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Steve is the South Coast Co-ordinator of Student Services for the Education Access Centres in Batemans Bay and Bega in which role he wears all four caps of Learning Development, Counselling, and the Careers and Disabilities services. The major single component of his role is the provision of Learning Development services, resources and support to students and tutors at the Centres. This includes generic workshops, small group sessions and individual consultations as provided on the Wollongong campus and also the development of activities responsive to the different needs associated with study at remote centres. He works closely with Bateman’s Bay and Bega tutors and consults regularly with Wollongong academics on issues affecting south coast students.
He also holds an associated role as a CEDIR lecturer through which he is responsible for support and training for south coast tutors and co-facilitation of ITT (Introduction to Tertiary Teaching) on the Wollongong campus. At the Bega and Bateman’s Bay centres he is the primary point of contact and resource for both students and tutors to deal with academic, career and personal issues, a multiple role that reflects the unique requirements of remote campuses.
Steve has been involved in academic teaching and research since 1986. He has presented several conference papers and workshops and published several journal articles. He has one published book, now in its second edition, and is close to having his second book published in the USA. He has recently completed a PhD.
Current teaching activities
Steve conducts individual and small group sessions and workshops to teach Learning Development material to students. As well as running generic workshops Steve works with tutors and subject co-ordinators to integrate these into specific Commerce, Arts and Nursing subjects on offer in the south coast centres. His role also requires him to participate in integrated literacy programs within certain subjects as developed by Learning Development at the Wollongong campus, including acting as a resource for tutors in integrated subjects being taught at Bateman’s Bay and Bega.
Governance
The major component of Steve’s work involves assisting students to develop their academic skills and their resources to cope with the demands not only of being at university but also the extra factors from studying off-campus. This is complemented by his work within the student and staff communities in the two access centres; background work he conducts such as in administering disabilities support, degree planning and career planning; and networking within the broader communities in the Eurobodalla and Bega Valley.
In local communities, such as the Eurobodalla and Bega Valley, community outreach and networking between services, professional consulting and development, promoting the university’s role in the region, and projecting our students out to the community and employers, are critical variables in the success of the centres in these regions and enthusiasm of the local communities.
Research Interests and Activities
Steve’s recently completed a PhD looking at innovative approaches to personal development and change that can be used in counselling, educational and organisational contexts and he is now converting this into a professional development book for publication in the USA. After this he intends focusing on writing and delivering conference papers and workshops and writing journal articles. He also has plans for further books.
In 2005, in conjunction with other Learning Development colleagues, he plans to conduct research into students’ experiences and needs specific to remote centres.
Publications
Brigham, S. Eating Disorders: How to Have Real Control, ACP Books, Sydney, 2003.
Brigham, S. Overcoming Eating Disorders, Gore and Osment, Sydney, 1995.
Brigham, S. Brief Therapy and Humour in Psychotherapy in Australia, 4, 1, 32-36, Nov. 1997.
Brigham, S. Surviving Families with Substance Abuse in Drugwise, Spring, 11-14, 1994.
Brigham, S. Provocative Therapy in Australia in Psychotherapy in Australia, 1, 1, 29, Nov. 1994.
Brigham, S. So Who Are The Australian Greens? in Ecopolitics VII Conference Proceedings, Griffith University, Brisbane, 1993.
Touyz, S., Gertler, R., Brigham, S., Somerville, B. & Beumont, P. Anorexia Nervosa in a Patient with Multiple Sclerosis, International Journal of Eating Disorders, 8, 2, 231-234, 1988.
Conference Presentations
1996: Workshop, 7th ISHS Conference, University of NSW.
1993: Paper, Ecopolitics VII Conference, Griffith University, Brisbane.
1991: Keynote Speaker at 'Humour in Therapy' conference in Rome, Italy.
1991: Workshop, ANZ Family Therapy Conference, University of Brisbane.
1989: Workshop, ANZ Family Therapy Conference, Canterbury University, NZ.
Professional Activities & Community Service
Steve networks with a range of services in the communities relevant to the Bega and Bateman’s Bay Access Centres, including community employment services, government and community-based health, welfare and disabilities services, and local businesses and corporate networks. He has organised summer voluntary work-placement programs for undergraduates, a handful of which have led to ongoing part-time, and in some cases permanent, employment for our students.
He runs a range of programs for staff of community and business organisations, such as stress management, conflict resolution, communication skills, and training for managers in creative leadership. He has also been providing professional training programs and organisational consultancies around Australia and in Europe since the late 1980s.
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