PROFESSIONAL COLLECTIVE MEMBERS
As a member of an ECW Professional Collective (PC) you will work with your state or territory collective and the Professional Reference Body (PRB) to support ECW toward our vision to unite, inform and elevate the image of the Education and Care (EC) Workforce.
Benefits of collective membership
- Network with highly regarded and informed EC professional
- Opportunity to contribute to and lead change
- Engage in bigger picture planning with a view to elevating the EC workforce
- Help shape the role of ECW in support of the EC workforce
- Learn with and from other highly regarded EC professionals
- Contribute to cross sector collaboration
- Experience convergence of professional thinking
- Deepen reflective thinking through Diversity – multiple perspectives – rich professional conversation
- Sense of service – opportunity to give back to the profession – share your knowledge
- Inclusive / inclusion – being part of something bigger than yourself / your role/your service
- Contribute to a positive vision for the Education and Care Workforce
How are Collective Members Nominated?
In most cases nominations will come from the existing Collective members, when a need or gap is identified by the group. This will be discussed at a Collective meeting and an individual will be identified and approached to join the Collective. The following attributes and guidelines will be considered when putting a nomination forward. If more than one nomination is put forward the Collective will then make a decision who is most suitable to join the Collective.
If the Collective are unable to identify a suitable individual the position will be declared open and nominations will be sought from ECW Members. Nominations will be considered at an ECW Collective meeting and the most suitable nominee will be appointed based on the following attributes and guidelines.
In the case where Collective are unable to identify the most suitable nominee the decision will be passed to ECW Members to identify the most suitable nominee through a membership vote.
Professional Collective Members will work to:
- Build confidence and professional identity,
- Provide one strong national voice for the profession,
- Make synergies across sectors and support practice visibility,
- Acknowledge and showcase quality practices,
- Inform and influence quality practice,
- Share practice wisdom with the wider profession,
- Identify and facilitate the sharing of good practice stories,
- Disseminate information to build knowledge and shared understanding.
- Support networking and reflective conversations,
- Connect with peak bodies and recognised authorities,
- Promote the value of ongoing professional development
- Promote leadership across the profession.
- Connect with local elders and build cultural competence
- Build strong connections with community through ongoing involvement
PC Guidelines:
- PC membership will be held as long as members are engaged and remain active in the collective role
- PC will have a maximum of 9 representatives and every effort will be made to ensure they are representative of the EC sectors (LDC, FDC, SAC, Kindergartens/ Preschools, In Home, Limited hours / Occasional / BBF and Remote)
- PC members will:
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- be financial members of the ECW Professional Body and working in education and care
- be well connected and active in their communities, recognised by their peers for their expertise, advocacy, strengths-based approach and ongoing support of professional growth to practitioners in the EC profession
- be culturally conscious and working toward cultural competence
- have connections with local Elders or be working to build reciprocal relationships
- be proactive and responsive to issues within the profession and contribute information and content for distribution to ECW members and if appropriate to the whole profession
- PC’s will draw on the ECA Code of Ethics to inform and guide their own practice as well as the information, content and support offered to the profession
