visibility. It gives others permission to exist fully, unapologetically.”

Jack is the founder of Rainbow Affinity, a service delivering counselling and training by and for LGBTIQ+SB communities. As a queer transgender man, Jack’s work is not just professional, it is personal. “I understand, firsthand, the barriers trans and gender diverse people face. I live it. So when I work with people, it is coming from that shared place.”

Jack began his career with a Certificate IV in Youth Work, supporting young people experiencing substance use. Over time, he found his values and practice aligning more and more with social work. This led him to enrol in a Bachelor of Social Work with Honours, a step he describes as transformative.

Today, Jack’s practice spans counselling, training, advocacy and research. He was recently recognised with the LGBTIQA+ Worker Award at the 2024 Australian Winter School Conference hosted by QNADA. He currently leads PRISM, a national campaign advocating for trans-led residential alcohol and other drug (AOD) treatment services.

“I am proud of that campaign,” he says. “It is community-led, and that is how change happens. When solutions are built with us, not for us.”

Jack’s current research, supported by a Pride Foundation grant, explores how trans people in Australia seek support for AOD use and how these experiences can be improved. “It is about listening deeply, challenging stigma, and building systems that actually affirm our identities.”

He is also passionate about dismantling misconceptions about the profession. “People often think social workers are fixers,” he says. “But really, we walk alongside people. We advocate, we hold space, we empower.”

Jack emphasises the importance of reflective practice and supervision, particularly when working with communities one is also a part of. “Social work is emotionally demanding. When your community is also your client base, those supports are essential. They help me stay grounded and navigate ethical dilemmas.”

He encourages aspiring social workers to build strong community connections. “It is not just about theory, it is about relationships. Trust is everything.”

Outside of his professional life, Jack finds joy in music, gaming, second-hand shopping, gym sessions, and time with family. “Joy matters,” he says. “Rest is resistance.”

Looking to the future, Jack is excited to deepen his focus on research and education. He hopes to see a profession that is more inclusive, more curious and better resourced. “Paid placements for all students would be a start. And more diverse units in our degrees? Absolutely.”

As for the young person from his first training session—they have since reached out to say they are considering studying social work.

“That is full circle,” Jack says. “If all I did was help one person believe they belonged, that is enough.”