Thank you to all members who participated in our recent member communications survey. We were pleased with the solid response rate and the level of interest you showed in the effectiveness of communications and outreach from the College. We value your feedback and are currently analyzing the data to determine areas of improvement in our communication tools and services.
There were a number of noteworthy statistics. Nine of 10 respondents said their employer was aware that the practice of social work and social service work is regulated by the College. Three-quarters of respondents access the College website and online resources when they have a challenging practice-related issue or inquiry. Eight of 10 respondents said their employer supports their College membership with time off for professional development.
While we continue to crunch the numbers to inform our communications strategies, some intriguing trends emerged from your feedback. The use of social media, online news and mobile use is growing among members, as it is across the public at large. More than half of respondents use their smartphone to browse the Internet. Half of respondents receive their news and information on current events through social media. Just 37 per cent of respondents reported reading (print) newspapers.
We are pleased to report that your feedback has already resulted in a communications adjustment. Perspective can now be accessed through the home page at ocswssw.org. We made this change because some members reported that they were not aware of Perspective and its biannual publication or could not find Perspective on our website. We look forward to informing you in future editions of further communications initiatives and improvements.