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Celebrating 30 years of social work in Canberra

ACU Canberra has celebrated 30 years of social work and its first year of delivering speech pathology and occupational therapy – a milestone that reflects a deep commitment to community.

The event was marked by a celebration with special guests, staff and students.

National head of the school of allied health Professor Elspeth Froude said developing graduates to support the future of the allied health workforce in ACT continues to be a key focus for the university.

“We know the challenges in meeting work force demands in regional areas and we have many plans and initiatives to support this growth,” she said.

Canberra campus dean Professor Darius von Guttner thanked everyone who shared insights and helped celebrate the 30-year contribution ACU allied health has made in the ACT.

“It was a warm reminder of the talent, resilience and purpose that define ACU Canberra,” he said.

“The social work program at ACU’s Canberra campus opened its doors in 1995. The cohort was small, the ambition was big, and the mission was clear - to prepare students to serve with compassion, integrity, and courage.

“The next generation of ACU social work graduates will be many things - trauma-informed, culturally safe, digitally literate - but most importantly, they’ll be grounded in values, in purpose, and in people.”