About the workshop

This advanced workshop uses a diversity lens to explore contemporary approaches to recovery-oriented practice in mental health settings. It also introduces ways to conduct person-centred assessments that understand cultural and social context and the powerful determinants of health and wellbeing. 

Using a variety of facilitation modes, grounded in a reflective practice approach, the workshop is designed to stimulate the interest of participants in the range of issues related to transcultural mental health and recovery, and provide learners with the opportunity to explore the challenges and realities of assessment and recovery alongside diverse communities.

Learning outcomes

In this workshop, participants will: 

• Reflect on social and cultural models of health
• Explore ways to work with consumers to integrate social and cultural concerns into personal assessments and recovery plans. 
• Identify core components of Cultural Assessment Formulation (DSM), including the explanatory model approach
• Consider organisational approaches for working with consumers, families and carers to improve their sense of cultural safety in their recovery journeys.  

Prerequisite learning

This advanced workshop is designed to build on key concepts, principles and practices explored in VTMH’s Foundations of Culturally Responsive Practice for Mental Health Practitioners Workshop and/or the VTMH online module, Orientation to Cultural Responsiveness. We believe you will have a deeper learning experience if you have had the opportunity to work with concepts, principles and practices explored in the above prior to attending this workshop, as knowledge of these concepts and practices will be assumed.

If you haven’t completed the prerequisite learning, you are strongly encouraged to attend a VTMH Foundations of Culturally Responsive Practice for Mental Health Practitioners Workshop (click here) or complete the VTMH e-learning module Orientation to Cultural Responsiveness (click here), prior to registering. 

Dates, time and delivery

Date: Tuesday, 12 August 2025
Time: Workshop commences at 9:30am and concludes by 4pm.
Delivery style: This workshop is supplemented with a self-paced e-learning module, Cultural Diversity & Assessment, which is to be completed prior to attending the workshop. The e-learning module takes around 90 minutes to complete. Details of how to access the module will be emailed on completion of your registration. For more information about this e-learning module, click here.

This is a virtual workshop, delivered via Zoom.

Target audience & eligibility

VTMH workshops are open and provided free to staff working in Victoria’s state-funded mental health workforce. This includes public clinical and community mental health services, as well as state-funded mental health programs within community health and social services. This workshop will interest staff working in a range of roles across these workforces. This includes but is not limited to community rehabilitation and recovery workers, lived experience workers, mental health nursing, case management, social work, occupational therapy, psychiatry, and program leaders/project workers.

Due to funding arrangements, workshops are currently unavailable to those working solely in private practice/NDIS providers. If you register and it is not clear you are part of the intended audience, we may contact you to confirm your eligibility. We thank you for your understanding.

If you are unsure if this workshop might be relevant to your role, please feel free to contact us via vtmh.learning@svha.org.au

Registrations

Registrations are essential and close Monday, 28 July 2025.

Spaces in our workshops are limited to 25 and provided free through state funding. Please use your work email address, and provide your manager’s email details, as part of the registration process.

If you are registering as part of a team, we ask that you please limit registrations to 2-3 attendees per team, given the limited number of spaces available. Each individual attendee must register themselves.

Cancellation policy

We know circumstances change. If you register for a workshop and are unable to attend, please email us as soon as possible at vtmh.learning@svha.org.au to allow us to fill your place from our waiting lists. Whilst we do our very best to deliver our workshops as scheduled, unforeseen circumstances may require us to cancel or postpone events at short notice. 

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