2. (Click the play button)
This two-minute video gives a flavour of psychology and the work of the APS

3. What is the APS?
Australia’s largest professional membership organisation for psychology
> 22,400 members & > 3,000 student members
Advice, guidance and support for members
Distinct from the Psychology Board of Australia
While the Psychology Board of Australia is responsible for the registration of psychologists and protecting the public, the APS exists to provide advice, guidance and support for its members.
The APS is the largest professional association for psychologists in Australia, recently passing the 22,000 member mark, including more than 3,000 students.
While the Psychology Board of Australia is responsible for the registration of psychologists and protecting the public, the APS exists to provide advice, guidance and support for its members.

4. What does the APS do? Gives a strong voice to psychology
Advocates for psychology and the wellbeing of Australians
Committed to advancing the field of psychology for students
Psychologists make a difference
The APS gives a strong voice to psychology and is dedicated to advancing the discipline and profession of psychology for the benefit of members and the communities they serve. This includes advocating for both members and the wellbeing of all Australians.
The APS brings energy and focus to a wide range of activities to advance and psychology as a discipline.
Importantly, we spread the message that psychologists really do make a difference in people’s lives.

5. APS commits to community health and wellbeing
The APS promotes the contribution of psychology through:
Disaster relief and recovery support
Advocating for Indigenous mental health and wellbeing
Online APS Find a Psychologist service
Community awareness campaigns
Submissions to government, position statements & literature reviews on community issues
Advocacy & media campaigns in support of community access to psychological services
New: Psychlopaedia.org
As well as supporting members, students and the profession of psychology the APS is committed to the community health and wellbeing.
They represents their members via advocacy and lobbying with government and non-government organisations on issues that affect both psychologists and the wider Australian community.
The APS also spreads the message that psychologists make a difference to people’s lives, through improving scientific knowledge and community wellbeing.
The Find a Psychologist Service is a useful resource that enables the public and health practitioners to find an appropriate psychologist in their area.
The APS runs public campaigns like National Psychology Week, which is held each November, to raise the awareness of the work that psychologists do, as well as initiatives to drive referrals from GPs and other health professionals.
They also makes submissions to advise the government on policy and prepares papers that bring together the latest psychological evidence on areas of community concern.

6. What is the PsyBA?
The Psychology Board of Australia (PsyBA) is the government-appointed regulatory body for psychologists, and a separate organisation from the APS.
PsyBA functions include:
Registration of psychologists and provisional psychologists
Handling notifications, complaints, investigations and disciplinary hearings
Setting registration requirements
The Psychology Board is the body responsible for the registration of psychologists to work in Australia.
They also handle public complaints about the conduct of psychologists and maintain the public register of psychologist

7. What does the APS offer psychology student members?
Keeps students in the loop
Networking and professional development opportunities
Discounted rates for events, conferences & workshops
Access to member-only professional and ethical resources
Evidence-based practitioner tools & resources
Free online APS journal access
The APS keeps students in the loop with access to the latest developments in both practice, research and political influences though social media, newsletters, professional resources and publications.
They provide many opportunities to network and develop professionally via events, courses and collaborative learning opportunities and online access to professional APS journals.
The APS also delivers continuing professional development events and courses to enable psychologists to meet the ongoing CPD requirements set by the Psychology Board of Australia.
Student members receive discounted rates for conferences and professional development opportunities to complement their current studies.
Student subscribers also receive invitations to member-only networking events run by their local Branch, and regular publications offering the chance to participate in valuable networking through their local Branch, the nine Colleges and a wide-range of Interest Groups devoted to one area of professional interest such as coaching psychology, and refugee issues etc.

8. Study & career support!
The APS provides a range of resources and information to guide students on their career journeys, including:
APS Psych Student HQ
“AskAPS”
Psychologists’ Stories
Social media
Range of APS awards, grants & scholarships
Member Assistance Centre phone support
Student members are a big part of the APS, which is reflected in the dedicated resources for students, including Psych Student HQ on the APS website. This section of the website contains information on the different study paths and career options available to you.
Psychologists’ Stories is a series of interviews with APS members who work in interesting and varied areas of psychology. New stories are regularly added to the website, it’s well worth a read to learn more about potential career options and the paths that lead to those fields.
Ask APS is a question and answer page where students submit questions for answer by APS staff.
The Facebook page connects students around Australia, along with twitter for keeping informed and LinkedIn for making and maintaining professional connections.
The APS also advertises many awards and postgraduate scholarships along with mentoring and networking events that students find helpful for connecting with others in the profession of psychology.
Our Member Assistance Centre provide phone support for students navigating the professional and also career pathways and training options.

9. Networking opportunities
The APS fosters an active psychology community through:
Social media
Mentoring events
APS conferences
9 APS Colleges
43 APS Branches
48 APS Interest Groups
These networks enables student members to connect with one another, and registered psychologists, researchers and more.
The APS encourages collaborative learning between members, and has established member groups and communications channels to foster such interactions.
You can learn more about Colleges, Branches and Interest Groups on the Member Groups section of the APS website,

10. Benefits for Early Career Psychologists…
Continued financial and professional commitment to newly graduated psychologists, offering support through:
Reduced APS membership fees for early career psychologists (saves up to 50%)
Discounted Professional Indemnity Insurance for registered members
PsychXchange jobs website and tailed notifications
Reduced membership fees for new graduates entering the profession of psychology have been introduced to ensure students and early career psychologists are able to upgrade at a lower cost.
For those who join within 12 months of meeting the requirements for the grade of member - Masters/Doctorate/PhD graduates – there is a 50% reduction in the membership fees for the first year. If you join within months there is a 25% reduction.
Those meeting the requirements for the Associate Member grade – 4th year graduates – enjoy a 33% reduction in their first year of membership if they join within 12 months.
APS members also receive substantial discounts on the fees for profesional indemnity insurance with AON.
New graduates will find access to the psychXchange website helpful for identifying psychology job opportunities and the member and supervisor directory for help identifying appropriate supervisors to help build their clinical skills.

11. More benefits for Early Career Psychologists…
College Supervisors Directory
Member Directories for networking and peer consultation
Member rates for professional development
Access to the APS online professional development logging tool
AskAPS phone and advice services
The APS offers helpful resources to support early career psychologists build their professional identity and competence. For instance, early career psychologists can access the College Supervisors Directory to locate a suitable supervisor for obtaining an area of practice endorsement, utilise the membership directory to identify peer consultation opportunities and receive member reduction for professional development events.
The different Continuing Professional Development requirements to maintain general registration with the PsyBA can be a challenge to keep up with. APS Associate Members and above can access the APS online CPD logging tool to help track their CPD to see if they have met their CPD requirements.
AskAPS is a valuable service for new graduates entering the profession. The FAQs, and phone help lines can assist new graduates navigate the complex requirements of obtaining registration, college membership, area of practice endorsement and many other relevant topics.

12. APS Student Subscribers
Student Subscribers of the APS are entitled to a large range of exclusive personal and professional benefits.
Join online for instant access to member-only content
Go to join.psychology.org.au
Up to 15 months membership for the price of 12*
$85 if you join for the 2017/18 year
Free copy of the APS Code of Ethics and
Ethical Guidelines (normally $90 for non-members)
* If you join between 11 February and 31 May See APS website for more details.
For students, the $85 annual fee entitles you to all the benefits of APS membership at a substantially subsidised cost. You also get up to 15 months membership for the price of 12 if you join between 11 February and 31 May.
When joining student members receive a hardcopy of the APS Code of Ethics and may also request a hardcopy of the Ethical Guidelines for free.

13. The APS has a mission…
“to advance the discipline and profession of psychology for the benefit of members and the communities they serve”
So join us in our mission today
@ join.psychology.org.au
Students can join online instantly. Go to join.psychology.org.au/

14. Believe in Change
The first ever advertising campaign for psychologists is coming
We’re working with Adam Ferrier & advertising agency Cummins & Partners on TV advertisements promoting psychology & psychologists