Recognition and representation
Be recognised as a member of your profession for your skill, experience, education, and value to the community. ACWA raises awareness of the profession, the professionalism of workers, and advocates for the interest of current workers and future practitioners. As a member you can contribute to the development of our policy positions on a range of issues affecting community workers. Have your say through surveys, consultations and our social media. Full registered members have formal voting rights.
Employability
Increasingly, membership of a professional association is becoming a standard recruitment criterion for many state and local government agencies and not-for-profit organisations. Registered members will be added to the public register (unless you formally opt out) which will allow employers and clients to verify your professional standing as a qualified community worker.
If you are not working, membership will keep you connected to the sector and provide an avenue through which you can maintain currency or share your expertise.
Publications
You will receive the monthly ACWA e-news which contains topical information, research and reports relevant to your work. You can also access, and contribute to, ACWA’s peer reviewed journal, the Australian Journal of Community Work.
Resources
The ‘members only’ area houses a centralised collection of useful resources to assist you in your day-to-day practice or professional development.
Insurance
Registered members are covered by ACWA’s insurance policy which provides professional indemnity and public and products liability cover for the provision of community work. Read the ACWA insurance infosheet for details.
Please note: student members are not covered by our insurance policy.
Professional support
ACWA members are only a phone call away from professional help and support. Over the past year we have provided guidance in workplace bullying issues, talked through the process of performance appraisals, helped identify fraud in organisations, assisted student members in tackling issues with education providers and run question and answer sessions on ethics.
Professional development
Every profession requires its practitioners to maintain and develop their skills by undertaking annual professional development. As an ACWA member you will be required to undertake 20 hours of professional development (CPD) per year. You will be alerted to high quality, endorsed training opportunities via email each month.
Discounted police checks
A current national police check is a commonplace condition of employment. We offer quick, easy, and discounted checks performed by National Crime Check (NCC), an agency accredited by the Commonwealth Government to perform police checks. The turnaround time is usually under 48 hours.
