Peer Support Group for Social Workers in Higher Degrees by Research

Social Work Higher Degrees by Research (HDR) can be a lonely path. Many of us are undertaking either digital Honours, Research Masters or PhDs. Living, working or researching in isolated areas and with vulnerable populations makes it even more difficult to connect with our research peers in metropolitan areas or from different schools and universities.

Social Work PhD peers, Anne Maree Taney and Megan (Coach) Bayliss began online research peer supervision and decided it was so valuable that they would formalise it and open it to other Social Workers doing Honours or HDR research, or as a job (researcher or research assistant), or research for a paper/book/presentation. It is a brilliant way to launch the week by sharing what the previous week of research had produced (including many questions) and where we are heading in the upcoming week. We discuss methodologies, methods, tools, papers...whatever is on our minds research wise. We use the collective to stay focused and supported while undertaking research.

The structure of the online group is an interactive half hour to 45 minutes of touching base with the research you are working on, followed by an optional hour of silent writing together. Writing silently online provides accountability partners and produces evidence for our research diaries and our professional bodies CPD logbooks. The Peer Support Group for Social Workers in Higher Degrees by Research is recorded and loaded to Megan Bayliss' YouTube channel from where you can copy the link, share, download the video, or watch retrospectively if you cannot make it.

Come weekly, fortnightly or monthly. Doesn't matter where you are, what Uni you study at or what your topic is - we will be online every Monday morning at 9am NT time, 9.30am QLD time. Talk with us, write with us, learn with us - get out of it what you need.

Zoom link: https://charlesdarwinuni.zoom.us/j/88683640673 

Please note: This is not a suitable group if you are undertaking a qualifying or a course work Masters. This is purely a research-based Social Work group.

Megan and Anne Maree are both Mental Health credentialed Social Workers and members of the Australian Association of Social Workers. Megan is doing a PhD through Charles Darwin University and Anne Maree a PhD through the University of Queensland.