In this Sector Update, find:

• Director of Engagement and Partnerships blog, from Vicky Choice
• Sector News
• Upcoming events
• Grants, community resources, and other opportunities

Our next Sector Update will be in 12 April. Let us know if you have anything you'd like us to include by replying to this email.

Dear Friends, 

The MHCC ACT team has had a productive start to the year. There have been many balls to juggle, and sometimes it feels like we’ve not enough hands, however we’re confident that we’re making progress. 

As the ACT’s mental health peak body, we’ve been actively engaging with our members to hear their stories, connect, and realign on priorities. Despite the many challenges and pressures facing the sector, we’d like to extend our thanks and support to these organisations for the outstanding service they’re providing to our community.  

We’ve also been connecting with Ministers, MLAs, and government representatives to discuss our budget and inquiry recommendations. Consistency of messaging is key, and our multi-pronged approach is geared to ensure that the right people, in the right roles, understand what needs to change if we want to made strides in improving our community’s mental health and wellbeing.  

Next week, we’re looking forward to having a meaningful conversation with the ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr. We will put forward key recommendations that prioritise community-building and wellbeing in all policies, as we lead into the Budget and the 2024 ACT election. 

Earlier this week, we forwarded our advocacy for mental health in the 2024-25 ACT Budget. Our media release led to an impactful morning drive time chat with ABC Radio Canberra, where we highlighted the unprecedented level of need for support facing Canberrans alongside our sector’s own struggle in the face of dwindling funding.  

Vicky, Erin and Seb with Minister Davidson. 

Rahni and Erin with another guest at the ALIVE National Centre Annual Symposium. 

We have also met with the ACT Mental Health Minister, Emma Davidson. Minister Davidson’s outlook on mental health aligns with MHCC ACT’s mission of fostering a stronger, more resilient community, and she is supportive of our work. 

Lastly, the MHCC ACT team attended the ALIVE National Centre Annual Symposium 2024. This inspiring event critically responded to the Federal government’s Measuring What Matters Framework, Australia’s first national wellbeing framework, while also providing an exciting platform for knowledge exchange, collaboration, and innovative ideas, with lived experience at the centre. 

- Vicky Choice, Director of Engagement and Partnerships MHCC ACT

In the news

54 build-to-rent units to be built in Curtin | The Canberra Times
Affordable rental project to be built on church land in Curtin | Riotact 
A wake-up call for us to get more sleep | The Canberra Times
Calls grow for poker machine reforms after gambler takes own life | The Canberra Times 
Canberra Citizen of the Year for 2024 still in a bit of shock about the award, but ready to do more good | Riotact
Exercise can help treat depression, but what works best depends on age and gender: study | ABC News
Half of Australians in aged care have depression. Psychological therapy could help | The Conversation
Insurance is the latest weapon financial abusers use against their partners. Here’s how we fix it | The Conversation
New school program invites young guys to 'unplug to reconnect' | Riotact
Proposed changes to Family Law Act to make property settlements fairer for victims of violence | Riotact
Rattenbury promises tougher laws to curb problem gambling | The Canberra Times
What will aged care look like for the next generation? More of the same but higher out-of-pocket costs | The Conversation 

Seeking participants

Climate Change Adaptation Planning Toolkit - Community Service Organisation Survey

Many CSOs play an important role in assisting the community to cope with disasters, including those that are climate related. Many also provide critical services that cannot afford to be disrupted by such disasters or by other impacts caused by a changing climate. 

Climate change risks include extreme weather events, such as floods or fires. They may be sudden and quick or slower and over a longer duration. The risks associated with how we change society to adapt to climate change are also considered climate change risks. These include higher taxes on fossil fuels, changes in technology like shifting to electric vehicles and shifts in the market when some industries become less viable.

It is critical that community service organisations continue to operate in a future with more frequent and severe climate hazards and so are prepared for these risks

The ACT Government has engaged a team of specialists in climate change resilience to develop a toolkit that will help Community Service Organisations prepare for a future that includes severe climate risks.

This survey will give the Environment, Planning and Sustainable Development Directorate (EPSDD) a better understanding of your service and how it operates.
This information will help plan a series of interactive workshops where EPSDD will collaborate with participants to co-design a Climate Change Adaptation Planning Toolkit.

Survey. 

AIHW Stakeholder Survey 2024

AIHW is asking for stakeholders to participate n in the AIHW’s 2024 Stakeholder Survey. This survey aims to give a better understanding of your engagement preferences, and helps the AIHW to know what AIHW products and topics you find most useful.  

Your feedback will allow the AIHW to ensure they continue to evolve in an ever-changing data environment.

Survey

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.

Alcohol, Tobacco & Other Drugs Information and Harm Reduction training

This one day training, provided by the Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drug Association ACT (ATODA), in conjunction with the Mental Health Community Coalition of the ACT, presents community workers with information about alcohol, tobacco and other drugs (ATOD) in the ACT and Australia and will introduce participants to harm reduction approaches to use with clients, as well as information about the ACT ATOD service system including referrals.

Upcoming events

Training and workshops 

• ACOSS The future of mutual obligation in Australia: learning from international practice 10 April, Online 

• Media Skills Training (Media Release) 10 April, ACTCOSS 

• Practical skills in responding to people who experience domestic & family violence 9 - 12 April, Canberra 

• Volunteer Recruitment Basics 16 April, 202 City Walk Canberra
• Wesley LifeForce First Nations Suicide Prevention Training 17 April, ACTCOSS 

• ACTCOSS Aboriginal Cultural Awareness Education Workshop 15 August, Weston Community Hub Meeting Room

• Stepping Stone: CALD Adults Learning Elementary Computer and English Skills Multiple dates, Gunghalin Library 

• Lifeline Canberra - Accidental Counsellor Multiple dates, Canberra

• Lifeline Canberra - ASIST - Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training Multiple dates, Canberra

• Take Control – Live Well 3 week group program Multiple dates, multiple locations

Conferences and forums  

• Annual Mental Health Services Forum 9 - 10 April, Sydney 

• 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

• Safeguarding the Future conference 23 - 24 May, Canberra

• 34th Annual Mental Health Services Conference 27 - 30 August, Canberra

• Free and Equal Human Rights Conference 6 - 7 June, Sydney 

• 17th National Rural Health Conference 16-18 September, Perth

• 4th Indigenous Wellbeing Conference October, Auckland 

• APSAD Canberra 2024 30 October - 2 November, Canberra

Other 

• RE-EMERGENCE: An uplifting film by disabled actors from across rural NSW about their experiences of Drought, Bushfires and Pandemic Various Dates, Goulburn, Merimbula and Queanbeyan

• Once funky, always funky: Building inclusive work environments from Day One 26 March, Canberra or Online

• Youth Homelessness Matters Day 2024 17 April, Salthouse Community Centre, Canberra

Bursaries for TheMHS Conference 2024

TheMHS Bursaries are offered to consumers and carers who wish to attend The Mental Health Services (TheMHS) Conference. 

Please note only a limited number of bursaries are available. TheMHS tries to support as many people with lived experience as possible which is why a mixture of bursaries are offered.

TheMHS will offer a mixture of bursaries as follows:

• Full Bursaries: Include in-person registration to the Consumer or Carer Forum and the 3-day conference, as well as flights and 3 nights accommodation in Canberra.
• Partial Bursaries: Include in-person registration to the Consumer or Carer Forum and the 3-day conference, as well as a travel stipend of up to $500 AUD.
• Registration Bursaries: Include in-person registration to the Consumer or Carer Forum and the 3-day conference.
• Virtual Bursaries: Include free virtual registration to the Consumer or Carer Forum and the 3-day conference.

To be eligible to apply for a TheMHS Bursary, you must fulfil the following essential criteria:

• You identify as a Consumer of Mental Health Services or identify as a Carer of a person with Lived Experience of Mental Illness.
• For financial reasons, you would be unable to attend this year’s conference.
• Over 18 years of age.

Applications close 12 April. 

The Mental Health Services Awards of Australia and New Zealand Have Opened 

The Mental Health Service Awards of Australia and New Zealand recognise innovation, research excellence, best practice and lived experience leadership in mental health services. They also aim to reduce stigma by acknowledging responsible media reporting of mental health issues and encourage others to promote the importance of mental health and wellbeing.

Award winners are honoured at a prestigious ceremony each year, as part of TheMHS Annual Conference. They also receive a three- day conference registration, financial support to attend an ‘in person’ conference, and recognition on TheMHS website and media materials.

The next Awards will be presented at TheMHS 2024 Canberra Conference.

Award submissions close April 11. 

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.