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INSIDE THIS ISSUE
ATDC Workforce
Survey ............................... 2
Working together to ‘drum
beat’ the odds………………...3
Staff Profile ....................... 4
Calender of
events…………………………..3-4
IParty at YaFF ………………….5
In house collabora+on……..6
Cross Sector Bus Tours ..... 6
Get linked to your family,
spirit, culture and country.7
Workforce Development
and the MHCT ………………. 7
Common Ground...Building
the founda+ons…………….8-9
JointForces
Issue 03 December 2012
EDITORIAL
Welcome to the third edition of JointForces. We would like to welcome on board
Elida Meadows into the Policy and Research role at the Mental Health Council of
Tasmania. Elida and Amanda have worked tirelessly to bring you this edition of
JointForces and thank all of the organisations and individuals that submitted
articles.
Disclaimer:
The views expressed in ar+cles contained in the newsle<er are those of the author
and not the Alcohol, Tobacco and other Drugs Council or the Mental Health Council
of Tasmania
How can you contribute?
If you or your organisa+on would like to contribute to the next edi+on of
JointForces please send your ar+cle to Amanda Street,
[email protected] or phone 03 6231 5002.
TheATDCismoving!
Please take note that the ATDC have
moved to a new office at 175 Collins
Street Hobart.
Ph: 03 6231 5002 Fax: 03 6231 6099
Feel free to drop by and visit the team
in their new space!
ATDC WORKFORCE SURVEY 2012
The second of ATDC’s biennial workforce surveys is
currently open for ATDC member community
organisa+ons.
We are hoping that all staff from member
organisa+ons will complete this survey, which will add
to the baseline data collected in our 2010 survey and
provide us with a really sound basis for development of
a workforce plan for the sector; workforce planning
having been iden+fied as a state and na+onal priority
in order to ensure a skilled and flexible workforce that
can deliver the highest quality client service.
The ability to compare a profile of the sector now with
that of around 2 ½ years ago, and to collect data that
will let us build a picture of the views, inten+ons and
plans of the current workforce, can assist us in forward
planning.
If we know whether our current workforce wants to
stay for another 2 months, 2 years or 20 years, we can
make broader plans in rela+on to the need to train new
workers and recruit new workers into the sector.
If we understand the factors that impact upon our
workforce, and influence their decision to join, stay or
leave an organisa+on, we have the data to build our
organisa+onal capacity to a<ract and retain staff,
nego+ate for change to systemic factors and build skills
and competence in individuals.
If we can iden+fy the professional development needs
for the sector, we can con+nue to offer the relevant,
high quality opportuni+es that the sector has enjoyed
for the past couple of years.
If we can iden+fy exis+ng qualifica+ons and the
accredited training pathways s+ll required, we have
solid data to support addi+onal submissions for
subsidised training such as the PPP skill sets, Cer+ficate
IV and Diploma places that the sector has enjoyed over
the past months.
By comple+ng the survey, ATDC members are
providing the data which will support the con+nued
provision of workforce planning and development ac-
+vi+es from which they will benefit.
For staff in member organisa+ons who have not
received a direct email about the survey, please visit
our web post and link to the survey at
www.atdc.org.au
2
GO INTO THE DRAW
TO WIN A 12 MONTH
GOLD PASS FOR ATDC
EVENTS (TERMS AND
CONDITIONS APPLY)
SAVETHEDATE
ATDCCOMORBIDITYSYMPOSIUM2013
TUESDAY7THMAY
HOTELGRANDCHANCELLORHOBART
MoredetailstobereleasedinearlyJanuary2013
WORKING TOGETHER TO ‘DRUM BEAT’ THE
ODDS
When people come together to take
part in ac+vi+es such as ‘DRUMBEAT’
in communi+es that are at risk of being
affected by social issues such as
gambling, it enables them to develop
skills that will help them cope with
challenges and build resilience before
they face adversity.
From the 23rd
of July to the 10th
of
October 2012, Rela+onships Australia
Tasmania Gamblers’ Help Community
Educator, Ange Saunders and Katrina
Miller from the Department of
Educa+on, joined forces, (collabora+ng
with George Town community
members) to start a drumming group
for parents and another for their
children a<ending Port Dalrymple
Primary School.
DRUMBEAT encourages par+cipants to
strengthen social connec+ons, build
confidence and develop rhythm as they
drum together. Par+cipants can
express, explore and share their
thoughts and feelings in a safe,
supported and crea+ve way. Eleven
parents and 10 students spent an hour
each week for 10 weeks, drumming up
a storm together. At the end of the
course, student par+cipants chose to
give a public performance for their
fellow class-mates, and the parents
chose to hold a public performance at
the George Town Rotunda. We also
partnered with our new YAdas program
to provide a barbeque at the George
Town Neighborhood House to celebrate
the adult drum group’s gradua+on.
It was inspiring to see everyone come
together to share their stories, find
their groove and celebrate their
strengths. Both our young and more
mature par+cipants alike, reflected that
they felt more confident and able to
express their feelings as a result of
taking part in ‘DRUMBEAT’ and would
strongly recommend the program to
others.
3
Calender of Events
29th November 2012
Tobacco Reform Info Session
Hobart or via videoconference
Register here.
5th &6th December 2012
Cross Sector Bus Tour
Launceston
Contact [email protected]
5th and 6th February 2013
Cross Sector Bus Tour
Hobart
Contact [email protected]
“DRUMBEAT has been enjoyable.
More than I could have imagined!
It has been an opening to release
feelings, built up energy, excep-
,onally good for releasing nega-
,ve feelings and making you feel
good.”
STAFF PROFILE
With Joyce Langmaid, Mission Australia
What a&racted you to the sector?
I grew into the sector rather than choosing it, as I
worked with people I could see their emo+onal
wellbeing was not on track and making changes for
them was difficult. I have been interested in dual
diagnosis and comorbidity in my work for many years
and always enjoyed working with the complex client
What do you think is the greatest issue for people
experiencing complex issues?
The biggest issues for clients who have mul+ple
issues is being able to connect to services, to
coordinate service across keep an eye on the goal of
recovery. It can be daun+ng and overwhelming and
easy to lose sight of the forest for the tree.
What does your day-to-day work look like?
Every day looks like an opportunity to get things
done; this includes travelling between the North and
North West Coast, finding the +me to do the email
trail and spending +me with staff and the sector.
I always wish for more +me at the desk to catch up,
but then it always seems to get there in the long run.
The best part of the day is the early morning drives
when you have +me to think and put your work hat
on while looking at the scenery, and the end of the
day when I pick my son up and we head home.
What do you enjoy about your role?
I enjoy the big picture, working towards a be<er
service delivery and iden+fying ways to improve the
services we are providing. My favourite thing is
health weeks and
community
development
when we get to
celebrate, educate
and build
awareness
What are your
career highlights?
My highlights are the clients, seeing people believe
that they can make a difference to their own lives
and go on and make change happen. A recent
highlight was the Mental Health Week patchwork
project 2010.
What are the challenges in your role?
That dreaded word Budget! I always want the dollar
to go further so we can do more…
What do you do to unwind?
I am a reader of just about everything I can get my
hands on. I love my Saturday mornings reading The
Weekend Australian with my feet up. Right now my
favourite thing is trying to beat my friend at
Scramble with Friends and Words with Friends; I just
don’t know how she does it!
What would you like to achieve in the next five
years?
This is really hard to answer but…. I want to be part
of a highly trained work force delivering seamless
services collabora+vely across the sector, the
opportuni+es and ideas are there wai+ng for us.
If you would like to nominate someone for the next
Staff/Sector profile, contact Amanda Street at ATDC
4
My highlights are the clients….
IPARTY AT YOUTH AND FAMILY FOCUS
Leavers' Dinners are just around the corner, as is
the party season for local year 10 students. In
prepara+on for end of year celebra+ons Youth
and Family Focus (YaFF) are facilita+ng the
successful program IParty® in local high schools.
IParty® is an alcohol educa+on and preven+on
project. The topics covered in the program
include using alcohol responsibly and the myths
surrounding alcohol consump+on, rela+onships
and sexual health, legal issues and what to do in
emergencies in the context of par+es.
Program facilitators Jess Redpath, Tania Page and
David Burger are excited to be running the
programs again aQer seeing successful outcomes
from last year's program. The program structure
is divided into 3 key sec+ons. These include
rela+onships, alcohol and other drugs, and legal
and emergency. The rela+onship part of the
program talks about healthy rela+onships,
making choices, health informa+on around STI’s
and 'safe sex'.
The alcohol and
Other Drugs
component
looks at youth
and alcohol, what is a standard drink, the short
and long term risks associated with alcohol, the
impact of mixing alcohol with other drugs and
how drug use affects our mental health. The final
sec+on, Legal and Emergency discusses minimis-
ing the harm and risks associated with partying,
the laws that relate to alcohol use, young people
and their families and what to do in an emergen-
cy. The content is delivered in a manner the stu-
dents can relate and engage with.
YaFF is a family drug support service which aims
to provide professional, accessible and +mely
support for young persons with problema+c
substance abuse issues. This service also
provides support for family members and
significant others to cope with the stress
associated with a young persons drug
use. Individuals are encouraged to contact
YAFF for assistance with any drug related
problems or if they have any further enquires
about the IParty® program.
5
THE ATDC SECTOR CAPACITY BUILDING PROJECT
As many of you would be aware, the ATDC received funding under the Substance Misuse Service Delivery Grants
Fund provided by the Department of Health and Ageing, commencing in July 2012 for a period of three years. This
funding will provide the ATDC with the opportunity to con+nue the work previously done under the Cross Sector
Support and Strategic Partnerships Project (CSSSP). Amanda Street will con+nue in the role as Sector Capacity
Building Project Officer and will be working on a range of capacity building and strategic networking ini+a+ves
based on the four main objec+ves of the project: partnerships and linkages; con+nued service improvement;
workforce development and capacity building; and dissemina+on of informa+on and resources to the sector.
There are a number of exci+ng ini+a+ves on the horizon for this project, including con+nued rounds of the Cross
Sector bus tour, the roll out of the Comorbidity Workplace Exchange project, the 2013 Comorbidity Symposium to
be held in May and an exci+ng venture between the ATDC and UTAS in the form of a Research Symposium. Stay
tuned for more informa+on. Please contact Amanda Street on 03 6231 5002 or [email protected]
IN HOUSE COLLABORATION
The services of Core Counselling have been contracted
to work eight hours per week by Bethlehem House.
Core Counselling commenced opera+on in February
2012 and offers counselling to men experiencing
homelessness who face significant hurdles in accessing
and sustaining long term housing. Evidence shows that
those residents who have engaged with
Core Counselling experience mental illness, substance
misuse, trauma, grief and breakdown of family
rela+onships.
The counsellor is present on site at Bethlehem House
five days a week. This gives an opportunity for the
counsellor to observe, monitor and iden+fy when a
client is having a difficult +me. Brief interven+on can
be implemented immediately oQen resul+ng in
lowering the risk of unhealthy decision making and
behaviour.
Having a counsellor on site is proving beneficial as
Informal conversa+ons with residents are common
and can oQen lead the client in engaging on a more
personal level, the counsellor can offer a safe
environment where the client can share their personal
journey. The counsellor can then effec+vely iden+fy
the barriers and difficul+es that the client is facing.
Through gathering of informa+on the appropriate
referral can take place while at the same +me
enhancing the therapeu+c rela+onship.
The counsellor collaborates with the client’s
caseworker where recommenda+ons are put forward
and regular update on client progress is common
prac+ce. Due to the counsellor being on site the
availability of the case workers is easily accessible; this
has proven highly produc+ve for the client as ac+on
can be taken in a short period of +me.
Bethlehem House supports the service Core
Counselling offers their residents with the aim of
fostering the growth of human dignity, promo+ng
opportuni+es for a more sa+sfying life for the men,
develop the organisa+on as a community of genuine
care and pro social integrity through transparency.
6
CROSS SECTOR BUS TOURS
The second round of the ATDC Cross Sector Bus
Tours kicked off in Burnie and Devonport on the
16th October 2012. The Northern Tour is scheduled
for the 5th and 6th December with a couple of
places remaining. Contact Amanda Street 03 6231
5002 ASAP to secure one of the last places. The
Hobart tours will be on the 5th and 6th February
2013. If you are a Hobart service and interested in
hos+ng the bus tour, contact Amanda now—
GET LINKED TO YOUR FAMILY, SPIRIT, CULTURE AND
COUNTRY
Get Linked is a new AOD booklet created
specifically for the Aboriginal community in
the Launceston area by Aboriginal
Community Links (formerly Colony 47), with
support and assistance from Anglicare
Tasmania’s Alcohol and Other Drug Services
and Communi+es for Children program.
It provides important informa+on for those
who are ready to make a change, trying to
quit or are concerned about the drug/
alcohol use of a family member in an easy to
read, colourful format with contact details
for local AOD services.
The 32 pages are packed full of informa+on
about:
• different drugs and their short and long
term effects
• talking to a family member about their
drug/alcohol use
• making changes to reduce the harm that
alcohol and other drugs can do
• geVng help from local services, including
counselling, detox, or rehab
Crea+ng the booklet was a collabora+ve
process, with Fiona Calvert and Mark
Redmond (Aboriginal Community Links),
Kate Buzzaco< (Anglicare’s AOD Services)
and Sharon Du<on (Anglicare’s Communi+es
for Children program) all contribu+ng to the
content. Local Aboriginal elders and service
providers were also consulted during
development.
The booklet will be launched officially in
Launceston on 5 December 2012 (please
email [email protected] or phone
6324 1910 for more details).
We would like to acknowledge the
Department of Health and Ageing - OATSIH
Office of Aboriginal Islander Health for
funding this project.
7
Tradi+onally, ‘workforce development’ has been equated with professional development and focused on the needs
and development of individual workers. Increasingly, the concept has expanded in recogni+on of the need to work
at organisa+onal and strategic systems levels as well.
This shiQ in conceptualisa+on is one to ‘systems thinking’. While educa+on and training is an important part of
workforce development, they essen+ally focus on the individual learners or workers. Any deficits that require
modifica+on (through training) is seen to lie with individuals. As such, no further considera+on is given to the
context in which that person operates or the wider system at large which may ul+mately determine whether spe-
cific policies or prac+ces can be put in place.
A fuller understanding of Workforce Development – one that has guided the MHCT’s ac+vi+es over the past year –
integrates workforce analysis and planning, human resource management and skills development to bridge the gap
between current and future workforce needs. It is about be<er enabling employers to a<ract, retain and develop
their workforce and increases the capacity of individuals to par+cipate and be produc+ve in the workforce. It
encourages partnerships and a be<er understanding of the impacts of skills deployment.
As such, the past year has seen the MHCT not only invest in addressing clinical skills and understanding (as in
recovery-based prac+ce, co-exis+ng mental health and ATOD issues et cetera) but also in specific skills in
organisa+onal management, leadership, documenta+on and human resource exper+se.
For any informa+on about workforce development in the MH sector, please contact Kris McCracken at
[email protected] or 6224 9222.
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND THE MHCT
COMMON GROUND TASMANIA…
BUILDING THE FOUNDATIONS
Common Ground Tasmania (CGT) was established in
2008 to work with state, federal and local government
and the private sector to deliver suppor+ve housing
services to homeless people and more affordable
housing for working, low waged people in need of
affordable housing. Four years on, 97 Common
Ground apartments are available in the Hobart CBD.
Common Ground suppor+ve housing creates a vibrant
mixed community of formerly homeless people (a
minimum of 40%) and working, low waged tenants (a
maximum of 60%). People who have been homeless
are offered on-site support services and links back into
the community with opportuni+es for employment,
educa+on, training and social networks.
A studio apartment.
Tenants live independently in a self-contained
apartment and enter into 12 month rental
agreements. As a part of their tenancy agreement,
everyone living at Common Ground is required to
observe two basic rules; pay your rent on +me and be
a good neighbour.
In addi+on to the one bedroom or studio apartment,
all tenants have access to shared communal spaces
including a library, a billiard room, a computer hub
and an art studio and on site access to a broad range
of personal and professional development ac+vi+es.
The exterior of the Campbell Street site
Common Ground views access to stable, affordable
and high quality housing as a vital first step towards
personal wellbeing, life fulfilment and being accepted
as a valued member of the community.
Common Ground’s methodology is recognised
interna+onally for its effec+veness in housing the
chronically homeless, including people who have been
long-term rough sleepers, and stabilising their lives
through suppor+ve housing services. It is backed up
by decades of evidence that verifies the value and
success of the model.
Common Ground developments have been
established for more than 30 years and work
successfully in New York, London and Vancouver and
now in Australia with sites in Adelaide, Melbourne,
Sydney and Brisbane
8
COMMON GROUND TASMANIA…
BUILDING THE FOUNDATIONS
Common Ground proper+es offer a<rac+ve, quality,
affordable housing in a fantas+c central loca+on.
There are four cri+cal components of the Common
Ground suppor+ve housing model:
• high quality, permanent and affordable housing
• a safe, secure environment . The emphasis on
safety and security is a hallmark of Common
Ground developments. Access to the building is
restricted to tenants using a swipe card system
and a 24/7 concierge service controls visitor
access to the site and monitors security within the
building
• coordinated on-site support services designed to
assist tenants, who may not otherwise be able to
sustain an independent tenancy, to maintain
housing
• a diverse social mix to facilitate social inclusion
and develop a sustainable community. The focus
is on inclusiveness and community and a social
mix of tenant backgrounds including people who
have experienced homelessness and low waged
tenants who need affordable housing.
How are tenants chosen?
Tenants must be able to live independently and be at
least 18 years of age and tenancy agreements are
based on the provisions of the Residen+al Tenancy
Act.
Permanent housing for low waged, working tenants
A minimum of 50% (and a maximum of 60%) of the
units at each site are made available to working, low
waged tenants. People earning less than $45,496 p/a
(or a couple earning less than $62,899 p/a) are eligible
to apply.
Permanent housing for chronically homeless people
Up to 50% (and a minimum of 40%) of the 97 Common
Ground units of housing are offered to people who
have experienced chronic homelessness and require
support to sustain their housing.
CGT priori+ses offers of accommoda+on to chronically
homeless people who have been iden+fied as
vulnerable using the Vulnerability Index (VI) survey
that collates informa+on about key health indicators.
For that reason, vacancies are not open for direct
referral or applica+on.
The informa+on from the survey data provides a
targeted approach for offers of Common Ground
housing to be made that ensures the most vulnerable
people are priori+sed for appropriate housing and that
support services can be matched with their needs.
What accommoda6on is available and how much
rent is charged?
Common Ground offers 97 units of housing at
Goulburn St, Liverpool St and Campbell St.
There is a range of studio and 1 bedroom apartments
and 16 units have enhanced access facili+es.
Rent for affordable housing tenants is set at 74.9% (or
less) of assessed market rental. Rents range from
$175-$290 per week.
Rent for tenants who have been homeless is based on
a percentage of income. Broadly, rents range from
$160 - $225 per week.
For further informa6on
email: [email protected]
www.commongroundtas.com.au
9
