Helping Early Career Social Workers Expand Their Professional & Emotional Toolkit - North

Summary

Early career staff across disciplines in the Tasmanian mental health sector increasingly report feeling overwhelmed as a result of client complexity, system challenges and a lack of support in their roles. This one-day workshop is designed for social workers in the first 7 years of their career or employees in similar roles to explore their professional development needs, learn new skills and build their networks. Facilitated by Tim Henry, an experienced social worker from the University of Tasmania's Social Work Clinic and Research Service (SW-CARES), the workshop will include an initial group supervision session and count as CPD hours for participants who are members of the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW).

Subsidised fee: 

MHCT Member Organisation: $180 per employee 
MHCT Non-member Organisation: $220 per employee 

Background

Sector leaders and the literature consistently report that early career staff across disciplines in the mental health sector are struggling amid increasing demand for services and growing client complexity. The University of Tasmania’s School of Social Sciences/Social Work Clinic reflects that often early career and new graduate social workers are at increased risk of stress and burnout due to emotionally demanding and complex client work. Further investment in professional development, support and supervision is required to address the needs of workers in the sector. While not everyone has the same experience, it is essential all frontline staff have time and opportunities to develop their practice, expand their toolkit and grow their connections.

About the facilitators

Tim Henry spent 25 years as a social worker in the non-government/community sector. He held a range of state and regional leadership roles. Tim is also an experienced clinical and professional supervisor. Tim joined UTAS full time in 2024 as the Field Education Officer North. Tim's research interests include the importance of effective field education support for students on placement; social work and leadership; social workers as managers and leaders; and social workers in the workplace -- happy and healthy teams. Tim will be supported by Dean Yates/MHCT policy and advocacy lead. Dean is a former journalist who has written extensively about mental health. Dean published a critically acclaimed memoir in 2023 called Line in the Sand that detailed his journey through PTSD and moral injury. 

Workshop outline

1. Hear from you. Workshop participants will be asked to reflect on their professional development and support needs. Deidentified content will be collected from this session (see more below).

2. Exploring our professional identity. What do we understand of ourselves as professionals and what do others expect (policy, boundaries, purpose, motivation). 

3. Reflecting on our practice. A supportive line manager and team are important. What else do we need to reflect on and develop in our practice? (reflection, reflective processes, concepts of supervision). 
 
4. Self-care. Looking after your professional self. How to feel able to access the supports available in our workplaces and make informed choices in our practice that support worker and client wellbeing while maintaining professional boundaries.
 
5. Putting it into practice. Participating in a facilitated group supervision process exploring one of the issues discussed. This will allow participants to experience a process, hearing other peoples’ experiences and reflecting on their experience of the issue.

Outcomes for Participants

** A confidential space for frontline staff to provide feedback. 
** Peer group discussions on professional role, reflective practice and sharing experiences, build networks and solutions. 
** Gaining tools to support professional development at a time when staff are under stress and faced with complex caseloads. 

Outcomes for Mental Health Sector

These workshops aim to better understand the development needs of early career social workers and those in similar roles. Deidentified information and themes will be analysed by the UTAS School of Social Sciences/Social Work Clinic. The School of Social Sciences will write a report which MHCT will share with the sector. No individual or their organisation will be identified.  

Organisations can nominate multiple staff for these workshops. Just to reiterate, the workshops are for early career social workers or employees in similar roles. Email Ian Kam, MHCT project support officer (ikam@mhct.org) or Dean Yates, policy and advocacy lead (dyates@mhct.org) if you have any questions.