Welcome to the Australian Community Workers Association

History    

"An inaugural meeting of welfare sector workers interested in forming an organisation for welfare workers was held on 16 April, 1969 in Sydney. The attendees represented various welfare organisations and included individuals from the Prisoner's Aid Association, the Civilian Maimed and Limbless Association, Salvation Army, the North Ryde Psychiatric Centre, Smith Family and Aborigines Welfare Board..... Following wide ranging discussion, it was moved and carried unanimously: 'That an Institute be formed.' The new organisation's name 'The Australian Institute of Welfare Officers (the name modelled on the London Welfare Officer's Institute in England) was adopted when the motion was moved and seconded." (Source: Fay Woodhouse, Working for Welfare: a history of the Australian Institute of Welfare and Community Workers, 2010.)

Mr Ken A Michealis was the Association's first President, assisted by W G Jenkins, Brig J L Irwin and T W Humphreys as Vice Presidents, M Gillard as Secretary/Treasurer and JS Burt and D Camage as Assistant Secretary Publicity Officers.

In May 2011, after a consultation process, the association changed its name to the Australian Community Workers Association (ACWA).

What is ACWA?

The Australian Community Workers Association Inc. (ACWA) is the recognised professional body for welfare and community workers in Australia.

What do we do?

The Association is a means by which welfare and community workers can come together through national and branch meetings and workshops, enabling them to share and benefit from their combined knowledge and experience.

ACWA has played a major role in the establishment of formalised training for welfare and community workers and is generally recognised as the body for recognition of courses designed to meet the training needs of the welfare and community worker profession.