A new agreement will be unveiled between Charles Sturt University (CSU) and the Australian Government agency, Centrelink, at a ceremony in Wagga Wagga on Thursday 7 October.

 

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed between the two organisations to formalise and extend their existing relationship in south west NSW.

 

The new agreement covers arrangements for supervision by Centrelink staff of Bachelor of Social Work students undertaking valuable workplace learning at Centrelink offices in south west NSW.

 

The MoU clears the way for further involvement of Centrelink staff in teaching at CSU and professional development opportunities for Centrelink staff through tailored short social work courses.

 

“Centrelink staff can also become more involved in Charles Sturt University’s residential schools and lectures for social work students,” Head of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences Associate Professor Jennifer McKinnon said. “The distance education students must attend four, one-week residential schools during their degree.

 

“Workplace learning is an extremely important part of the social work program at Charles Sturt University,” said Associate Professor McKinnon. “Working with Centrelink offers an opportunity for our students to fine-tune their social work practice and develop their professional identity.”

 

Centrelink Senior Social Worker Ms Monica Short said the agreement formalises the strong relationship between Centrelink and CSU.

 

“Over the past few years we have worked closely together on a number of projects involving social work education, and we agreed that it would be worthwhile to formalise this arrangement with a Memorandum of Understanding.

 

“We hope that the agreement will provide the platform for an ongoing working relationship between Centrelink and Charles Sturt University that will contribute to social work education and the professional development of social workers at Centrelink.”

 

The formal launch of the MoU will be held in the Centrelink office, 63 Thompson Street in Wagga Wagga from 2.30pm to 3.30pm on Thursday 7 October. Dean of the University’s Faculty of Arts Professor Anthony Cahalan and Associate Professor McKinnon will attend the event.

 

CSU is a leading provider of social work education, offering a Bachelor of Social Work on campus at Dubbo and Wagga Wagga as well as by distance education. It is also offered through the Deniliquin campus of TAFE NSW Riverina Institute as part of an integrated program with the Diploma of Community Services Work.