NAFEA Conference, July 2014 Victorian Education Branch Alison Kennett Glenn Brown

NAFEA Conference- Victorian Branch Membership Meeting Schedule Meeting Purpose 2013 Reviewed Challenges Short/Long term future

NAFEA Conference- Victorian Branch Membership 60 individuals. Average meeting institutions including Charles Sturt University and the University of Tasmania. Chairperson and Executive Officer. Meeting Schedule 3 meetings per year, April, June-July and October at different venues.

NAFEA Conference -Victorian Branch Meeting Purposes Self help. At the first meeting each year and for a shorter amount of time and subsequent meetings, members identify critical issues relevant to their particular circumstances. The process allows everyone to gain a perspective on the job beyond their own institution, recognise potential issues and provides the opportunity for offering support/advice. Advocacy The forum provides the opportunity for expressing a united opinion on common issues impacting on all professional experience offices. Representations have been made to University Deans and the DEECD. Position statements with data provided by members, have been distributed to organisations such as the Teacher’s Union, seeking to clarify our situation and opinions on possible courses of action.

NAFEA Conference – Victorian Branch 2013 Reviewed April Meeting After the open forum, common issues were identified and included in an updated ‘Professional Experience Position Statement” developed in the latter stages of The five page document highlighted the increase in the number of education courses and demand for students placements experienced by all offices in recent years. June –July Chairperson of the Australian Council of Deans of Education, Prof.Christine Ure addressed the meeting responding to the issues raised in the Position Statement and offering strategic advice. October Prof. Brenda Cherednichenko, the immediate past Chairperson of the ACDE and current Pro Vice Chancellor for the Faculty of Arts and Education at Deakin University also addressed the Position statement in an open discussion with members.

NAFEA Conference – Victorian Branch 2014 The first meeting determined to focus more on self help/collegiate support and immediately undertook a sharing of experiences/challenges. The meeting identified common concerns and a variety of approaches undertaken. Our contacts network is utilised regularly wherein members will seek information or advice from other members. A hot topic recently has been databases. The Conference is our second meeting. The purpose was to encourage participation and broaden the scope of our membership through contact with other discipline areas. The final meeting will have a guest speaker from the DEECD to talk to the Government Academy Program and address the implications for teacher education providers. There is no time scheduled for advocacy in this program.

NAFEA Conference – Victorian Branch Other Features Individual questions directed to colleagues within the membership during the year- support network. Representation at the NAFEA conference. Ability to attract guest speakers who seem keen to talk to the Victorian Branch of NAFEA. Ready support from universities to host meetings.

NAFEA Conference- Victorian Branch Challenges Scheduling and venue choice for meetings to optimise attendance. Finding people responsible for decision making that impacts negatively on professional experience capacity for finding placements. Getting members away from pressured work situations. Succession planning. Linking to National Organisation- promoting conferences and members securing institution support for attendance.

NAFEA Conference – Victorian Branch Long/Short Term Future Resource for membership in a rapidly changing professional experience environment by gaining insights directly from engaging with change agents. Collegiality. Support for the annual conference, the NAFEA executive and interstate education representatives. Attract more members to meetings.