The Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Controlled Child Protection Sector Workforce Strategy 2018-2023 identified that partnering with universities and relevant training organisations to embrace student placements in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Controlled Child Protection services is a way to create new, innovative entry pathways to the sector.
QATSICPP are proposing to develop a Student Hub which is an educational and supervisory program to support social work students to undertake their placements within our sector. Over the past couple of months, we have been engaging with social work students, universities and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Protection services to identify their interest and needs in the development of a Student Hub. All stakeholders were supportive and enthusiastic of the idea.
We are hoping to undertake a trial of the Student Hub beginning in July 2019 in South East Queensland. It is anticipated that within the first week of placement, students will undertake induction training hosted by QATSICPP, which will introduce them to the Practice Standards and the Supervision Framework. Additionally, one day each fortnight, students will be invited to attend a Professional Development Workshop also hosted by QATSCIPP. These professional development workshops will include additional training and information sessions, group supervision and a social and emotional wellbeing session. As part of the Student Hub, support will also be provided to supervisors.
The Student Hub has great potential to strengthen relationships between our sector, universities and emerging social work practitioners and it will also provide students an opportunity to work within our sector and to develop and embed their cultural practice framework.
Candice will be in touch with services in the South East Queensland region in February to identify those organisations seeking to host students in July 2019.
If you would like to know more details, please contact Candice Butler at candicebutler@qatsicpp.com.au
