Where has the year gone? At the end of Term 3, your PSA Student Support Officers (SSOs) Advisory Group delegates hosted a state-wide member meeting.
In this update
- Womens’ Conference update
- PSA training
- Professional supervision
- Become a Delegate
- Industrial update
Women’s Conference update
Delegate Melissa Carey reported back from the PSA Womens’ Conference, describing it as a fantastic opportunity to meet with like-minded women working across all areas of the public service. We encourage members to respond to the expression of interests for next year’s conference.
Conference featured an update on the PSA’s active Domestic Violence Campaign. Members can see the campaign here. The PSA is consulting with the Department over providing staff with clear advice about access to resources, supports and the 20 days’ domestic family violence leave available confidentially on SAP, for those who need it.
PSA training
Delegate Thea McBeath spoke about the Role of the Delegate training she attended in Wagga Wagga. All members should be aware they have 12 days of paid training leave evert two years. Members can use this leave to attend any PSA training.
The training schedule can be found in the member portal under ‘Training U’ here.
Some PSA courses can be accessed at your own pace. This training covers a wide range of subjects and is free for members. It can be found in the member portal under ‘Develop U’ here.
SSOs are asking for Formal Professional Supervision
The Department’s model for SSO supervision is currently Peer-Led Group Supervision. While the model has its place, we know from members that it has significant limitations.
The PSA Advisory Group delegates are advocating for improved Professional Supervision for Student Support Officers, which we know forms part of your commitment to ethical practice.
Delegate Callum Baillie has been engaging with other youth organisations and forums on this matter. In particular he has worked with Youth Work NSW, which is a professional association for youth workers in the state. It has been commissioned by the NSW Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ) to develop a Professional Supervision Framework for organisations that employ youth workers across NSW.
The outcomes of the project include reaching a shared understanding Professional Supervision, its purpose and standards; the development of a Professional Supervision framework and a plan for its rollout. This forms a good basis for the PSA to advocate for Professional Supervision for SSOs.
Become a Delegate
If you would like to be a Delegate but are not sure how, contact PSA Organiser Alison Crittenden on
What is a worksite delegate? A Worksite Delegate is voted in by PSA members at your school. The level of commitment can be to simply maintain a PSA noticeboard, be a contact person for the PSA Organiser to arrange onsite meetings, attend meetings of colleagues as their ‘support person’ if requested at your school and inform members about what the PSA is doing more broadly. There is no need to be nervous about the role, if you have never done anything like this before, your PSA Organiser will support you along the way.
Network meetings We know SSOs are great ‘networkers’ and regularly attend area networks meetings. These meetings represent an opportunity to hear about broader SSO concerns and let your network know what the PSA is doing. You can escalate concerns raised in these meetings, to your workplace delegate or share with an Advisory Group Delegate, to ensure the PSA is across these matters.
Advisory Group Delegates You would have met these Delegates in your state-wide member meetings. They are elected by the SSO membership to represent particular regions.
These Delegates represent both metro and regional SSOs and attend the PSA office in Sydney once a term to meet with PSA industrial staff; as well as representing your voice at the Joint Consultive Committee (JCC), which is a quarterly consultation meeting. Advisory Group Delegates are elected for a two-year period.
Industrial update
At JCC meetings, the PSA Industrial Officer and Delegates meet quarterly with the Department’s Industrial Relations Officers. The agenda items raised at these meetings come from you, via your Advisory Group delegates raising issues and concerns on your behalf.
The next SSO Advisory Group meets at PSA House on 28 October 2026, two weeks prior to the next JCC meeting on 12 November 2026. Current issues the PSA is progressing through consultation, include a new Flexible Working Hours Agreement and a Commencing Salary Determination Procedure. There will also be discussion on standardised recruitment procedures, including a new qualifications matrix defining acceptable requirements to be employed as an SSO. Aspects of professionalism such as record-keeping and supervision have been raised through this forum.
The PSA encourages members to share concerns and issues with Advisory Group Delegates. We look forward to discussing how we can progress them at our next meeting.
PSA contacts
Katy Ambler
Industrial Officer
Alison Crittenden
Organiser