Playworker Get Togethers – Nationwide Reflective Practice Network

Hi Playworkers,

This is an invitation to join a Play Australia monthly reflective practice meeting by playworkers and for playworkers in Australia.

We’d like to keep the Playworker training delivered by Play Australia alongside Play Wales going, by offering our qualified playworkers an online space to aather, connect and talk about all things playwork.

Gabe Smith, from the Venny, has offered to facilitate these sessions on behalf of Play Australia.

There will be no set agenda, and anyone is invited to bring triumphs and challenges they are experiencing in their playwork provision. The idea is that all playworkers, new and more experienced can get together to reflect outside of their normal team environment. This might lead to reconnections, new connections, new ideas and we’re open to all of it!

It is planned that the sessions will run on the last Friday of the month, by zoom, and will be from 12.30pm till 1.30pm, so grab your lunch and join in.

Pre-registration to be part of the group is the first stage to ensure security, however after that you are a member and just click the link and come along.

Register Here

Our first meeting will commence on Friday 31 July 2026.

Thereafter, 28 August, 25 September, 30 October, 27 November. Break for Summer - resume 29 January 2027

This is a space for practising playworkers: those currently working directly with children or young people and using the playwork methodology.   It is not a space for consultants or trainers in playwork, and no information supplied can be used as case studies in playwork training delivery. Each participant is expected to be able to share and comment on their daily practice, so together we can develop an environment for rich personal reflection and sharing on our practice.

General Principles

This Reflective practice group is a gentle, kind, and inclusive online space where we hope you can find information and peer guidance, support, or basic kinship. developed using some general principles we have adopted from the UK equivalent:

1. This is a kind space – kind for everyone, but particularly kind to playworkers. We also recognise people have a diverse range of needs. We are patient of loss of focus, losing track of your question or response, and we understand you might get caught up in your emotions.
2. We encourage people to use the “raise hand” and chat features during our virtual meetings. But we also understand that you might wish to unmute and chip-in at will. We’ll keep an eye on all these interactions, but please don’t get offended if we mute you or ask that you allow someone else to speak first.
3. We know that some people may wish to be heard but not seen. You are welcome to keep your camera off. We ask that you direct message the Facilitators of the meeting to introduce yourself and inform them of your communication preferences – this is so we can be confident of who is in the room and to maintain the security of the meeting, as far as is practicable.
4. We record our meetings. These recordings will not be used for any purpose other than to safeguard ourselves. If we wish to use any recordings – for any purpose – we will contact all participants before using them. Participants are not permitted to record meetings without prior consent of the facilitators and all other participants.
5. Speak of what you’ve experienced at the Reflective Practice session under the Chatham House rule – i.e., share the information you receive, but do not reveal the identity of who said it.

• When a meeting, or part thereof, is held under the Chatham House Rule, participants are free to use the information received, but neither the identity nor the affiliation of the speaker(s), nor that of any other participant, may be revealed.

    The Chatham House Rule