ACAP Conference recap: The future of the human services industry

The theme for the 2018 ACAP Conference was ‘The Future of the Human Services Industry: Implications for Training and Practice’. Economic and political changes over the last few decades have witnessed remarkable transformations to the human services industry across the globe. This impact has been characterised by the following:

• reduced service delivery role for government
• privatisation
• the introduction of performance and outcome measures which include efficiency, strategic planning and cost benefit analysis
• the restructuring of service delivery and processes.

In Australia, there has simultaneously been increased awareness of the rights of individuals and communities and the need to effectively provide services to various groups. These developments encompass an awareness and commitment to the rights of the individual, First Nation Peoples and minorities, and an increased need to provide services in various sectors including aged care, mental health and drug related areas. This has been accompanied by a heightened recognition of the need to move away from transactional delivery to a transformational model.

The ACAP Conference looked at the impact of these changes and developments and gathered ideas for different approaches to service provision by human services industry professionals, innovative approaches to training graduates and a revision of best practice.

Here is a recap of some of the presentations from the conference:

The ACAP Annual Conference brings together professionals, academics and students from diverse backgrounds with a common focus: post-secondary education of professionals, particularly in areas of social and health sciences. Learn more about the ACAP Conference and the 2018 presentations here.