• Inequality in Australia is higher than the OECD average

• A person in the top 20% income group has around five times as much

income as someone in the bottom 20%

• More likely to be in lower income distribution are: over 65 year olds; sole

parents; people from non-English speaking countries; and those reliant

on government benefits as their main source of income ACOSS Inequality in Australia: A

nation divided 2015

• Over 6.2 million community mental health care service contacts were

recorded in 2012-13 AIHW 2014

• Around 7.3 million or 45% of Australians aged 16–85 will experience a

common mental health-related condition such as depression, anxiety or

a substance use disorder in their lifetime MHSA 2012

OUR WORKING CONTEXT

P R O F E S S I O N A L D E V E L O P M E N T

WORKING CONTEXT

• Unemployment rate increased 0.1 pts to 6.0% from a revised May

2015 estimate ABS 6202.0 - Labour Force, Australia, Jun 2015

• Both men and women were less likely to volunteer in 2014 than they

were in 2010 ABS 4159.0 General Social Survey 2014

• A report released by the Sentencing Advisory Council (2013) shows

an increase of 72.8% in reports of family violence incidents to

Victoria Police between 2004 and 2012 Domestic Violence Victoria 2015

• More than half of people believe that a woman could leave a violent

relationship if she really wanted to (VicHealth, 2010d) DVV 2015

P R O F E S S I O N A L D E V E L O P M E N T

WORKING CONTEXT

• On any given night in Australia I in 200 people are homeless Census 2011

• Currently there are estimated to be 105,237 homeless people in

Australia:

<12 17% (17,845)

12-18 10% (10,913)

19-24 15% (15,325)

25-34 18% (19,312)

35-44 14% (14,484)

45-54 12% (12,507)

55-64 8% (8,649)

65-74 4% (4,174)

75 and over 2% (2,028)

P R O F E S S I O N A L D E V E L O P M E N T

CHANGING FACE OF SERVICE PROVISION

• Consumer–directed funding models

• Contestable funding models/tenders

• National Disability Insurance Scheme

• Reduced funding

• Changed mix of providers – more ‘for profit’ providers

• Anticipated changes in providers as they enter and leave the

market

P R O F E S S I O N A L D E V E L O P M E N T

TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGES

• Social media e.g. Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn

• On-line reporting facilities

• Interactive ways of communicating with colleagues, clients and

funders via Internet

• Webinars, podcasts, Skype as teaching, learning tools

• Downloadable reports, tools etc.

• Apps

• Smart phones and other devices

P R O F E S S I O N A L D E V E L O P M E N T

WHAT THE WORKFORCE LOOKS LIKE

• Majority of workers in the community services industry have a

qualification

• Women are still the predominant providers of community services

• Workers with a diploma/advanced diploma/bachelor/post grad

qualification account for around 60% of workers

• The community services workforce is older than in other industries

• Employment in community services has increased by 80% between

2000 and 2014 compared to an average growth across all industries

of 32% CS&HISC e-scan 2015

P R O F E S S I O N A L D E V E L O P M E N T

THE WORK OF A PROFESSIONAL

ASSOCIATION

• Protect and promote the profession by setting the educational

standard for practitioners

• Set the standards of professional practice, the code of ethics and the

benchmark for the ongoing professional development that is required

of practitioners

• Protect the public interest by having a complaints and disciplinary

system that prevent non-compliant practitioners from operating

• Sets the fee structure for the profession

P R O F E S S I O N A L D E V E L O P M E N T

WHAT ACWA WAS SET UP TO DO

Over 45 years ago ACWA was set up to:

• Establish welfare work as a profession

• Cater for the professional development needs of welfare workers

• Promote and protect the profession of welfare work

• Set the educational standards for the profession

• Provide guidance for practitioners through codes of practice and

ethics and professional standards

Five years ago ACWA changed its name, mission and its interests to

include community work and all occupations that fall within it

P R O F E S S I O N A L D E V E L O P M E N T

WHAT WE DO AT ACWA

• Provide membership services and resources e.g. code of ethics,

practice standards, newsletter, assess qualifications of community

workers for employment purposes, library, telephone advisory

service

• Accredit courses and set educational standards

• Endorse suitable CPD training and events

• Assess skills and qualifications of practitioners wishing to migrate to

Australia to work as a welfare worker or welfare centre manager

• Registration

• Advocate for community workers or the profession

P R O F E S S I O N A L D E V E L O P M E N T

COURSE ACCREDITATION

Purpose is to ensure that courses meet a minimum standard by assessing in particular:

• Length of course

• Teaching contact hours

• Resources for students

• Practical fieldwork placement hours

• Teaching and supervisory staff – qualifications, experience, currency

• Course content

• Student numbers and class sizes

• Percentage of online teaching versus face to face

P R O F E S S I O N A L D E V E L O P M E N T

CODE OF ETHICS

Based on principles of

• Anti -discrimination

• Social inclusion

• Equity

• Legal and human rights

• Recognition of the rights of first people

The code is structured around the responsibilities of a community worker towards:

• Clients

• Employers

• Colleagues

• The profession

RESEARCH FRAMEWORK

QUALIFICATIONS AND FIELDWORK

Encouraging research into:

• Quality and level of qualifications for particular roles

• Course content in relation to:- meeting community need for skilled practitioners- transition to the workforce (graduate attrition rate)- preparedness and aptitude for the type of work- specialisation-articulation to higher courses

• Entry requirements in relation to knowledge of the sector and role requirements

• Practical fieldwork availability, length and its impact on practice

• Practical fieldwork availability and its impact on the not for profit sector

• Recognition of qualifications by community / potential students

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND THE

WORKPLACE

Looking in particular at:

• Conditions and pay in relation to similar occupations

• Career development and advancement

• Stress, burnout, and attrition rates

• Workplace safety

• Types and places of employment / community service practice

settings

• Workforce shortages

• Continuing professional development and currency

PUBLIC POLICY AND ITS IMPACT ON THE

WORKER

With particular reference to:

• Effect on the work environment e.g. reducing resources and

increasing reporting requirements

• Effect on clients and client services

• Conflict with codes of ethics

• Sustainability of community sector with reduced government support,

closure of grants programs, legislative framework that imposes

requirements on the sector

• Workforce shortages

WHAT ACWA CONSIDERS TO BE AN

EXEMPLARY COMMUNITY WORKER

• Qualified with a relevant qualification from a

reputable education provider

• Industry experience at the required skill

level

• Continued professional development

throughout the practitioner’s career

• Works to a code of ethics

P R O F E S S I O N A L D E V E L O P M E N T

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Professional development is an expectation

made of every professional. It is the

ongoing learning that practitioners should

actively pursue after they have completed

their formal qualification in order to maintain

their professional currency

P R O F E S S I O N A L D E V E L O P M E N T

P R O F E S S I O N A L D E V E L O P M E N T

Conferences

Workshops

Seminars

Facilitating

Presenting

Writing for a journal

Reading reports

Research

Supervising students

Volunteering

Personal supervision

Mentoring

Short courses

Governance and boards

Peer reviewing articles

WHAT CPD EVENTS ARE ACCEPTABLE

P R O F E S S I O N A L D E V E L O P M E N T

Thank you

Australian Community Workers Association

www.acwa.org.au

P R O F E S S I O N A L D E V E L O P M E N T