http://www.thepunch.com.au/author-bios/maree-mcdermott/ Maree McDermott is a mother of four, grandmother, wife, sister, social justice campaigner and community development worker. In the 1980s, with her children growing up, Maree set out on a journey to become more than a wife and mother. She gained tertiary qualifications in community management, family health, counselling and small group work. She has had a 25-year career in the community sector. Maree is an active member of the Australian Services Union and has taken on the role of Equal Pay Ambassador for the Pay Up campaign. en Copyright 2012 The Punch penberthyd@newsltd.com.au penberthyd@newsltd.com.au Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:49 +0000 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:49 +0000 Politics, opinion, world news, sports news, latest news, views, Barack Obama, Kevin Rudd, Julia Gillard, Nathan Rees, Malcolm Turnbull, Peter Garrett, Barnaby Joyce, Australian, federal politics, opinion polls, election, The Punch, thepunch, punch ExpressionEngine 1.6.7 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss 15 http://www.thepunch.com.au/images/punch-logo-rss.png http://www.thepunch.com.au/ 144 70 Politics, political opinion, world news, sports news and the latest news and views updated live, daily on The Punch - Australia's best conversation. Search The Punch keywords http://www.thepunch.com.au/search/ http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/even-for-angels-a-warm-inner-glow-aint-hard-cash/ When people ask me what I do for a living I tell them, then I bite my tongue. You see, I’m a community development worker. In my outer-suburban neighbourhood centre I manage a host of programs for people who need support: grandparents who’ve taken custody of their grandkids in distressing circumstances, playgroups for toddlers with teenage mums, skills training for long-term unemployed, to name a few.  You could put your last $5 on the response (and I am often down to my last fiver so maybe I should). “Oh, you must be an angel!” they say; and, “it must be great to have such a rewarding job.” I bite my tongue, because expletives from a woman of my years might come as a shock. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Maree McDermott) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/even-for-angels-a-warm-inner-glow-aint-hard-cash/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/even-for-angels-a-warm-inner-glow-aint-hard-cash/#item2585 Wed, 10 Mar 2010 19:55:22 +0000 Maree McDermott | Author bios | The Punch