We are incredibly fortunate to have thousands of members who volunteer their time to furthering not only the APS, but also individuals and communities across the country.
This National Volunteer Week, we thank them all for finding the time to help us to achieve our goals as a member organisation.
One example of this is the work completed by the hundreds of members volunteer in the APS Disaster Response Network, our group of dedicated psychologists who support the mental health and wellbeing of frontline workers in communities affected by disaster and emergency situations. The Network has responded to more than 50 incidents this year, supporting the people and communities affected by disasters as they make their way towards longer-term recovery. We are proud of this work and committed to investing in this essential Service, and we look forward to growing this amazing volunteer network of psychologists in the future.
In our Member Group committees, more than 900 members around the country engage with and lead the Colleges, Divisions, Interest Groups and Branches. There are also other committees such as the professional resources committee and the Policy Pool that advises on advocacy issues. There are more than 27,000 of us in the growing APS member community. Without our Member Groups to support, engage and build connections in all corners of the country, we wouldn’t achieve a feeling of belonging and purpose. Their work ensures all members feel part of their professional home.
In 2021-22, our Member Groups hosted nearly 300 events, with close to 17,000 event registrants. For each event, there are hours of planning, collaborating and delivering. And on the day of the event itself, the energy peaks with talking, engaging and sharing. Member Group leaders provide that welcome and energy and for that, we are very grateful.
One particularly important area of the work our Member Groups do is the support given to our new psychologists. Australians need that next wave of psychology professionals to carry them into the future. One of the roles of the APS is to ensure that support is there, and Member Groups play a vital role in that. Coming into a community of volunteer members makes the APS the place you can feel supported and build a professional identity early in your career. We often speak of the next generation in all manner of contexts. But for psychology, this really is the key.
We are stronger together and our members’ volunteering is a crucial part of that. From everyone at APS, thank you.