What We Do
VTMH advocates strongly for cultural safety and supports the examination of societal structures, service systems, and institutional factors.
We aim to:
- Centering diverse communities in conversations about their wellbeing
- Create a more equitable and socially just service system
- Build bridges between people, groups and systems
- Develop a responsive, reflective mental health workforce
- Share experiences, stories and evidence
VTMH’s services include:
- Delivering capacity-building activities for mental health professionals, organisations and community
- Supporting mental health organisations to implement a whole of organisation cultural responsiveness approach
- Contributing to working groups, taskforce groups and networks
- Providing information and advice
- Designing cultural responsiveness initiatives
- Creating freely available, evidence-informed resources
- Facilitating Communities of Practice
- Undertaking specific commissioned projects
Our Strategies
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Collaborate
Collaborate — We prioritise inclusive participation and use design thinking
What we do:
JOIN WITH CONSUMERS, CARERS AND COMMUNITIES AND COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANISATIONS.
TEAM UP WITH MENTAL HEALTH TEAMS, SERVICE PROVIDERS, EDUCATORS AND GOVERNMENT.
- Cultivate relationships with mental health services, diversity agencies and community groups and organisations
- Respond to education, service development requests by developing a shared understanding of issues and goals: recent examples include NorthWestern Primary Health Network and VAADA
- Respond to requests from community groups and agencies
- Join taskforce groups, working groups and networks
- Undertake commissioned projects: recent examples include LGBTIntersect and an evaluation of a DHHS grants program
Explore how VTMH works to Collaborate
Learn more about the independent consultants, advocates, representatives, and organisations we’ve worked with, the impact of that work and the knowledge gained through our work together
We communicate about who we are, what we do, and how we collaborate with organisations on cultural diversity, equity, and inclusion within the mental health landscape.
Our commitment is to ensure diversity, equity, and inclusion values – the notion that no one is left behind – are embedded in how mental healthcare is provided right across Victoria.
Watch the Collaboration video by clicking on the play button below or HERE.
The videos feature independent consultants, advocates, and representatives from some of the organisations we’ve worked with – including Goulburn Valley Health, Latrobe University, Micare, the Ethnic Communities Council of Victoria, Alfred Mental and Addiction Health, Orygen, and the Centre for Mental Health Learning.
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Support
Support — We build capacity by offering support over an extended time
What we do:
SUPPORT THE GROWTH AND SELF-DETERMINATION OF COMMUNITY-BASED ADVOCATES AND AGENCIES.
BUILD THE CAPACITY OF MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS AND SERVICES TO IMPLEMENT PRACTICES AND STRATEGIES.
- Provide timely information and advice
- Cultivate advocates and leaders
- Design and develop cultural responsiveness initiatives that prioritise equity through our Partners in Diversity program: examples are outlined in two reports (VTMH, 2011; 2016)
- Offer partner agencies customised learning programs – workshops and group learning including reflective practice conversations, group supervision, and transcultural clinical discussions
- Coordinate community of practice professional networks: for example, Community of Practice (CoP) in Cultural Diversity and Mental Health
- Provide community partners with ongoing support: for example, the South Sudanese community radio program at 3ZZZ.
Explore how VTMH works to Support
Learn more about the independent consultants, advocates, representatives and organisations we’ve worked with, the impact of that work and the knowledge gained through our work together
We communicate about who we are, what we do, and how we support organisations on cultural diversity, equity, and inclusion within the mental health landscape.
Our commitment is to ensure diversity, equity and inclusion values – the notion that no one is left behind – are embedded in how mental healthcare is provided right across Victoria.
Watch the Support video by clicking on the play button below or HERE.
The videos feature independent consultants, advocates and representatives from some of the organisations we’ve worked with – including Goulburn Valley Health, Latrobe University, Micare, the Ethnic Communities Council of Victoria, Alfred Mental and Addiction Health, Orygen, and the Centre for Mental Health Learning.
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Equip
Equip — We create resources and spaces to learn about mental health and diversity
What we do:
REACH OUT TO MENTAL HEALTH, PRIMARY HEALTH, SOCIAL SERVICES, EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY SECTORS.
CREATE EVIDENCE-INFORMED RESOURCES AND MAKE THEM FREELY AVAILABLE.
- Conduct workshops designed for the mental health workforce that are part of the Centre for Mental Health Learning calendar
- Convene seminars and webinars and forums
- Create interactive online learning materials
- Prepare evidence-informed guidelines
Explore how VTMH works to Equip
Learn more about the independent consultants, advocates, representatives and organisations we’ve worked with, the impact of that work and the knowledge gained through our work together
We communicate about who we are, what we do, and how we Equip organisations on cultural diversity, equity, and inclusion within the mental health landscape.
Our commitment is to ensure diversity, equity and inclusion values – the notion that no one is left behind – are embedded in how mental healthcare is provided right across Victoria.
Watch the Equip video by clicking on the play button below or HERE.
The videos feature independent consultants, advocates and representatives from some of the organisations we’ve worked with – including Goulburn Valley Health, Latrobe University, Micare, the Ethnic Communities Council of Victoria, Alfred Mental and Addiction Health, Orygen, and the Centre for Mental Health Learning.
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Advocate
Advocate — We promote cultural safety throughout all our work
What we do:
LISTEN TO LIVED EXPERIENCE, VALUE DIVERSE VOICES, ACKNOWLEDGE INTERSECTIONS, AND FORM COALITIONS.
ADDRESS ENDURING PATTERNS OF SOCIAL INEQUALITY IN OUR WORK WITH GOVERNMENT, SERVICE PROVIDERS, NETWORKS, PEAK BODIES AND COMMUNITIES.
- Create and promote stories by consumers, carers and community members: for example: Finding our way and Our Voices
- Keep up-to-date with evidence and perspectives related to transcultural mental health
- Contribute to reforms by participating in consultations and responding to requests: for example see our story on the Royal Commission into Mental Health Services
- Design, conduct and disseminate evaluation and research: for recent examples see our publications
Explore how VTMH works to Advocate
Learn more about the independent consultants, advocates, representatives and organisations we’ve worked with, the impact of that work and the knowledge gained through our work together
We communicate about who we are, what we do, and how we advocate with organisations on cultural diversity, equity, and inclusion within the mental health landscape.
Our commitment is to ensure diversity, equity and inclusion values – the notion that no one is left behind – are embedded in how mental healthcare is provided right across Victoria.
Watch the Advocate video by clicking on the play button below or HERE.
The videos feature independent consultants, advocates and representatives from some of the organisations we’ve worked with – including Goulburn Valley Health, Latrobe University, Micare, the Ethnic Communities Council of Victoria, Alfred Mental and Addiction Health, Orygen, and the Centre for Mental Health Learning.
