Meet your Advisory Group for 2024-2026

During term 4 the PSA welcomed the new Student Support Officer Vocational Advisory Group Delegates. The growth we have seen within the PSA membership has allowed for additional representation within the group. You can view the group photo on the PSA Facebook page.

We look forward to working with your Delegates to continue to grow our membership and support members in their workplaces. Delegates are listed below:

Name	Representing members from	School
Melissa Carey	Metro Sydney, Parramatta, Liverpool, Bankstown regions	Rivendell School
Lisa Peek	Metro Sydney, Campbelltown, Sutherland shire regions	Eagle Vale High School
Rose Dooley	Metro Sydney, inner city regions	Fort Street High School
Callum Baillie	Newcastle, Gosford, Forster, Scone, Merriwa and surrounding regions.	Tomaree High School
Amy Smith	Newcastle, Gosford, Forster, Scone, Merriwa and surrounding regions	Toronto High School
Lisa Weber	Lithgow, Mudgee, Dubbo, Bourke, Cobar, Forbes, Cowra, Bathurst and surrounding regions	Dubbo College South Campus
Joshua Larwood	Yass, Gundagi, Junee, Lake Cargelligo, Wagga Wagga and sounding regions.	Kooringal High School

School holidays: Flexible working arrangements

Student Support Officers can request to work from home or a Department of Education (DoE) office location during school holidays. The “If not, why not?” statement by the NSW Government stipulates that if an employee’s request to work flexibly is denied, the employee must be provided with reasonable reasons why not.

Since Student Support Officers can perform their work during school vacation periods effectively from home or a DoE office location, there is no reason why you should be required to work from a school during the holiday period.

If you are required or planning to work from a school site during the school holiday period, a working alone risk assessment must be conducted. This assessment considers the work as well as health and safety implications of working alone.

Thank you from your PSA Organiser and Industrial Officer 

Thank you to everyone who took time last term to complete the PSA Survey. The results were very useful to help us formulate a plan for better member engagement moving forward.

The union sought feedback about how best to communicate with you as members, we heard your preferences and note that you like communications and meetings to be specifically about and for Student Support Officers, wherever possible. We also sought feedback on your school’s workspace being fit for purpose, for you to support students with the wellbeing services you provide.

We sought your preferences for the timing and frequency of member meetings and note that most prefer Wednesday afternoon meetings, at least every three months, and more often if required depending on workplace issues that may arise.

We wish you and your families a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, as you finish up 2024 and launch into 2025.