In this Sector Update, find:

• The CEO blog, from Melanie Poole
• Sector News
• Upcoming events
• Grants, community resources, and other opportunities

Our next Sector Update will be on 24 November. Let us know if you have anything you'd like us to include by replying to this email.

Currently, I’m writing to you from the Sisters Inside conference in Brisbane, which I and some of the MHCC team have had the fortune of attending. Sisters Inside is a wonderful organisation based in Queensland led by and for incarcerated and formerly incarcerated women and girls, as well as their children, families, and communities. 

Justice is a key advocacy pillar for us at MHCC, in light of our deliberations with many of our member organisations. The conference (which I’ve personally attend for over a decade now) is a very powerful example of what a conversation led by those with lived and living experience of criminalisation and incarceration looks like. We look forward to exploring opportunities for our sector to scale up our work in both preventing the criminalisation of marginalised people and communities, and to supporting those who are criminalised and incarcerated. Everybody is a member of our community and everybody deserves inclusion, connection, safety and the opportunity to heal. 

Last week, on 1 November, we were delighted to celebrate community connection and action at the 2023 Mental Health Month awards night. The inspiring event brought together a range of speakers, including Dr Andrew Leigh, the Member for Fenner and Assistant Federal Charities Minister, and Dr Sophie Lewis, the ACT’s Commissioner for the Environment, who each spoke to the relationship between connection and mental health. Dr Leigh focused on the prevalence of loneliness, the challenges of social media, and the degradation of communal life we’ve seen over the decades. Dr Lewis spoke about the importance of connection to our environment – and to each other – as we endure the spectre of climate change. 

We also heard from Coordinator General Office for Mental Health and Wellbeing, Dr Elizabeth Moore, and ACT Minister for Mental Health, Emma Davidson MLA. Both these speakers contextualised some of the mental health challenges we’re seeing in our Canberra context, and outlined the ongoing work towards building a mentally healthier community. 

At the centre of the event were, of course, the award, grant, and scholarship winners. These individuals and groups show us how to forge connection for the benefit of our communities. Some of their wonderful stories, such as that of Jacinta Dubojski, Chat to PAT, and Jane Grace have been covered by the RiotACT. Following from their win, Chat to PAT was further interviewed on ABC radio. We are delighted to see that the well-deserved admiration of these Community Wellbeing Heroes has spread across the community, both within and beyond our sector. We are so excited to continue to work with the winners over the next year, supporting and promoting their inspiring activities. 

Coming up, we have our Advocacy Workshop which will discuss the commissioning process, budget bids, and our plans for the upcoming ACT election. As well, the team and I, along with our Board, will be drawing up our plans for next year. It’s an exciting time as we get to envision what’s to come next. 

- Melanie Poole, CEO MHCC ACT

In the news

Inquiry to examine loneliness, social isolation impact in ACT | The Canberra Times

Are we all guilty of keeping quiet about Canberra’s hidden poverty? | Riotact

'This crazy, dark character': Canberra mother treats complex PTSD with comedy | The Canberra Times

Nation faces a 'disconnection crisis': Leigh | The Canberra Times

Seeking participants

Australian Mental Health Promotion Practitioner Competency Framework

Mental health promotion is a specialist field of endeavour that focuses on three outcomes:

• Promoting mental wellbeing.
• Preventing the onset of mental health conditions.
• Enhancing mental health literacy to promote self-care, and help-giving and help-seeking for mental ill-health, and suicidal ideation.

While the field has existed for some time, it has not always received the attention it deserves. Prevention United is keen to change this, and encourage more people to work in mental health promotion. We believe that having a Competency Framework is one way to achieve this. To ensure that the Competency Framework accurately captures the core knowledge and skills required to be an effective mental health promotion practitioner, we would like people already working in mental health promotion or related fields like health promotion and public health to provide their feedback on a Consultation Draft we have developed.

National Workforce Survey to help improve outcomes for children – plus your chance to win an iPad

Emerging Minds is inviting health and social services workers to complete the 2023 National Workforce Survey for Child, Parent and Family Mental Health. The survey captures current capabilities, practice challenges and learning needs for a broad range of workers in understanding and supporting the mental health and wellbeing of children and families. You do not need to work with children or have a focus on mental health to participate. Take the Survey, survey closes 15 November.

CBR Health and Wellbeing Study

The ACT Health Directorate has launched a new study, CBR Health and Wellbeing, which collects information about the health and wellbeing of Canberrans. The study will be launched as a pilot to help ACT Health better understand the health and wellbeing of LGBTIQ+ Canberrans. LGBTIQ+ people experience major health disparities compared to the general population, which are often underreported in health surveys. The term LGBTIQ+ is respectfully used as an umbrella term and is not intended to be limited to only those who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and gender diverse, intersex and/or queer. The study is open until 30 November.

Haig Park Community Art Installation Survey 🌳

This initiative, generously supported by the City Renewal Authority, aims to blend the vibrant spirit of our community with the animals we share our city with. We're excited to involve you in the creative process by asking you to choose the animals you'd most like to see featured in this public art installation. Your input will help shape the artistic expression that will breathe life into Haig Park and enrich the experiences of all who visit. Join us in making Haig Park a more vibrant and inspiring place to gather and connect. Your participation is not just a survey; it's an opportunity to leave your mark in our city park.

Upcoming events

Training and workshops 

• Mental Health First Aid - standard 2-day course 20 February 2024, CIT Bruce

• (Youth) Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Mental Health First Aid 2-Day Workshop 21 November 9:30am - 22 November 4pm

• Lifeline Canberra - Dealing with People in Difficult Situations 30 January

• Accidental Counsellor Training - Lifeline Canberra 21 November

• Lifeline Canberra - ASIST - Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training 7 December

• Using the NDIS - Workshop for people with intellectual disability 22 November, 6.30-8.30pm

• safeTALK - Suicide Alertness Workshop Free for residents of Queanbeyan and surrounding NSW. 23 November, 9.30am - 1.30pm.

• Alcohol Brief Intervention training for community sector workers 4 December, 1-4.30pm

• Introduction to Grant Writing 30 November, 9.30am - 4.30pm

• Information Sessions: Insurances for Community Organisations 16 November, 10-11am

• Hindsight, Insight, Foresight - a CDNet Community of Practice event 13 November 9.30-12.30

• Foundation Training: LGBTIQ+[Ai] Awareness & inclusion 14 November, 10am-12pm

Conferences and forums  

• The Australian Association of Social Workers Health Symposium 16 November, Online.

• Third annual Australian Disability Service Conference, Melbourne, 23 November   hosted by One Community. 

• 2023 STOP Domestic Violence Conference, Hobart, 27-29 November.

• 15th Annual Professional Conference Organisers Association Conference & Exhibition 2023 10-12 December, Adelaide

• NDS Executive Leaders Conference 2023 Melbourne, 11-12 December

• 2024 Frontline Mental Health Conference Gold Coast, 4-5 March.

• 2024 Child & Adolescent Mental Health Conference 18-20 March, Gold Coast

• AddictionZ 2024, Breaking the Barriers Conference 29 April - 1 May, Gold Coast

• National Suicide Prevention Conference 2024 30 April - 2 May

• MHomentum 2024 22-24 May, Gold Coast

• 17th National Rural Health Conference, Perth, 16-18 September 2024. (Save the date, link to come)

Other 

• Sustainable Travel Street Party 26 November, with specific events TBA.

• Trans Joy for Trans Awareness Week 17 November, 5:00 pm - 7:30 pm

• World AIDS Day 2023 1 December, 8:00am - 10am

• Landcare Festival of Nature Held throughout spring.

• CAHMA - ATODA art exhibit Bid for art created by CAHMA clients and CAHMA's NDIS clients. All artists are people with lived experience of alcohol and other drug use and/or mental health issues. All artwork is for sale and all proceeds go to the artists. The art is currently on display at ATODA and can be viewed by arrangement.

• Belco Arts Moments of Connection exhibition runs until Sunday 12 November, Gungahlin Library Foyer.

Women & Leadership Australia Health Scholarships

Partial scholarships for women in Health ranging from $1,000 to $5,000 per person, for one of four leadership and workplace skill development programs. These scholarships are aimed at encouraging more women to increase their impact at work, progress their career, and step into leadership roles. Registrations of interest close on 24 November.

Audrey Fagan Board Traineeship

The Board Traineeship Program aims to support women to develop the skills and expertise in order to increase their participation in decision-making and leadership roles. The Board Traineeship Program will commence in February 2024 and will run over 5 months. The program is free to all participants. Preference will be given to women from diverse backgrounds, women who have been out of the workforce for an extended period, women who are seeking to get into leadership positions and women who work in male-dominated fields. Applications close 20 November.

Editorial policy
Opinions expressed in articles included in this newsletter do not necessarily reflect the policy position of MHCC ACT. Information included in this newsletter is for general information purposes only and should not be seen as an endorsement of any particular service.

Our mailing address
Lvl 1, 20 Genge St, Canberra City, ACT 2601

Acknowledgement of Country
MHCC ACT acknowledges all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Traditional Custodians and Country and recognises their continuing connection to land, sea, culture and community. We pay our respects to their Elders, past and present.