Title: Online student supervision training in social work a journey in cooperative partnerships
1On-line student supervision training in social
work - a journey in cooperative partnerships
- A project funded by the Australian Learning and
Teaching Council
2Authors
- Wendy Bowles, Mike Collingridge, Jenny McKinnon
(Charles Sturt University) - Bettina Cassano, NSW Dept Community Services
- Carolyn Noble, Victoria University
- Jude Irwin, Sydney University
- Sue Maywald, Flinders University, AASW
- Kylie Agllias, Newcastle University
- Joanna Zubrzycki, Australian Catholic University
- Justine OSullivan University of Western Sydney.
3Aim of this paper
- How can a large, multi-partner project including
various - Universities
- Industry partners
- Professional association
- with different interests and perspectives
- facing different issues
- work effectively to achieve its aims?
4Context social work practicum in Australia
- 4 year degree with 2 field education subjects
each practicum 70 days (490 hours) - Students are supervised by social workers
- Eligible for membership of professional
association (AASW) - Min 2 years experience
- Provide 1.5 hours per FT equivalent week
- Been trained in student supervision
- Co-supervision possible
- Student supervision is part of usual workload (no
extra pay) - Universities provide in-kind support in return
- Training in supervision skills, library access,
seminars
5Student supervision training current situation
- Each university provides its own version
- Some employers also provide supervision training
that includes student supervision - Ranges from
- half-day workshops, Full week, Grad certificate,
diploma no agreed standards - Mostly face to face in metro centres
6Context Social and human services workers in
inland Australia
- Scarcity of social, human service workers in
regional, rural and remote Australia - Recruitment
- Retention (AIHW 2005)
- Professional development also declining in these
areas (Lonne Cheers 2004, Crago Crago 2002) - Difficulty for employers, universities to conduct
training over vast distances - Vicious cycle
- Lack supervisors lack training - lack
placements
7Thus project aims
- Develop student supervision training that is
accessible regardless of location - Increase pool of trained student supervisors in
inland Australia also accessible resources - Increase placement opportunities for students in
inland Australia - Develop existing shared wisdom of universities,
employers, professional body - Develop national standards in student supervision
8The partnership structure (funding agreement)
- Project team parties who applied for grant
- 6 universities
- Employer
- Professional association
- Reference group
- University reps with experience in large
partnership projects or key supervision
experience - Wider national coverage
- Large national employer
- Independent evaluator
- Mandatory condition of grant
9Project team
- 6 Universities
- Charles Sturt (Inland NSW)
- Sydney (central Sydney NSW)
- University of Western Sydney (outer Sydney NSW
- Newcastle (regional NSW)
- Australian Catholic (multi-state, ACT)
- Victoria University (Victoria)
- Employer
- NSW Department of Community Services
- Professional Association
- Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW)
10Reference group
- Griffith University (Qld) also current AASW
Vice President (Education) - RMIT (Victoria) experience in large multi-partner
project in practicum - UNSW (Sydney Australia) has postgrad qual in
student supervision, member of CUFEG - Centrelink (ACT) Australias largest employer of
social workers - CSU rep with experience in 2 large ALTC
projects - Evaluator from CSU, different section
- Project team members (3)
11How can such a big partnership work?
- Ownership/governance how to share this?
- Intellectual property how to develop shared
resources, jointly owned? - How to keep to spirit of student supervision
training giving back to the field? - Organisational space no job description for
project team members? - A truly national project how to include all key
parties? - Sustainability what happens after 2 years?
12Project management
- CSU Internal working party
- Project definition document - milestones
- Roles and responsibilities clarified
- Structural relationships - diagram
- Glossary of terms
- Decision register
- Risk register
13(No Transcript)
14Governance how to share ownership?
- Management during project project team with CSU
hosting website - Management group post project legal agreement
- Project management
15Intellectual property potential barrier
- Creative commons license
- Instead of individual intellectual property
- CSU has right to online materials
- Members use the materials in face to face
educational settings - Legal agreements set this out
16Spirit of giving back to the field vs making a
profit
- 2 subjects
- 1 free
- training,
- professional development points,
- accreditation to supervise students
- 1 cost recovery
- Low cost, postgraduate subject
- Reflective assessment, more interactive
- Credit arrangements between partners
- No cost to employers
17Organisational space for the project?
- Consultation with DVCs (Academic and
Administrative) - Internal working party inside CSU
- Consultation re structural possibilities
- Letter of appreciation from DVC (Academic) to
partner organisations flow on effects
18Can this be a national project?
- Early consultation instead of promotion after the
event - National consulting group
- Universities from each state
- Key employers
- Key senior practitioners
- National workshop?
19Sustainability?
- Ongoing issue
- Is cost-recovery possible?
- Will the legal agreements work?
- Update, maintenance and marking post 2009?
20Key lessons
- Cooperation not as difficult as expected
- Importance of full support from senior management
- Importance of careful project management
strategies clarity of expectations, language,
process - Unexpected level of national interest
21Copy of slides, contact Wendy
Bowleswbowles_at_csu.edu.au
22Thank you