Career summary

Dr Jason Davies-Kildea has dedicated over two decades to the community service field helping others from the Salvation Army to Beyond Blue. Now Head of Policy and Advocacy at Beyond Blue, he continues to make a difference to people’s lives.

Following his interests in sociology and religion, he completed his PhD at Monash University in 2017. His PhD research built on his previous academic studies in religion and social services to critically investigate the relationship in social welfare services. His PhD experience continues to inform his work till this day as he leads a team of policy advisers to create mental health reform.

Career pathway

2019 - Head of Policy and Advocacy, Beyond Blue
2017 - Doctor of Philosophy (Sociology), Monash University
2012 - Manager, Social Policy, Research and Government Relations (Victoria), The Salvation Army
2009 - Master of Social Science (Policy and Human Services), RMIT University
2008 - Social Program Secretary (Melbourne Central Division), The Salvation Army
2004 - Visiting lecturer and tutor, The Salvation Army
2004 - Commanding Officer (Brunswick), The Salvation Army

Why did you decide to undertake your PhD at Monash?

Monash was the only university that had supervisors with the cross-disciplinary experience that I was after. I spent some time researching and contacting other prospective universities, but Monash stood out for the subject that I wanted to pursue.

What was the topic of your research and why are you interested in sociology and religion?

My research investigated the relationship between religious beliefs and social services in faith-based organisations, specifically focussing on The Salvation Army. I have been interested in the role that churches play in Australian social welfare services for a long time and have been personally involved in these, first as an employee and then as a minister of religion. Exploring this relationship through a sociological lens helped me to understand the social and cultural dynamics at play both within and outside the institution.

One of the things I respect about religion is the aspect of self-criticism as a means to self-improvement and to understanding how we can better help others. Religion that is dogmatic or controlling doesn’t interest me. So I think I was well prepared to do research that could look critically at beliefs I shared or a religious institution that I was part of. Religion that can’t be self-critical seems doomed to me.

What was your favourite aspect of your PhD?

There is a great feeling of satisfaction when you write a good sentence. That might seem small in the context of a project comprised of tens of thousands of words but each time you find a way to express something that captures your insights, it makes the hard work worthwhile. There were challenging times when you find you’ve missed the mark and your supervisors send you back to the drawing board, but each round makes the end product better.

What do you believe is the value of a PhD in the humanities area?

For me, it was about the insights into human behaviour, especially as it relates to social groups or purpose-oriented organisations. However, I think it’s about finding the right place for your subject. Having supervisors with expertise in both sociology and anthropology opened up the subject for me in different ways that I wasn’t expecting but which I think were helpful.

What does your current role as Head of Policy and Advocacy at Beyond Blue entail?

I’m continuing to draw on research, analysis and writing skills at Beyond Blue, as I lead a team of policy advisers to influence this critical moment of mental health reform. On the surface, what you can see is a series of submissions to major inquiries, reports and investigations – from the Productivity Commission to Royal Commissions. However, like in PhD studies, behind all those words are hours of research and analysis.

What inspired you to pursue a career in helping others?

I have spent well over two decades in the community services field and I love it. I left it for a while to work in IT. I needed the break at the time, but the work just wasn’t as satisfying, so I came back again. About half of that time was spent in frontline service delivery, where you really get a sense of being of practical help to people who need it. Over time I got the opportunity to do more than just solve problems one person at a time and that lead me into the policy work that I do now.

You don’t always feel the same sense of accomplishment [compared to frontline work] at the end of the day. Policy work is the long game but when you have a win, it can help a lot of people in big ways.

Do you have any advice for students wanting to pursue a PhD at Monash?

I would begin by telling prospective PhD students to ensure that they care for their mental health along the way. Doing a PhD can be very stressful at times, so you need to ensure you’ve got the right balance and support in your life to make it sustainable and get the most out of it. Apart from that, make sure you pick a subject that genuinely fascinates you. I cannot see how I would have made it through if I really had not wanted to find the answers that I was after.

Witten by Monash Journalism student intern, Cindy Chea, 2020