AUSTRALIAN
THE ASSOCIATION FOR COMMUNITY SERVICE
PROFESSIONALS
Vic. Reg. No.
A0036440S
AIWCW
National Office Phone: 03 9654 8287
AIWCW APPROVAL FOR NEW COURSES
Introduction and the Role of AIWCW
1. These Guidelines are
provided to educational institutions which are considering offering a course in
welfare work, community or human services work, or the like, for the first
time, in either the Vocational Education and Training (VET) sector or in higher
education (universities), and at diploma level or above. Most of what follows
applies to both sectors, but special guidelines apply to universities, at Par.
11. Actual requirements are also included, at Par. 9.
2. The Community Services Training Packages
(CSTP) control the qualifications offered in this field within VET, and these
are under review in 2007-08. The main qualification for AIWCW Approval is the
Diploma of Community Welfare Work (DCWWk), but other related diploma courses
may obtain Approval if particular electives are selected, and field education
requirements are fulfilled.
3. Most TAFE colleges in which the DCWWk is
being considered as a possible new course already have an extensive
infrastructure such as classrooms, library, audio-visual and computer
resources, student facilities, etc., and many may already be running a related
course, such as youth work or community development, so that some suitable
staff may already be available. Some of the material in these guidelines may be
relevant to such proposals from TAFE colleges, but in most cases a less comprehensive
application to AIWCW will be appropriate, and an initial enquiry with the AIWCW
National Office may help to clarify this.
4. These Guidelines are more appropriate for
proposed courses in colleges which have not offered anything similar before, and/or
are privately owned Registered Training Organisations (RTOs). Many of these
which have been established in the last few years have targeted international
students who wish to acquire the DCWWk to accumulate the Skills Points awarded
towards the General Skilled Migration Program, after recognition as “suitable
as a welfare worker in
5. Because so many of the
RTOs are offering this course with international students in mind, it is
essential that the crucial involvement of this Institute is fully understood.
The Commonwealth Government has authorised AIWCW as the sole body to determine
who is “suitable as a welfare worker”, with regard to the General Skilled
Migration program, and to issue the certificate which proves this to
immigration authorities. This decision by AIWCW is independent of the
completion of any course, even a course such as the DCWWk which is registered
with various VET authorities in different states and territories and recognised
as a `welfare work qualification’ by such authorities.
6. This
means that what may be sufficient for course registration with State Training
Authorities (such as VRQA in Victoria and VETAB in NSW) and other Commonwealth Government
requirements applying to international students (such as via CRICOS and ESOS)
is not necessarily enough for AIWCW Approval. Several of these extra AIWCW
requirements have caused problems in previous applications for AIWCW Approval,
and educational institutions planning to apply to AIWCW need to take special
note of these Possible Problem Areas:
Problem Areas
6.1 The
Community Services Training Packages do not mandate required workplace training (also known as “field education”),
but AIWCW requires at least 400 hours of this,
in 2 separate placements, with
adequate professional supervision. These placements
must involve welfare and/or
community work and a substantial part (if not all) of the units of competency. They can not be merely nursing aide,
aged care assistant, clerical, or recreational and leisure activity situations.
6.2 AIWCW
requires the course leader or coordinator to be likely to be eligible for membership of AIWCW, and that the field
education coordinator also has similarly broad social
welfare work qualifications and experience. They are not usually required to
actually
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apply for membership, nor are they
required to join AIWCW. It is strongly suggested that eligibility requirements be closely examined regarding proposed
course leaders and field education
coordinators, rather than an assumption or claim by that person that they are eligible. This requirement is in addition to
all teachers having qualifications and experience appropriate to the subjects they teach.
6.3 AIWCW requires adequate resources and
access to these, including library books actually
on the shelves on campus, as well as any additional references available on-line,
or in nearby libraries.
6.4 AIWCW requires the course be administered
and taught with reference to the AIWCW
Code of Ethics, with adequate attention to the needs and viewpoints of all
stake- holders – administrators,
teachers, students, and field education personnel, etc. This involves a commitment to non-oppressive processes and
practice.
6.5 Informal enquiries to the National Office
are encouraged, prior to an application being
lodged.
Lead Times
7. For these new courses, AIWCW urges that
the detailed requirements (and this document) be consulted well before the
commencement of the course; preferably at least 6 months ahead. After examining
all the documents, prospective applicants are encouraged to consult with AIWCW,
by initially contacting the Membership Coordinator at the National Office in
Course Leader
8.1 It is suggested (but not required) that an
appropriately qualified Course Leader be appointed first, preferably several
months prior to commencement of the course, so that adequate professional
planning of the course can occur. He or she could be responsible for selection
of other teaching staff, and of appropriate textbooks and library and
audio-visual resources.
8.2 This person need not be employed full time
initially, and in fact could be retained as a consultant or on a casual rate
until a few weeks before teaching begins.
8.3 Ideally, this person should have a degree
in welfare work, community services, human services or social work, with at
least 4 years appropriate experience, but minimally a diploma in welfare work
or other eligibility for AIWCW membership, plus 2 years relevant experience, is
satisfactory.
Required Documentation
9. Material additional to the brief
Application Form is also required for new courses, at the time the
application is made. These required items are:
9.1 Introductory
brochures, flyers, handouts, booklets about:
9.1.1 the college or educational institution, and
9.1.2 the course itself, in general, including
costs
9.1.3 any detailed student manual (perhaps in
draft form)
9.1.4
any field education guidelines or
manual (perhaps in draft form)
9.1.5 complaint and grievance procedures,
guidelines (perhaps within another document).
If not already
included in these documents in 9.1, the following are also required:
9.2 A
statement of the aims, philosophy, and structure of the course within its
institutional setting, and any
particular emphasis or targeted student population. (This applies especially to
universities.)
9.3 Proposed
Delivery Plan for the whole course, including any assigned textbooks which all students may be asked to purchase
(although this is not an AIWCW requirement), and a timetable for the initial 12 months plus any proposed teaching
assignments.
9.4 Training
and Assessment Plans for (only) two selected core Units of Competency (in professional areas such as casework,
community work), including weekly timetable, assignments,
and references.
9.5 Proposed
date of commencement of teaching, with proposed student numbers for each intake, for each semester for the
following 12 months. Include likely or proposed proportions for any targeted special student groups,
such as mature-aged and international students.
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9.6.1 A statement regarding physical and transport
facilities, including size and availability of classrooms,
offices and meeting room for staff, provision for heating and cooling,
availability of public
transport and/or car parking, and personal security of staff and students.
9.6.2 Planned class sizes. A maximum of 20
students per class is allowed for the necessary tutorial, group discussion and workshop classes with 12-15
being the desirable number. If briefer
lectures for larger numbers are used, the proposed location, timing and student
numbers should be supplied.
9.7.1 Floor plan (existing or proposed), showing
details in 9.6, and location of library and computers,
etc.
9.7.2 Additional statement regarding any proposed
expansion, with increased student and staff
numbers.
9.8 Details
of teaching staff, including initial applicants or enquirers about positions,
if appropriate. Confirmation of
appointment(s) of staff can be made later if necessary. Use the format in the separate document “Details of
Teaching Staff”, as a minimum; an abbreviated curriculum
vitae is preferred. If full CVs are supplied, these will be returned to the college
or destroyed, after examination.
All such documents will be securely stored and will remain confidential. The Course Coordinator, and any Field
Education Coordinator, should be nominated.
9.9 Provision
for support staff, including reception and administration, counselling (for students and staff), and librarian or person
responsible for access to and supervision of library resources.
9.10 A
statement outlining how the course and its staff and students are represented
on any decision-making body within
the educational institution
9.11 A
statement outlining provisions for staff development and opportunities for
voluntary work (such as advocacy) in the community (including the
college community).
Library
Resources
9.12 Evidence
of purchase or orders for adequate resources for a library, and for
information technology and
audio-visual equipment (if not already available). Video cameras should be used for simulation exercises, which should
not depend mostly on mobile phone cameras.
9.12.1 Initial library expenditure to start the
course should exceed $10,000.
9.12.2 This may be discounted up to 50% for those
resources already available and/or shared with other courses, but full
details of alternatives should be provided, including availability to students.
9.12.3 There should be an additional initial
expenditure of $1500 for each additional 15 equivalent full time students beyond
the first 15, and annual expenditure after the
first year should include $1500 for each 15 equivalent full time students, up to a maximum of
$12,000 p.a.
9.12.4 On-line material may supplement hard-copy
where appropriate, but should not affect the above expenditure
9.12.5 Packages of readings extracted from a variety
of books and articles may also supplement borrowable books on the
shelves, but should also not affect the above expenditure
9.12.6 As a general guide at the beginning of a
course for 15 students, there should be at least 8 separate appropriate
purchases in each of the following areas:
a) general social work/welfare/human
services work,
b) counselling
& case management,
c) community
work, including radical social action,
d) introductory psychology,
e)
introductory sociology,
f) the Australian
welfare system and welfare state, including social policy,
g) ethics,
values & professional practice,
h) networking,
meetings, & group work, and
i) a selection
of specialised areas such as aged, mental health, disabilities, etc; well as at least 3 in each of:
j) agency
management
k)
understanding research
l) legal
aspects.
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(For a budget of $5000,
the average cost will be about $62 each).
9.12.7 Many copies of the same book are not to be
counted as part of the required expenditure, although as
additional resources for the use of students, there would
be no objection to this practice. Two or three copies may be necessary for a few core
references in some subjects only, with common textbooks possibly purchased by students.
9.12.8 For student enrolments above 200, special
negotiations with AIWCW regarding library and all other resources are
required.
10. Additional
Guidelines at commencement of a course.
10.1 When
the initial full-time student intake is less than 20, one teacher/course
coordinator is satisfactory, but
for one semester only. At least 1.5 contracted teaching staff must be employed thereafter, with 2.0 staff
employed for 30 students, and an additional 0.5 contracted staff for each additional 15 students.
10.2 Only
Provisional AIWCW Approval of a new course is available at commencement. Full AIWCW Approval is usually not available
until the course has been in operation for at least 6 months, and after an AIWCW Campus Visit (see separate
document “Campus Visit Guidelines”).
10.3 With
Provisional Approval, colleges are entitled to advertise this to prospective
students and other interested parties
(such as migration agents), but such persons should be briefly informed of the nature of this provisional
status. Additional specific guidelines are available from the National Office.
10.4 AIWCW
believes that educational institutions
which offer new courses primarily to international students, including those which
have already commenced without AIWCW consultation
or Provisional AIWCW Approval, are ethically obliged to notify current
students, prospective students, and
migration agents of their status with regard to AIWCW Approval. Failure to do so may eventually count
against the granting of AIWCW Approval, if applied for later.
10.5 Within
the first 12 months of a new course, staff changes may be quite likely, and any
changes to full-time teaching
staff or the Course Leader should be notified to AIWCW within 2 weeks. Any staff changes at all in the first 3
months should be notified.
10.6.1 In order to prevent frequent staff changes, the
college and prospective staff are urged to examine pay and conditions
carefully, in order to reach mutual agreements. These comments are not
part of AIWCW requirements, as this is primarily
an industrial matter, possibly negotiated with the aid of the relevant trade
union. However, staff should be provided with a copy of the relevant AIWCW
guidelines prior to signing a contract of employment.
10.6.2 For contracted (not casual) staff, it is
usual to allow a proportion of contracted time for non-classroom activity such
as preparation, assessment, and staff development. A teacher contracted for
20 hours or 40 hours (full time) per week is
usually not expected to spend the whole 20 or 40 hours in front of the class. Full time
employment usually involves no more than 26 hours of class contact.
10.6.3 Nor is the contract expected to cease as soon
as teaching finishes; final assessments and appeals from students
need to be dealt with by the assigned teacher.
Contracts for a full academic year are preferred, rather than for term- by-term..
11. Courses
at universities
11.1 Early
consultation with AIWCW is encouraged regarding planning, especially if complex
content
streaming or elective clusters are to be offered.
11.2 Much
more detail of the course content and structure are usually required for higher
education courses. Full
university handbook entries (existing or proposed) are required, as well as detailed weekly classroom teaching,
assessment requirements, and references for each subject.
Further information about this document, and the full set of application
materials, is available from the AIWCW National Office: Tel. (03) 9654 8287 Fax 9654 1081 email:
Australian Institute
of Welfare & Community Workers, PO Box 42, Flinders Lane P.O. VIC 8009
CRSE.02 Ver Apr08