Event Category: Seminar

VTMH April Seminar 2024

SPEAKER

Simon Katterl (mental health advocate and consultant)

 

Topic

In May 2022, the Department of Health commissioned advice to the Minister for Mental Health on how their government could formally acknowledge harms in the mental health system. The resulting report entitled, “Not before Time, Lived Experience-Led Justice and Repair” contains discussions of significant traumas and gross human rights violations.

Working together with VTMH in this seminar, the co-author of this report, Simon, provides expert insights into the Lived and Living Experience-led justice and repair process as recommended throughout the report.

Simon Katterl

Simon is a mental health advocate and consultant that advises governments, mental health and legal services on human rights, mental health, co-design and regulation. In addition to his studies in law, politics, psychology and regulation, Simon has lived experience of mental health issues and works from this perspective.

Simon previously worked at and advised mental health, human rights, regulatory and legal organisations.

Simon’s research focuses on various aspects of mental health and human rights, including regulating closed environments and the use of compulsory treatment, restorative justice and reparations for human rights breaches, mental health stigma and vilification laws, as well as regulation of digital mental health technologies. He has also written on the workplace rights of the mental health consumer workforce. Simon also publishes work in the Age, the Guardian and other popular outlets.

In 2022, Simon was commissioned by the Department of Health to advise the Minister for Mental Health on what would become the “Not Before Time” report.

VTMH seminars are open to individuals, from all disciplines and working in all sectors, who are based in Australia and interested in diversity and mental health.  

Please note, Trybooking is no longer supported by Internet Explorer so you will have to use another web browser such as Google Chrome, in order to make your booking.

VTMH March Seminar 2024

SPEAKER

Prof. Tom Clark, Institute for Sustainable Industries and Liveable Cities (Victoria University)

 

Topic

In 2021, Victoria University (VU), Wyndham City Council (WCC) and Wyndham Community and Education Centre (Wyndham CEC) jointly launched a new local support network. This network was the first of its kind in Australia, set up in close collaboration with communities to offer alternative community-based reporting pathways and support services for people who have experienced racism. Since that time, numerous other agencies have partnered with VU to co-design similar community-led mechanisms for responding to racism on a municipal scale.

This presentation has two main aims. First, it explains the projects that we have contributed to, detailing the work accomplished by communities and the issues encountered there. Second, it offers a practical discussion about how similar anti-racism support networks and services can be developed and implemented, in close collaboration with local communities and other stakeholders, in municipalities across Victoria and beyond – led by municipal councils or other key local organisations.


About the speaker

Prof. Tom Clark

Tom Clark is a professor at Victoria University, Melbourne. He researches and teaches in public and political communication. He has collaborated with Mario Peucker at Victoria University and others to sustain the ‘Community-led Responses to Racism’ research program through numerous projects since its inception, always co-designed with community stakeholders.

VTMH seminars are open to individuals, from all disciplines and working in all sectors, who are based in Australia and interested in diversity and mental health.  

Please note, Trybooking is no longer supported by Internet Explorer so you will have to use another web browser such as Google Chrome, in order to make your booking.

VTMH November Seminar 2023

SPEAKERS

Prof. Michael Olasoji (Federation University & Alfred Mental & Addiction Health)
Erin Joyce (Alfred Mental & Addiction Health)

 

Topic

As acknowledged during the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System, access to equitable and culturally safe mental health services for people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds remains problematic due to a variety of factors. There is limited published work that has examined the role of bicultural workers (BCWs) within mental health settings.

The overall aim of this joint research study is to explore the role and benefits of engaging Bicultural Workers in the delivery of mental health care within acute and community based mental health services.

This presentation will introduce attendees to the project and learn about its findings to date. Victoria’s new Mental Health and Wellbeing Act includes diversity and cultural safety principles aimed at improving access to equitable and culturally safe and responsive mental health care for all Victorians. It is hoped this research will contribute to the discourse in this space.


About the speakers

Prof. Michael Olasoji

Professor Michael Olasoji is a Professor of Mental Health Nursing at Federation University and the Research Lead at Alfred Mental and Addiction Health. He has worked across various mental health settings for a number of years and has also worked within academia. His research focuses mainly on exploring better outcomes for consumers with lived experience. 

Erin Joyce

Erin Joyce is a Social Worker and Community Development Practitioner and currently holds the role of Senior Advisor, Diversity and Inclusion at Alfred Mental and Addiction Health. Her career spans the fields of human rights, international development and mental health and psychosocial support and has seen her work in many cross-cultural environments in Australia and abroad.


Eligibility

VTMH seminars are open to individuals, from all disciplines and working in all sectors, who are based in Australia and interested in diversity and mental health.  

Please note, Trybooking is no longer supported by Internet Explorer so you will have to use another web browser such as Google Chrome, in order to make your booking.

VTMH October Seminar 2023

SPEAKERS

Parwin Miazoi (Victorian Foundation for Survivors of Torture (Foundation House))
Zabi Mazoori (Victorian Foundation for Survivors of Torture (Foundation House))

 

Topic

The Afghan Community Response Project (ACR) was established in August 2021 by Foundation House in response to the Taliban take-over of Afghanistan, which saw approximately 5000 people evacuated from Kabul by the Australian Government, the majority of whom arrived in Melbourne. The ACR project was led and delivered by a team of mainly lived-experience practitioners from within the Afghan Community.

Two years have passed and the mental health and wellbeing of communities from Afghanistan continues to be heavily impacted by the ongoing human rights abuses perpetrated by the Taliban in Afghanistan.

This presentation will provide an overview of the presenting challenges and psycho-social needs of newly arrived Afghans as well as exploring the innovations and strengths of the ACR model, which is a model that can be adapted and used by other communities arriving in Australia after a crisis.

This presentation will also offer reflections and learnings on the nuances and complexities that emerge for a team of mainly lived-experience practitioners working with their own community.


About the speakers

Parwin Miazoi

Parwin is a Team Leader at the Victorian Foundation for Survivors of Torture (Foundation House). Parwin holds a Master of Social Work, Graduate Certificate in Developmental Psychiatry and a Bachelor of Arts. She has practiced as a trauma counsellor for 9 years and has extensive experience in the assessment and treatment of torture and trauma survivors including asylum seekers and refugees of all ages.

Zabi Mazoori

Zabi is the Team Leader of the Afghan Community Engagement Team at Victorian Foundation for Survivors of Torture (Foundation House). Zabi is the president of United Cultural Support Inc. and Victorian Afghan Football Association. He is also a committee member of the Victorian Afghan Associations Network and has worked extensively with refugees and asylum seekers in Australia both in a professional and volunteer capacity.

Zabi is a human rights defender who has worked with renowned international human rights organisations in promoting human rights and justice around the world. For many years, Zabi worked for Physicians for Human Rights, specialising in the forensic documentation of war crimes and serious human rights violations, including the exhumation of mass graves. 

Since the Taliban take over of Afghanistan in August 2021, Zabi and Parwin have collaboratively led the Afghan Community Response Project at Foundation House, which is a program that responds to the mental health and advocacy needs of newly arrived Afghan evacuees and the existing Afghan Community.


Eligibility

VTMH seminars are open to individuals, from all disciplines and working in all sectors, who are based in Australia and interested in diversity and mental health.  

Please note, Trybooking is no longer supported by Internet Explorer so you will have to use another web browser such as Google Chrome, in order to make your booking.

VTMH September Seminar 2023

SPEAKER

Caroline Le Brun (Monash Health)

 

Topic

A fundamental part of choosing to create meaning is to consider the value that this has on one’s life. Various writings on meaning in life have suggested that the root of most common human unhappiness is a sense that one’s life has no meaning (Eckart 2014; Fortgang, 2014). This conclusion is echoed by empirical research which has demonstrated an association between a strong sense of meaning and life satisfaction and happiness, whilst a lack of meaning predicts depression and disengagement.

This seminar will explore the following questions:     

How is spirituality considered in today’s world?

Can an inward path on the human journey create meaning?

How can we help individuals create meaning through spirituality? 


About the speaker

Caroline Le Brun

Caroline is a registered Mental Health Social Worker and holds a Masters in Psychotherapy. She has a particular interest in spirituality and her research has been about the way spirituality creates meaning in life.  


Eligibility


VTMH seminars are open to individuals, from all disciplines and working in all sectors, who are based in Australia and interested in diversity and mental health.  

Please note, Trybooking is no longer supported by Internet Explorer so you will have to use another web browser such as Google Chrome, in order to make your booking.

VTMH June Seminar 2023

SPEAKER

Sarah Williams (Footprint Enterprises Inc, Mahana Culture & RMIT University)

 

Topic

This seminar explores the building of political voices of young South Sudanese Australians to resist racialising discourses, particularly through Hip Hop. Describing four types of alternative forms of artivism, the presentation draws on empirical evidence from a youth participatory action research project facilitated by a small non-profit organisation: Footprints.

In this presentation, Sarah will examine how the political voice of this group of young South Sudanese Australians manifests in important new ways that conventional theories of activism and resistance may not capture – namely, through participation in Hip Hop as a New Social Movement and through creating alternative subcultures.

Utilising Critical Hip Hop Pedagogy, participants embark on consciousness-raising practices around racialising discourses. By re-framing and asserting their multiple identities, young people establish themselves as social agents in the world, i.e. by promoting pride in their Blackness and their culture, rather than acquiescing to racialising discourses.


About the speaker

Sarah Williams

Sarah has worked as an Intercultural Community Development Practitioner and Youth Worker for over a decade.  Soon to graduate from her PhD, Sarah’s research methodology involves Action Research investigating creative sites for social change regarding racial social justice issues. Her interest in arts-based development projects is driven by the question of how “being born to stand out” manifests.

Sarah is Co-founder of Footprint Enterprises Inc. an organisation which focuses on creating spaces to bring about social change through the creative arts.

Sarah currently works as an educator and research and evaluation lead at Mahana Culture and RMIT university.


Eligibility


VTMH seminars are open to individuals, from all disciplines and working in all sectors, who are based in Australia and interested in diversity and mental health.  

Please note, Trybooking is no longer supported by Internet Explorer so you will have to use another web browser such as Google Chrome, in order to make your booking.

VTMH April Seminar 2023

SPEAKERS

Naomi Chapman (VTMH Lived Experience Consultant)
Tess Marotta (Mental Health Lived Experience Advocate/Consultant)
Justin Kuay (Psychiatrist, VTMH)
Rohan Souter (Mental Health Spiritual Care Practitioner, Bendigo Health)

 

Topic

Mental healthcare is not just about diagnosing illnesses and prescribing treatments, it is also about understanding the social, emotional, cultural, and spiritual needs of patients. Health professionals who exhibit empathy and compassion towards their patients, listen to their concerns, and treat them with respect and dignity, are better equipped to provide quality care. Addressing these factors requires a holistic approach where healthcare providers consider the whole person, not just their symptoms or medical conditions. Incorporating heart and soul matters in healthcare does improve health outcomes, promotes healing, and helps people feel heard and understood.

As a part of their ongoing Spirituality & Diversity Discussion Project, Victorian Transcultural Mental Health and Spiritual Health Association present an opportunity for webinar attendees to participate in a conversation between former service users Naomi & Tess who will be joined by service providers Justin & Rohan to share where their experiences of spirituality were supported and explore where engagement on this level may have been enhanced to ensure greater holistic outcomes.


About the speakers

Naomi Chapman

Naomi is a Consumer Consultant with VTMH. She was a consumer representative for nearly 12 months at Northwest Area Mental Health, also known as Waratah Clinic, prior to commencing with VTMH. This included sitting on the board of ‘C-Drive’ (Consumer Drive), playing a key role in the ‘Create 2’ Art Exhibition for consumers and budding artists, and co-facilitating nurse’s intake sessions with fellow consumers.

Naomi studied IT at Swinburne University and worked in the IT industry for 16 years before transitioning to her current Consumer Consultant role, which she considers a more meaningful vocation. She is also a practising Christian, which has helped her greatly in her recovery journey.

Tess Marotta

Spirituality is the guiding light in Tess’s life, and the bedrock for her values. She has lived experience as a consumer of the mental health system, and brings her unique perspective, beliefs, and values to the work she does as a mental health advocate, and a support group facilitator.  

Tess has worked as a consultant with several health services and sits on several local government advisory committees related to Disability and the LGBTIQA+ community.

Tess is dedicated to advocating for compassionate, inclusive, and respectful spiritual care in the health care setting. 

Justin Kuay

Justin has worked with VTMH since 2012 and is an experienced general adult psychiatrist and psychotherapist who has provided educational support of psychiatry registrars through his work with both the University of Melbourne and VTMH.

On both a professional and personal note, Justin finds an enriching balance in his Christian faith with his psychiatry practice, to combine both spiritual and scientific approaches to address complex issues.

It is Justin’s hope to continue to work with VTMH, and see it become a world-leader in providing culturally responsive training and education, as well as continue to provide valuable input to guide current government policy and funding for culturally responsive mental health care.

Rohan Souter

Rohan moved into mental health spiritual care work in 2014 following diverse careers in teaching, disability and the arts. A personal and professional preoccupation of his, has always centered around two abiding questions: Who are you? How are you going?

He asks these questions every day in his role as mental health spiritual care practitioner at Bendigo Health and endeavours to respond with a caring and validating presence, inviting people to explore and give expression to their thoughts, feelings and experiences around matters of identity, connection, meaning and purpose.


Eligibility


VTMH seminars are open to individuals, from all disciplines and working in all sectors, who are based in Australia and interested in diversity and mental health.  

Please note, Trybooking is no longer supported by Internet Explorer so you will have to use another web browser such as Google Chrome, in order to make your booking.

VTMH March Seminar 2023 (Rescheduled)

PLEASE NOTE, THIS SEMINAR HAS BEEN RESCHEDULED FROM WEDNESDAY, 15 MARCH 2023 TO WEDNESDAY, 29 MARCH 2023 DUE TO UNFORSEEN CIRCUMSTANCES.

IF YOU HAVE ALREADY REGISTERED FOR THIS SEMINAR, YOU DO NOT NEED TO DO SO AGAIN.

WE APOOGISE FOR ANY INCONVENIENCE CAUSED.

SPEAKER

Gregory Frank, Senior Engagement Adviser (Education and Engagement Branch), Victorian Equal Opportunity & Human Rights Commission

 

Topic

At this seminar, registrants will:

  • be briefed on the purpose of the Act and its objectives
  • learn what is a change or suppression practice under the Change or Suppression (Conversion) Practices Prohibition Act 2021
  • understand the harm caused by change or suppression practices
  • identify remedies that can be taken when someone has experienced a change or suppression practice
  • consider how to prevent harm and minimise vicarious liability.

More information about this legislation and change and suppression practices can be found here:

Change or Suppression (Conversion) Practices | Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission


About the speaker


Gregory is a Senior Engagement Adviser with the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission and has over 20 years of experience in education and strategic communication.

He has extensive experience designing, delivering and evaluating workplace training and education programs which build and embed equal opportunity and human rights best practice within organisational structures and team cultures.

Gregory’s work in strategic communications and stakeholder engagement has focused on capacity building, awareness programs and change and risk communication.

He is experienced in a broad range of sectors including secondary and tertiary education, the Arts and State and Local Government sectors.

His qualifications include

  • Master of Communication (RMIT University)
  • Graduate Certificate in information Technology Education (Deakin University)
  • Graduate Diploma in Education (University of Melbourne)
  • Bachelor of Science (University of Melbourne)


Eligibility


VTMH seminars are open to individuals, from all disciplines and working in all sectors, who are based in Australia and interested in diversity and mental health.  

Please note, Trybooking is no longer supported by Internet Explorer so you will have to use another web browser such as Google Chrome, in order to make your booking.

VTMH November Seminar 2022

SPEAKERS

Anagha Joshi, Senior Research Officer, Australian Institute of Family Studies

Julie Ngwabi, Senior Child Mental Health Advisor – Health, Emerging Minds

Chris Dolman, Senior Practice Development Officer, Emerging Minds

 

Topic

Children from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities represent a large and growing proportion of children in Australia. Practitioners are frequently interfacing with families with CALD backgrounds who face unique challenges that can affect access to services or children’s mental health. Despite this, for practitioners working with these families, there is limited research on child mental health in Australian CALD communities to guide their practice.

This presentation will focus on findings from a scoping review, conducted for Emerging Minds, to understand what factors affect child mental health in CALD communities in Australia. It will also provide key implications for practice when working with children and families from CALD backgrounds.

Emerging Minds: National Workforce Centre for Child Mental Health supports practitioners to engage with parents in early intervention and prevention conversations about the social and emotional wellbeing of their children. As part of this, Emerging Minds is continuing to expand on a range of resources to support practitioners working with culturally diverse children and families. This presentation will provide an overview of several aspects of this work, including the importance of practitioners:

  • working in culturally competent, culturally curious and child-focused ways, regardless of their practice setting
  • developing cultural understandings to work effectively with families from cultures other than their own
  • having an awareness of how their own beliefs, values and assumptions are shaped by culture
  • understanding how respectful, collaborative and curious conversations with children and families can help them to reconnect with skills, wisdoms, their community and cultural traditions, and respond to the problems they are facing.


About the speakers

Anagha is experienced in evidence synthesis and knowledge translation, and has produced practice papers, resource sheets, short articles and webinars to increase uptake of evidence in the child, family and welfare sector. She recently completed a scoping review to understand what Australian research exists on child mental health in culturally and linguistically diverse communities with Emerging Minds.

Anagha has a clinical and program implementation background, with experience working with diverse communities in Australia and internationally.

Julie completed General Nursing training in Zimbabwe, and a Diploma in Psychiatric Nursing before moving to Australia with her family in 2004. In Australia, she completed a Graduate Certificate in Nursing (Dual Diagnosis) and a Masters Degree in Mental Health Nursing. Her passion is family-focused mental health care. For the past 10 years she has worked as a Perinatal Mental Health Clinician, COPMI Coordinator and Family and Carer Consultant in Sydney, NSW.

Julie believes in a holistic and systemic approach to mental health care to achieve positive mental health outcomes. She is also passionate about CALD and social justice issues. In her spare time, she volunteers to support recently arrived refugees, asylum seekers and migrants in the community.

Chris is a social worker who has been working for the past twenty years with individuals, couples and families facing a broad range of concerns. Chris lives in Adelaide and currently works with Emerging Minds in practice development, and as a practitioner with Rural & Remote Mental Health Service within South Australia Health. He has previously worked as a counsellor, supervisor and manager in a family and relationships counselling and family violence service.

Chris is a member of the Dulwich Centre teaching faculty and has delivered training in narrative therapy locally as well in Beijing, Hong Kong, Istanbul, Kigali and Singapore.  


Eligibility

VTMH seminars are open to individuals, from all disciplines and working in all sectors, who are based in Australia and interested in diversity and mental health.  

Please note, Trybooking is no longer supported by Internet Explorer so you will have to use another web browser such as Google Chrome, in order to make your booking.

VTMH October Seminar 2022

SPEAKERS

George Yengi, Co-Founder, Me + Mental Health Project

Moses Ronyi, Co-Founder, Me + Mental Health Project and Community Advocate

Adongwot Manyoul, Communications professional, youth advocate and thought leader

Lameck Maneneka, Student, Victoria University

Katherine Monson, Social Worker, Orygen

 

Topic

This seminar will showcase a theatre production project, produced by members of the South Sudanese and other African Australian communities. The production, “Me + Mental Health”, takes the format of a dialogue theatre, and was initially aimed at promoting intergenerational dialogue about mental health in the community.

Whilst the initial aim was focused on encouraging conversations in communities about mental health, as it evolved, what became apparent was the fact that there needed to be a greater connection between communities and mental health service providers.

The project members are therefore keen to also involve service providers in this conversation, as they believe this is an opportunity for mutual learnings to take place.  

The seminar will feature some of the founding members and actors involved in the production, who will share and reflect on their involvement, and on how the Me + Mental Health project is supporting conversations about mental health in the community.


About the speakers

George is the co-founder of Me + Mental Health Project and the founder of Lorrok. Lorrok is an African Australian not-for-profit organisation that aims to build stronger and more resilient African Australian communities. George’s homeland is South Sudan. His family migrated to Australia in late 1999 and settled in Adelaide. Since then, George has grown his passion for community work and works within many community organization’s that aim to support the development of young people, particularly those from migrant backgrounds around Australia. George hopes the Me +Mental Health project can add to all the hard work that is being done to build a better tomorrow for all.

Moses is a community enabler who has been working in community for a few years, with a passion for community strengthening and development. His current role involves working with vulnerable community members and the wider community to connect with services within local municipality. As community advocates, Moses and George founded Me + Mental Health to create mental health awareness within these communities and to find simple solutions to create such understanding, and normalise mental health as a discussion topic within homes. Moses has lived in Melbourne, Australia for over 20 years. He came to Australia at a young age to obtain primary school education in Australia. Moses has worked in various non-for profit organisations and is now working for a local city council.

Adongwot is an experienced communications professional, youth advocate and thought leader. As a bi-cultural consultant, radio host and MC, her passions lie in supporting the community to achieve social cohesion through the elimination of racism and discrimination and promoting intergenerational dialogue. Adongwot participated in the Me + Mental Health Production, playing Nyanamiol, the aunty figure who understood the plight of both the older and younger generation.

Lameck was born in Congo and raised in Australia. Lameck is a current university student, studying Criminal Justice at Victoria University. Motivated with the need to help others, Lameck participates in many community events and programs, predominately those that look to advocate, educate, and empower the different types of cultures presented within Australia. Having participated in the Me + Mental Health production, Lameck was given the leading role of James, a young man who struggles to understand and accept the African social ideology, that mental health is nothing but ‘masajat’ otherwise known as mood swings. 

Katherine is a social worker, working in the Community Development team at Orygen.


Eligibility

VTMH seminars are open to individuals, from all disciplines and working in all sectors, who are based in Australia and interested in diversity and mental health.  

Please note, Trybooking is no longer supported by Internet Explorer so you will have to use another web browser such as Google Chrome, in order to make your booking.