AASW Webinar Recording | Engaging with Australian Military and Veteran Communities: A framework for understanding the social work role

Capability Level: Emerging; Evolving

The Social Work profession plays a crucial role in the comprehensive services available to both current and former military personnel and their families residing in various cities and regions across Australia. The roots of social work in Australia trace back to the Red Cross Welfare Service over a century ago, particularly in the aftermath of World War I. Social workers have been offering essential casework services and support to soldiers and their families since that time. Internationally, Military Social Work holds significant esteem and is recognized as a specialized field of practice in several countries, including the USA.

However, in the Australian context, despite social workers being employed in private practice and within the Commonwealth Departments of Defence and Veterans’ Affairs, operating at micro, mezzo, and macro levels, where their services are grounded in expert knowledge, there exists a notable gap in published literature. The scarcity of research and publications that explore the role and scope of social work practice in this specific context in Australia, has resulted in the important work being undertaken by those in this specialised field of practice not being well promoted or understood by the profession.

This webinar aims to equip the audience with a comprehensive and foundational understanding of the implications for social work practice in the military and veteran community context. It will emphasise the importance of understanding the military environment, the theoretical frameworks and models that guide practice, and will explore the suite of social work services and interventions that are available for military personnel, veterans, and their families. The webinar will also address the challenges and opportunities faced by social workers and the profession to enable military social work education, academic research and the creation of a professional identify.

Who should register?

This webinar will provide foundational knowledge about this specialised field of practice, suitable for students and new graduate social workers. This also includes those hoping to explore a career working or conducting research with military and veteran communities, through to academics and researchers, and those professionals with extensive experience working with this population.

Learning Outcomes

• Explore the military culture, identity, lifestyle, and transition points, and the implications of these for social work practice.
• Examine the theoretical frameworks and models that form the foundation of practice in this field, highlighting their relevance and applicability.
• Investigate the scope of practice including services and interventions available for military personnel, veterans, and their families, emphasising their effectiveness and impact.
• Address ethical challenges head-on and debunk common myths associated with social work in military and veteran contexts, fostering a clear understanding of ethical responsibilities.
• Identify and assess both the challenges and opportunities faced by social workers in this field, focusing on innovative approaches and strategies to overcome obstacles and maximize positive outcomes.

AASW Credential: Mental Health

Testimonials

"Highly recommend to emerging Social Workers and practitioners to understand an introduction to a highly complex and contextual environment that a large portion of our population identifies with."

"This training has given me a really good introduction to social work role in working with the military as well as understanding of the culture and the services for the ADF and resources to assist military personele at the different stages ie whilst serving, transitioning and exiting military service."