The APS has taken a more confident and insistent public role this year. We have continued to strengthen our profile, promoting expert members to inform public debate.

Highlights

• An increased presence in the media from the President, CEO and members including via radio, digital and print.
• InPsych, distributed bimonthly to all members, provided relevant and engaging content from members and the wider psychology community.
• Wiley’s #top20article initiative featured the most downloaded articles by APS authors
• APS Board director, Professor Tim Carey FAPS, featured on the two-part SBS documentary How ‘Mad’ Are You?.
• The APS Response to the Productivity Commission Inquiry into Mental Health

A key focus has been on engaging with the wider Australian community to increase understanding of psychology and the role it can play in their lives.

Highlights

APS psychologists spoke on the Macquarie Media radio network’s weekly Toward Change program in the first half of 2019 on a wide range of topics, including sleep, grief and anxiety in children.

More targeted social media activities were rolled out, with content tailored to the needs of both the public and psychologists.

Psychology Week 2018 campaign:

• The APS and Swinburne University produced ‘The Australian Loneliness Report’ based on a national wellbeing survey of adults. It revealed that 1 in 4 Australians report being lonely, which is having an impact on Australians physical and mental health, with depression, anxiety and poor sleep reported by those experiencing loneliness.
• More than 40 APS members signed up for the public launch held in Melbourne’s CBD, speaking to members of the public and handing out a loneliness tip sheet and information on psychology.
• Psychology Week received extensive media attention, with coverage on the ABC, Sky News, in the Herald Sun and The Age, as well as many other media and social media outlets.

The APS has been reviewing its systems across the organisation, finding better ways to manage the flow of information to members to ensure a seamless experience from sign-up to renewal.