Rate My Professor Irene Ayallo

Dr. Irene Ayallo is a Lecturer in the Faculty of Health at Southern Cross University, based at the Gold Coast Campus, where she teaches social work and community development. Her impressive academic credentials include a Bachelor of Divinity (Honours), Bachelor of Social Practice, Master of Applied Social Work, Master of Theology, and a PhD, reflecting her multidisciplinary background. She contributes to several undergraduate programs, including the Bachelor of Community Welfare, Bachelor of Social Work, and Bachelor of Social Work (Honours), equipping students with essential skills for professional practice in community welfare and social services.

Dr. Ayallo's research, active since 2018, centers on exploring and raising awareness about issues affecting the well-being of ethnic migrant communities, particularly those that are linguistically and culturally diverse. Her key research interests encompass decolonisation, family violence, migrant and ethnic communities, participatory action research, and cross-cultural practice. This scholarship has led to impactful publications, including "The Critical Role of Cultural Identity and the Use of 'Safe Spaces' in Ethnic Youth Participatory Action Research" (2025), "Addressing Family Violence Experienced by Ethnic Migrant Women in Aotearoa/New Zealand: A Critical Consideration of Community-Based Approaches" (2025), "A Critical Consideration of Family Violence Approaches in Aotearoa/New Zealand" (2025), and co-authored work such as "African Mothers' Experiences of Raising 'Afro-Kiwi Kids' in Aotearoa/New Zealand" (2017). Additional outputs address ethnic youth experiences in participatory action research and intersections of immigration law with family violence. As part of the Mental Health and Psychosocial Wellbeing research group, her contributions support United Nations Sustainable Development Goals related to social justice and community well-being.