The Australian Chapter of the Professional Association of Lecturers in Youth and Community Work (PALYCW Australia) is an incorporated association that aims to promote and advance the field of youth and community work in Australia. It was founded by a group of senior academics from Australian universities that offer degree programs in youth and community work, who have been meeting regularly to exchange ideas, research and best practices in the field. PALYCW Australia has received the endorsement and support of the national professional association for youth workers, Youth Workers Australia (YWA), and was officially launched by YWA Deputy Chair, Professor Tim Corney, at a meeting of the Course Chairs of university youth work programs at the Victorian State Library on the 10th of February 2021.
UK TAG – PALYCW Affiliation
The Australian Chapter of PALYCW is also formally affiliated with the United Kingdom’s TAG-PALYCW (commonly referred to as the Training Agencies Group or TAG), which is a network of academics, practitioners and trainers involved in youth and community work education and training in the UK. The affiliation process began at an international youth work conference held at Plymouth University in September 2018, where International associate UK TAG members Professor Tim Corney (Victoria University) and Associate Professor Trudi Cooper (Edith Cowan University) proposed the idea of establishing a formal link between the Australian and UK networks. The affiliation was seen as a valuable opportunity for collaboration, resource sharing, and access to the latest European research and publications on youth work through the UK TAG. The affiliation process was delayed by the global pandemic in 2020, but after further communication and a meeting with Professor Mike Seal, the chair of the UK TAG, the Australian Chapter of PALYCW was officially welcomed as an international chapter of the UK TAG in January 2021.