'Join online' option expands suite of APS online member services

The capacity for new members to join the APS through an online rather than paper-based application process has recently been added to the growing suite of APS online membership services. Students can join instantly by uploading details of their current enrolment, though new APS members at other grades are still required to supply certified documentation of their qualifications to confirm their online application.

The online application process is straightforward, takes little time and no hard copy forms are necessary. Applicants can even stop part way through entering their details and pick up where they left off by clicking on a personalised link sent by email. In the first few weeks following the launch of the ‘Join online’ function, more than 160 applicants took advantage of this pathway to become APS members.

At this stage, ex-members wanting to reinstate their membership and current members wanting to upgrade still need to use the hard copy forms, otherwise they would create duplicate records for themselves in the APS database. These members need to download the appropriate form from www.psychology.org.au/membership/become_a_member/grades_fees/

The Join online option can be accessed from www.psychology.org.au/join Members who know of colleagues who are interested in joining the APS are encouraged to send them the link to make their application process much easier.

Other APS online member services

The APS continues to expand online services for its members, which offer convenience and efficiency for members and help to reduce the APS environmental footprint. Some of the more recent additions to the suite of online services are profiled below.

• Online membership renewal
  In last year’s membership renewal period, more than 80 per cent of APS members renewed their membership using the online option. As the 2013/14 membership renewal period approaches, we hope many more members will take advantage of this convenient online process.
• Management of APS subscriptions and publications received
  Members can opt to subscribe to more APS Interest Groups or APS journals, or to alter the emails and hard copy publications they would like to receive from the APS. For instance, 86 per cent of members now elect not to receive a hard copy of the APS Annual Report and instead are alerted to read this publication online. These aspects of APS membership can be managed by logging in to the APS website using the Login button at the top right side of the home page and clicking on the relevant menu options on the ‘Your Details Summary’ page.
• Member Group discussion forums
  Online discussion forums are available for each of the nine APS Colleges, 41 Interest Groups and eight State/Territories (encompassing APS Branches), providing an opportunity for all APS members to participate in topical discussions and share information and ideas through posting and reading comments. For more information, go to www.groups.psychology.org.au/forums/
• APS website adaptation for mobile devices
  An optimised mobile version of the APS website has been developed that delivers faster load times and simplified navigation and content for members wishing to access the website from a mobile device. This adaptation includes a mobile version of the APS Find a Psychologist service and the APS Events Calendar.
• APS Facebook and Twitter accounts
  In 2012 the APS established a Facebook page for psychology students (www.facebook.com/APSstudents) that has more than 1,800 ‘fans’. The APS media team now operates an APS Twitter account (APS @APS_Media) to share APS news with journalists and interested individuals and organisations, and this has over 1,200 followers.
• Member Group Committees Hub
  The Committee Hub (www.groups.psychology.org.au/committee-hub/) has been developed for APS Committee members to provide quick and easy access to all the resources needed to operate the Committees of APS Member Groups. This enables Committees to operate independently with support.
• Upgraded Member Group and supervisor directories
  All APS Member Groups have their own member directories available online from each Member Group website, and these have all received upgrades to enhance their functionality. The online APS College Supervisors Directory (www.groups.psychology.org.au/CollegeSupervisors.aspx) has also recently been upgraded to allow online searching and other functions.
• Online donations to the APS Bendi Lango initiative
  Members can now donate online to the APS Bendi Lango initiative, which supports bursaries for Indigenous postgraduate psychology students (www.psychology.org.au/donation/)

These relatively new online member services are complemented by the more established online services which include the CPD logging system (www.psychology.org.au/cpd-logging) PsychXchange (www.psychxchange.com.au), APS Find a Psychologist service (www.psychology.org.au/FaP), and the Events calendar (www.psychology.org.au/Events/).

The APS also has a growing selection of eLearning opportunities to support members’ continuing professional development (www.psychology.org.au/eLearning/), and a large range of professional resources available to members online, including APS journals, ethical guidelines, practice guidelines, review articles, position statements and tip sheets.

In our ongoing efforts to improve online services, the APS will soon seek feedback from all members about our current online services. The feedback will be used to inform future development of new services and enhancement of existing services.