Engagement and service
My community service, engagement and collaborations build upon my focus on community participation, place-based wellbeing and design-led approaches to ethical and equitable practice.
At RMIT, I am a staff partner in the Social Work & Human Services Pride Collective and previously co-led the School of Global, Urban and Social Studies Responsible Practice Committee. This work illustrates my commitment to LGBTQIA+ inclusion and reconciliation with Australia’s First Peoples.
Beyond RMIT, I served as a Director of Tiny Pride Incorporated, a Ballarat-based, not-for-profit organisation that championed safety and belonging for LGBTQIA+ people within mainstream services. I also advise on Ballarat’s Social Inclusion Action Group through the City of Ballarat. Across this work, my role is to share evidence, skills, and knowledge to support communities to shape the services, places, and futures that matter to them.
Social Inclusion Action Group
As a member of the Ballarat Social Inclusion Action Group, I bring my expertise in social work, community participation, design-led approaches, and my lived experience as a member of the LGBTQIA+ community to support strategic, inclusive, and community-led decision-making in Ballarat. I contribute to identifying local gaps in social connection and wellbeing, and work toward greater representation of diverse communities in shaping and delivering funded initiatives.
Tiny Pride Incorporated
Prior to its closure, I served as a Director (Ordinary Member 2025 and Deputy Chair 2021-2024) for Tiny Pride Incorporated where I provided strategic advice on regional LGBTQIA+ safety, community health and wellbeing, and LGBTQIA+ engagement within mainstream services. Across this time, I delivered two keynote addresses on LGBTQIA+ advocacy and excellence and led a design workshop on community safety and belonging as part of the Policing and the Rainbow Community Forum in Ballarat (2023). In recognition of this work, Tiny Pride was a finalist for a Globe Award (2024), and the project was awarded a Victoria Police Pride Award for Initiative of the Year (2024).
Invited presentations and panels
Szczepanska, J., Goff, R., & Lumsden-Barry, H. (2025). Let’s talk co-design and faux-design: Spotting the difference for meaningful engagement. Virtual Guest Presentation to the Australian Public Service Design and Research Community. 10th November, 2025.
Goff, R. (2024). Co-design, social work and evaluation. Virtual Guest Lecture to Rhode Island College. Rhode Island, United States of America. 24th November, 2024.
Goff, R. (2024). Queer Pride. 2024 Pride Month Launch. City of Ballarat. 1 June 2024.
O’Keeffe, P., Vasil, S., Davies, L., Goff, R., Boz, T. (2024). Power, Privilege and Place in Australian Society Book Launch. Social Sciences Week 2024. RMIT University, Melbourne.
Goff, R. (2023). Designing Community Support. Policing and the Rainbow Community Forum. Ballarat. August, 2023.
Goff, R. (2023). Trans and Gender Diverse Panel. Policing and the Rainbow Community Forum. Ballarat. August, 2023.
Goff, R. (2023). Keynote Presentation. A Place at the Table. Ballarat. April, 2023.
Cunningham, R., Goff, R., Kuol, A., & Gondoza-Luka, S. (2022). Research Partnership Panel. Social Change Symposium, RMIT University, Melbourne.
Conference Presentations
Goff, R. (2024). Course Experience by Design: Using empathy and journey maps as tools to create student-centred experiences. Australian New Zealand Social Work and Welfare Education Symposium, November, Dunedin.
Goff, R., David, C., Lambert, C., Nipperess, S., Martin, R., Egan, R., Cunningham, R. (2024). Co or faux design? Interrogating co-design beyond the gloss. Australian New Zealand Social Work and Welfare Education Symposium, November, Dunedin.
Goff, R. Kuol, A., Luka-Gonzalez, S., & Williams, S. (2024). The Black Rhinos as early intervention to the justice system. Centre for Excellence in Child and Family Services Symposium.
Goff, R., Cunningham, R., Egan, R. (2024). Black Rhinos: A Primary Prevention Approach. Presentation to RMIT Social and Global Studies Centre Seminar Series.
Zeushchner, L., Goff, R., & Cooper, K. (2024). Opportunities and challenges within a place-based research collaboration in Australia. International Conference on Social Work Practice Research. June, Aalborg, Denmark.
Goff, R., O’Keeffe, P., Cunningham, R., Martin, R., Egan, R., Kuyini, B., Kuol, A. (2023). Black Rhinos: A Primary Prevention Approach. International Conference on Social Work Practice Research. June, Aalborg, Denmark.
David, C., Martin, R., Nipperess, S., Edwards, K., Goff, R. (2022). Enhancing Equity Student Participation in Higher Education. RMIT University L&T Festival, October, Melbourne.
O’Keeffe, P., Goff, R., Martin, S. (2022). Integrating design principles into social work education: A scoping review of practices and identification of opportunities for curriculum innovation. Australian New Zealand Social Work and Welfare Education Symposium, November, Melbourne.
Cooper, K., Goff, R., Hunt, M., Zeuschner, L., Sadowski, C. (2022). Visioning forward: embedding collaborative research methodologies in early career social work and human services research. Australian New Zealand Social Work and Welfare Education Symposium, November, Melbourne.
Leadership roles
Staff Co-Lead (March 2022 – ongoing): Social Work & Human Services Student-Staff Pride Collective
Co-Convener and Lead (2023 – 2025): GUSS Responsible Practice
Memberships
RMIT Indigenous Research Network
Social Equity Research Centre, RMIT University
International Social Work Innovation Network (SWIN)
LGBTQIA+ Research Impact Network
The Australian Sociological Association. Thematic Group Membership: Gender and Sexualities; Health; Applied Sociology
DSC Responsible Practice and Belonging Committee (2023 - 2025)
GUSS Responsible Practice Committee (2023 - 2025)