Mrs Tricia Munn

I am the Head of the Social Work and Rural Practice Unit at the Centre for Regional Engagement, and have responsibility for the smooth running of the Bachelor of Social Work program. Prior to accepting this position in February 2003, I was employed by a non-government agency for almost six years as a program manager. In this role I had responsibility for a variety of human service programs ranging from mediation and conciliation through to managing an employee assistance program. Before moving into a management role, I worked for the same agency as a therapist.

I am passionate about social work and strongly believe that with support most if not all people are able to change, grow and develop through out their life span. Victims can become survivors and broken relationships can be mended.

I am particularly passionate about the professional and personal needs of social workers who live and work in rural and/or more remote areas of Australia. They are often the only human service provider in the community hence they need to be able to assist people in a variety of ways, for multifarious reasons. Thus, both the community and the employer expect the social worker to provide generalist-specialist services to people in need without necessarily ensuring the worker is receiving the professional supports they require- staff training, development, professional supervision and debriefing opportunities. For this reason my PhD research is exploring the supervision experiences of social workers who are located in rural or remote areas.

I am excited about the many options available to graduating social workers. As professionals they are able to work at all levels of society from the hands on case work through to developing new programs and new policies. Our graduates work in hospitals, counselling agencies, schools, local, state and federal government, correctional services, employment agencies, CYFS, Centrelink, community health, organ donation units, academia and private practice to name but some of the workplaces.

Social Work and Rural Practice

The Australian Association of Social Workers Website

• Whilst I have a broad range of interest, service delivery in rural areas is an area I am particularly passionate about. Having lived in a rural community for most of my life, I am very much aware of the lack of services available in non-metropolitan areas. Small populations do not eqate with small needs! I am also interested in looking at what we need to do at the CRE to ensure the needs of the students are met.
• Due to my background I am also interested in therapeutic interventions and how students can build a 'tool box' of knowledge, skills and practice wisdom.
• I have been able to develop online materials for all the courses I teach so that students may be presented with a choice of learning experiences. This also means students can be flexible in terms of attendance. I podcast all of my lectures and also use other technology to enhance the teaching and learning experiences of our students given that as Huang (2002) outlined, it is important for students that online learning be meaningful, interactive, authentic, student-centred and of a high quality.

Member of the Regional, Rural and Remote National Working Party (Family and Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, Canberra).

Member of the AASW State Branch Committee

Member of the SA Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) State Ethics Committee

Australian Association of Social Workers

Critical Incident Stress Management Foundation of Australia

Project Director: Whyalla Counselling Service

Whyalla Employment and Skills Formation Network

University of SA Learning activities and assessment working group

PhD Candidate: Supervision for Social Workers in Rural Areas: Fact or Fiction?

Master of Social Work (Monash)

Graduate Certificate in Mediation

Bachelor of Social Work

Advanced Diploma in Community Services-Management

Certificate IV in Assessment and Workplace Training

• Action Research Evaluation Project: Centacare Port Pirie Diocese Family Relationship Centre and Early Intervention Centre (Ongoing research project)
• Teaching and learning in higher education including being student-centred. Incorparating current technology into teaching resources
• Action Research Evaluation Project: Centacare Port Pirie Diocese National Suicide Prevention Strategy (Ongoing research project)
• Staff supervision in rural and remote areas
• Service delivery in rural areas
• Workplace bullying and harassment
• Modes of Therapeutic Intervention
• Community development and community capacity building
• Mediation

Munn, T (2007) ‘Technology as a teaching and learning pedagogy’ International Society for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Conference 2007, Sydney, July 2-5

Munn, T (2007) ‘Action research in action: a partnership approach’ The 2007 AUCEA Inc National Conference Proceedings: The Scholarship of Community Engagement: Australia’s way forward: The Scholarship of Community Engagement: Australia’s way forward,

Munn, T & Pullin, L (2006) ‘The university and a non government organisation: an engaging case of mutual benefit’ Australian Universities Community Engagement Alliance (AUCEA) National Conference 2006 “Embedding University Community Engagement: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly”

Pullin, L & Munn, T (2006) ‘UniSA in Mount Gambier: implementing a community engaged teaching and learning environment’, Refereed Conference paper, Australian Universities Community Engagement Alliance (AUCEA) National Conference 2006 “Embedding University Community Engagement: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly”

Munn, T (2005) Youth Sexual Assault Counselling Service Project Report, Northern Far Western Regional Health Services, Department of Health

Munn T (2005) ‘Ensuring students a high quality practicum experience Effective Teaching & Learning Conference, Conference Proceedings

Munn, T (2005) ‘Accessing Regional Capacities for Community Development’ SEGRA Conference, Queensland, Conference Proceedings

Munn T (2005) ‘Community partnership: UniSA Whyalla Campus and the Whyalla Counselling Service’, Australian Quality University Forum, Sydney, Conference Proceedings

Munn, T (2004) Best Practice in Rural Areas-Clinical and Management, Global Social Work Conference, Adelaide, unpublished conference paper

Munn T (2004) ‘Identifying the issues and contradictions of teaching ethical behaviour as a generic value in Australian Universities’ Effective Teaching & Learning Conference, Conference Proceedings

Cooper, N and Munn, T (2004) ‘Challenges facing this region as a result of the Baxter Detention Centre’ Our Region- Our Future, Whyalla, unpublished conference paper

Munn, T (2003) 'Effective assessment: Do students learn what we are teaching?' Evaluations and Assessment Conference (UniSA, Adelaide), unpublished conference paper.

Munn, T (2003) ‘Good Practice in Rural Areas’ 6th National Rural and Remote Conference (Mildura) unpublished conference paper

Munn, P. D, and Munn, T (2003) ‘Rural Social Work: Moving Forward’, Rural Society, Vol. 13, No. 1, pp 22-34

Munn, T (2003) 'Reviewing Assessment: Learning for Life' Effective Teaching & Learning Conference (Griffith University, Queensland), unpublished conference paper.

Munn, T (2003) ‘The Back Verandah: A Model for practice in Rural Communities’ Beyond the Rhetoric in Early Intervention, (Adelaide) unpublished conference paper

Munn, T (2002) ‘National Suicide Prevention Strategy: Working Collaboratively’, AUSEINET Forum (Adelaide) unpublished conference paper.

Munn, T. and Munn, P. (2002), ‘Metropolitan Students Undertaking a Rural Placement’, School of Social Work, Whyalla Campus, Unpublished Paper. This will be used by allied health disciplines across the University of South Australia and will be sold to allied health departments in other Universities.

Munn, T. and Munn, P. (2002), ‘Social Work Students Undertaking a Rural Placement’, School of Social Work, Whyalla Campus, Unpublished Paper. This will be used by the School of Social Work and Social Policy at the Magill Campus of the University of South Australia and will be sold to social work departments in other Universities.

Munn, T and Munn, P. (2002) ‘Rural Practice- A Guide for Newly Qualified Social Workers Moving into Rural Communities’, School of Social Work, Whyalla Campus, unpublished paper. This will be used by the Department of Human Services to help graduates settle into positions in rural communities.

Munn, T (2002) ‘Good Practice: A Rural Perspective’, Good Practice Forum (Sydney) unpublished conference paper

Munn, T, (2000) ‘Working Narratively with People’, Refereed Paper, 4th National Regional Australia Conference

Munn, T (2000) ‘Working Narratively with People’, Centacare Jubilee Conference (Canberra) Unpublished paper

Munn, T. (1999) ‘Reflective Social Work Practice: Study Guide,’ Flexible Learning Centre, Underdale.

Kennedy, M and Munn, T (1998) 'Advanced Social Work Practice: Study Guide, Flexible Learning Centre, Underdale

Munn, T (1998) ‘A Narrative Approach to Problem Gambling’, National Association of Gambling Studies (Gold Coast), conference proceedings

I am able to provide media comment in the following areas of expertise:

Discipline: Social Work and Conflict Management

• Service Delivery in Rural Areas
• Mediation, conciliation in the Family Law Court
• Relationship issues
• Neighbourhood disputes
• Community development