OSWA Special Interest Groups

Special Interest Groups (SIGs) offer members with specific interests or needs a network to discuss, explore, and exchange ideas. SIGs form an integral part of OSWA and each draws their membership from the larger association. Any OSWA member is eligible to affiliate with any, or all, SIGs. The current OSWA SIGs, listing the coordinator, contact information, current activities and resources, appear below. 
 

• Paediatric Oncology Group - Iris Barten
  
  

  The paediatric oncology group is a newly formed SIG which invites membership from all paediatric oncology social workers throughout Australia.  OSWA recognises the very unique needs of children and young people diagnosed with cancer and their families and consequently the specialised skills of paediatric oncology social workers.  As a larger body OSWA is able to offer this group a forum to come together as a network to identify opportunities for networking, professional development, research and participation in the annual OSWA conference.  Currently, there is a casual vacancy for the Paediatric SIG Chair.  Nominations will be called to fill the vacancy at the AGM on 18 November, 2011. 
  
  

• Gynaecological Cancer Group - Kim Hobbs, NSW
  
  This sub-specialty of Gynaecological Oncology is now firmly established with multidisciplinary teams having been established in many cancer centres in all Australian states.  Poorer outcomes for women treated in Australia in comparison with similar countries (USA, UK and several European nations) focused Federal Government attention on gynaecological cancer.  Following a Senate Inquiry, the National Centre for Gynaecological Cancer (NCGC) was established under the umbrella of Cancer Australia.  In 2009, the NCGC launched the Gynaecological Cancer Workforce Initiative both nationally and at state jurisdictional levels, with the aim of identifying future workforce capacity, infrastructure and training requirements.  The provision of best practice psychosocial care to women with gynaecological cancers and their families and caregivers is high on the agenda in this initiative, making it crucial for OSWA to maintain links with ongoing developments in this area.  The Chair has contributed to the development of the National Service Delivery and Resource Framework and is a member of the NSW jurisdictional Working Party.

   

• Education Group - Cynthia Holland, VIC & Julianne Whyte NSW
  
  At the 2010 AGM it was decided that OSWA would form an education committee.  Currently, the committee has four members, namely the Education SIG chairs, Jane Whelan (in her role as president) and Associate Professor Lynette Joubert {B Soc Sc (Social Work, Psychology); B A Hons (Med Social Work); B A Hons (Psychol ); M A (Clin Psychol ); D Litt et Phil. Lynette works as a lecturer at Department of Social Work at the University of Melbourne and the Collaoboration for Social Research in Cancer Care, Peter MacCallum Cancer Institute}.
  The committee  is concerned with the development and promotion of a broad range of proficient social work education and postgraduate programs. The aim is to develop a national curriculum for Oncology Social Work which is benchmarked against international standards and offers professional development opportunities for Oncology Social Workers in Australia to equip them with a clinically competent, highly skilled and effective set of standards and practice wisdom supported by research built from a solid ethical base.
  The process of developing a national curriculum and professional development will be highly consultative.  The committee is working proactively with clinicans across the country and will be seeking Expressions of Interest from members to form an Education “Community of Practice” as well as seeking input from interested members at a workshop immediately before or after the 7th Annual OSWA Conference on 18-19 November in Perth.

• Adolescent and Young Adult (AYA) Group - Janine Deevy, QLD
  

   

  AYA Cancer Care is becoming a specialised area of practice for oncology social workers with a growing number of dedicated positions in AYA Cancer Care teams across Australia.  OSWA is committed to supporting the development of the AYA Oncology social work network to ensure ongoing professional development, research and participation in the annual OSWA conference.

   
• Rural/Remote Special Interest Group – Cas McIntyre, QLD
  
  The Rural and Remote portfolio will offer OSWA members a forum where social workers who practise outside our capital cities will be able to come together to share identified common concerns for themselves as professionals working in rural and remote areas as well as issues that may affect their clients.   It is hoped that this portfolio will be able to identify and bring to the attention of the wider OSWA membership and its affiliated bodies issues and experiences that affect the rural/remote social worker and their client base. By allowing the rural/remote professional and consumer voice to be heard at a broader level would assist with the identification of potential opportunities for collaborative research, program development and project work. If members are interested in rural/remote matters please contact the convenor to share your experiences, interests and concerns.               
   
• Communication Group -   Jeanie O'Connor SA
  
  This SIG is responsible for the development and maintenance of the OSWA website. 
  If you have any suggestions for site content or wish to share information about resources and/or events please feel free to email the convenor.
   
• OSWA Research Group -  Kate Burns, SA
  
  OSWA Research Group is a SIG within the association that provides opportunities for networking as well as information and advice on conducting psychosocial oncology research. OSWA members are academic researchers as well as clinicians involved or interested in clinical research. A primary goal of OSWA is to assure that social work research in oncology serves the interest of patients and families dealing with cancer and remains relevant to the field.
                                    
• Palliative Care Group - Julianne Whyte, NSW
  
  This SIG comprises members who are interested in all kinds of end-of-life issues, including but not exclusive to, hospice care. There is increasing interest in palliative care, which recognises the need to holistically address patients in order to help the patient and family achieve the best quality of life when there is no cure.
   

Other SIGs are in the process of being established

Suggestions for other SIG networks within OSWA




Complementary/Alternative Care

Oncology social workers are frequently asked by patients for information about these modalities and for assistance in choosing and/or utilising them. More patients are increasingly turning to complementary therapies to enhance their care and promote their total well-being. Developing scientific evidence is supporting the knowledge that thoughts, beliefs, and emotions can have an impact on physical as well as emotional health.



Radiation Oncology

The Radiation Therapy SIG provides specialised networking, the opportunity to share specialised professional expertise, education for the oncology community, and fosters support for those working in RT settings. This SIG will contribute to the ability of oncology social workers in RT settings to provide cutting edge psychosocial support to patients receiving RT and their families. It also offers the opportunity for social workers not working in RT settings to learn more about a cancer treatment that is often misunderstood.
 

• Specific Tumour Groups - Head & Neck, Lung, Breast etc Copy yet to be submitted
   
• Carers Groups Copy yet to be submitted
   
• The Aged & Cancer Copy yet to be submitted