Our newsletter contains updates, news and information related to the mental health and the community managed mental health sector. Please feel free to forward to interested people or organisations as we encourage new membership and subscribers. For more information about membership benefits visit our website here.
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January came to a close with an exciting announcement by the National Mental Health Commission of two new national mental health lived experience peak bodies being formed. With a $7.5 million investment in these two independent peak bodies - one representing consumers, and one for carers, families and kin - we are keen to see the positive impacts that this initiative will bring to the mental health sector. By helping to further amplify and embed the voice of lived experience in policy development, design, delivery and evaluation, it will undoubtedly be a step towards ensuring that mental health services are responsive to and reflect the needs of its consumers.
The Coalition’s support for elevating lived experience in the workforce has led to our partnership with AMSANT, and Charles Darwin University to administer federally funded scholarships for 20 Cert IV Mental Health (Peer Work) in the NT over the next two years. Scholarship graduates will be crucial in expanding the NT peer workforce, and improving the experience of people accessing mental health services in the NT. Stay tuned for more details of this in our next newsletter and our Facebook page.
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Latest news from the Coalition
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The Darwin Mental Health Network
The Darwin Mental Health Network held four meetings in 2022 with our final meeting for the year held in late December in which we celebrated with a Christmas feast. Nancy Jeffrey, Advisor on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social and Emotional Wellbeing was our guest speaker for the month. Nancy works for Emerging Minds which house a wide range of excellent resources for professionals and families, including videos featuring NT people, speaking about their own lives and pathways to healing. Resources can be found here.
Speakers for the Network came from both governnment and the community mental health sector including the Australian Childhood Foundation, EASA, the Psychogeriatric Service, and Emerging Minds. Topics included trauma informed practice in the NT context, tips to avoid burn-out from vicarious trauma, wellness and mental health for older Territorians and video resources to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families.
The next meeting of the network will be held on Wednesday, February 15th from 10am to 11.30am and will feature guest speaker Ben Horsington from Melaleuca Australia, delivering a talk on the work that Melaleuca is doing with Refugee and multicultural communities. Please note that the venue has changed to the Nightcliff Community Centre at 18 Bauhinia Street, Nightcliff. To attend the meeting register with the Mental Health Professionals Network Portal.
Meetings will be held every eight weeks throughout the year. If you are interested in speaking at any of the meetings, please contact Max Taylor Sector Development Coordinator at NTMHC on (08) 8948 2246 or 0498 103 679.
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Cert IV Mental Health (Peer Work) Scholarships in 2023
20 Cert IV Mental Health (Peer Work) Scholarships will be available in 2023 to eligible candidates.
Who is eligible?
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People People with lived experience of mental illness and suicide or caring for someone with a mental illness and who:
- work in the mental health sector
- work in health, aged care, and community services sector
- work in other sectors
- are currently unemployed
To register your interest, get in touch with Max Taylor at max@ntmhc.org.au. More information coming soon!
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Events, conferences and training
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International Indigenous Health and Wellbeing Conference
Submissions are closing this Friday 10 February for the 3rd International Indigenous Health and Wellbeing Conference. Don’t miss out on the chance to present at the Conference this June on Yidinji Country in Cairns.
Hosted by the Lowitja Institute, 2023 themes Truth, Rights, Response, will focus on celebrating truth and storytelling, upholding sovereign rights and strengthening the health and wellbeing of First Nations peoples.
This biennial event brings together local and international leaders, researchers, health professionals, decision makers and community representatives, providing a space to share knowledge on research and its translation for the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and Indigenous peoples around the world, and provides opportunities for Indigenous and non-Indigenous people to connect and share their journeys.
Learn more here.
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Disability Leadership Program is now open
The second round of the Disability Leadership program is now open. We have a minimum of 4 scholarships to award for NT Residents. The link to apply is in the email below and if you require any further information or assistance , please contact me as soon as possible. Full details of the program and eligibility are available by clicking on the links in the email below.
The Australian Institute of Company Directors and Australian Network on Disability are partnering, alongside delivery partner Australian Scholarships Foundation, to support leaders with disability.
Funded by the Australian Government Department of Social Services, the second round of the DLP will award 100 full-fee scholarships for leaders with disability to attend one of the following AICD courses:
- The Company Directors Course
- Foundations of Directorship
- Governance Foundations for Not-for-profit Directors Program
Additionally, scholarship recipients will receive a complimentary one-year:
- AICD membership
- Directorship Opportunities subscription, Australia’s foremost listing platform which provides the widest choices for directorship positions
Australian Network on Disability will also facilitate Leader-to-Leader Conversations between scholarship recipients and established directors, in order to further maximise career opportunities and build disability confidence in boardrooms. If you, or anyone you know is a leader with disability, please apply or encourage them to apply.
Applications close Sunday 19 February 2023.
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National Eating Disorders Collaboration
NEDC is an initiative of the Australian eating disorder sector funded by the Australian Government and dedicated to developing and implementing a nationally consistent, evidence-based system of care for the prevention and treatment of eating disorders. NEDC is a national collaborative platform for experts in lived experience, clinical services, and research to generate unified, evidence-based sector positions and consistent national standards that are translated into practical action for prevention, identification, and treatment. NEDC also has a vital role in coordinating investment and providing expertise and impartial policy advice to the Australian Government.
Find out about professional development in eating disorders taking place around Australia in February at bit.ly/NEDC-Training-Events
To share you event go to: Share Your Event (nedc.com.au)
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Still Time to Register...
MHPN Online Conference 2023 - ALL TOGETHER BETTER: Collaborative Mental Health Care in a Changing World - 28 to 30 March 2023
The fully online conference will consider how the social determinants of our health; the places where we live, work, learn and play; have been irrevocably impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic and a range of extreme, climate-related weather events.
Learn more and get tickets here.
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4th National NDIS & Mental Health Conference 2023
Only two weeks to go until the fourth NDIS and Mental Health Conference to be held at the International Convention Centre Sydney on the 20th and 21st of February happens. This will come at a critical time when both the NDIS and the services that surround it will be seeking to make real the great promise of the scheme as an investment in recovery, capacity building and wellbeing. All scheme participants, families and providers will be affected by this much needed development and we are looking forward to having you a part of this great discussion.
Conference includes guest speakers Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme & Minister for Government Services.
Learn more and get tickets here.
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Grass Roots Grant Program- 2022-23 Round 2
The Grass Roots Grant Program supports the involvement of Territorians in sport and active recreation and is administered for the Northern Territory (NT) Government by the Department of Territory Families, Housing and Communities (the Department). The program aims to increase participation in sport and active recreation. Funding is available to not for profit organisations only.
Click here for more info and to apply.
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NT Flexible Workforce Solutions Fund
If you're an eligible Northern Territory (NT) business, you can get up to $200,000 for projects and activities that address workforce shortages and gaps in the NT. The Flexible Workforce Solutions Fund encourages business and industry to collaborate on projects to attract and retain the skilled workforce they need.
Click here for more info and to apply.
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NT Health Aboriginal Scholarship Scheme - 1st Year Health Undergraduate Students 2023 - Applications close February 27
The Department of Health is offering the NT Health Aboriginal Scholarship Scheme for 1st Year Undergraduate Students. There are five scholarships available, worth up to $5000 each to assist eligible Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander students undertaking their first year of an undergraduate health degree. Apply here.
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Young carers online peer support group
Carers NT is calling for expressions of interest for all young carers across the Northern Territory to join their online peer support groups in 2023. The online sessions will consist of some interactive activities, peer support conversations and lots of catching up with other young carers in the Northern Territory.
To register call on 1800 422 737 or email at carersnt@carersnt.asn.au
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Carers Mental Health Peer Support workshops for 2023 - Darwin
Carers NT would like to invite you to our upcoming PEER SUPPORT GROUPS held at our Tiwi and Humpty Doo locations where you will be able to connect with other carers, share experiences and challenges and learn from each other in a safe, supportive environment.
To register your interest or for further information please call 1800 422 737.
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National survey where families live with a parent with mental ill health (FaPMI)
The NHMRC funded ALIVE National Centre for Mental Health Research
Translation and the Prato International Research Collaborative are seeking participants to complete their 2023 National Lived Experience Survey. The survey aims to better understand what is important for mental health research involving families.
They are seeking the following individuals to complete the survey:
- Young people who are children (age 16+) of parents with mental ill-health
- Parents who have mental ill-health
- Family members involved in helping children with parents with mental ill- health
- Partners of individuals who have experienced mental ill-health
The survey aims to reach a better collective understanding of what outcomes should be measured in research involving families where a parent experiences mental illness (FaPMI) and achieving agreement regarding what the important outcomes are for health and social care related interventions and research involving families where a parent experiences a mental ill-health and on the available methods to measure those outcomes.
Click here to complete the survey. The survey closes Feb 28th.
For more info, visit https://www.alivenetwork.com.au/public-priorities-to.../
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Cultural safety survey
The The University of Western Australia would like to hear your thoughts about cultural safety in mental health services through a brief online survey (10-15).
The outcomes of this project will help mental health care services understand how mainstream mental health services can improve and better meet the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities.
The survey is open to anyone (including both Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples, and non-Indigenous peoples) over the age of 18 years.
Follow this link to complete the survey. Download the Participant Information form here.
The survey closes on 14 Feb 2023.
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Networking and support group for Occupational Therapists
MH4OT is part of the suite of Facebook groups created by occupational therapists for networking and support from OTs interested in the same areas of practice. MH stands for Mental Health. OTs with an interest in Mental Health are welcome to join. Feel free to network, get opinions or just discuss the pro's and con's that come along with being a Mental Health OT. Click here to join our page.
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Safer Internet Day 2023
Today is Safer Internet Day - a global event that brings together communities, families, schools and organisations from more than 200 countries to help create safer online spaces.
Technology has evolved dramatically in the past two decades and the benefits have been huge. These developments have also exposed us to many risks with real-world impacts, making online safety awareness even more important.
That's why Australians are being asked to Connect. Reflect. Protect.
Connect safely and with purpose – by keeping apps and devices secure and using social media in positive ways.
Reflect before we act – by taking a moment to consider how what we do and say online may affect others.
Protect ourselves and others by taking action – by telling family, friends or colleagues about eSafety and how we can help.
By doing these simple things, we can work towards making every day a Safer Internet Day.
Learn more about Safer Internet Day here.
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Anglicare NT - Darwin
Anglicare NT - Alice Springs
Anglicare NT - headspace Katherine
For more vacancies with Anglicare NT, go to https://www.anglicare-nt.org.au/careers/.
Mission Australia - Katherine
Mental Health Association of Central Australia (MHACA) - Alice Springs
Mental Illness Fellowship of Australia NT (MIFANT) - Darwin
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To contribute content to our monthly newsletter, please email your information in the body of an email or as a Word document to admin@ntmhc.org.au. Please ensure your contribution is no more than 200 words and includes all relevant dates, times, images, links and contact details.
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Acknowledgement of Country
The Northern Territory Mental Health Coalition acknowledges the Traditional Owners of country throughout the Northern Territory and Australia, and their continuing connection to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to them and their cultures and to their Elders both past and present.
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Acknowledgement of Lived Experience
We acknowledge those with a lived experience of mental ill-health. We recognise that we can only provide quality care through valuing, respecting and drawing upon the lived experience and expert knowledge of consumers, their families, carers, friends and communities.
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