Advocacy and related information
The evidence provided by the National Study of Social Work Students 2015-16 is being used to campaign for better student allowances and increasing the number of students who are entitled to government support. To date, we have advocated in the following ways:
Media releases and formal submissions
- Submission to Adequacy of Newstart and related payments and alternative mechanisms to determine the level of income support payments in Australia
- Federal Election 2019 Policy Platform - Submission
- Submission to the Australian Treasury 2019-20 Pre-budget Submission
- Federal Budget 2018-2019: AASW Report and Submission to the Australian Treasury 2018-19 Pre-budget Submission
- Media release: New study reveals students also struggling
- Submission to the Senate on Pensioner Education Supplement
- Submission to the Senate on age requirements for various government allowances
International conference presentation
On Monday 27 June, AASW policy staff presented 'The impact of low levels of income on the life and study success of social work students in Australia' at the World Conference on Social Work, Education and Social Development in Seoul, Korea.
Further research
Over the next 18 months the research findings will be reported in academic literature. Other researchers are encouraged to replicate aspects of this national study at the local level and the survey questions may be helpful.
One of the questions that evidence from National Study of Social Work Students 2015 raises is: 'Why is it that social work students are so much more financially disadvantaged than other university students in Australia?' Social work researchers are encouraged to investigate this question further.
