Workforce Development
MHCC works to improve services by promoting and developing the skills and capacity of the non government mental health workforce.
NEW - National Mental Health NGO Workforce Study
The National Health Workforce Taskforce (NHWT), in collaboration with PricewaterhouseCoopers, has commenced a project that aims to better understand the existing non-government mental health workforce, and what the future needs of the workforce may be. MHCC strongly encourages you to participate in this project to ensure the highest quality data is collected about our workforce. Whilst this survey is distinct from the National Mental Health Workforce Strategy and Plan being developed in partnership with Siggins Miller, there are strategic linkages. The two projects will be liaising on an ongoing basis to maximise the synergies between the two projects.
It is acknowledged by jurisdictions that government has limited knowledge of the scope, size and skills of the current mental health workforce in the community sector. The NGO mental health sector is increasing in size and importance, but little is known about the workforce, hampering planning. The valuable contribution that this sector makes should and needs to be better understood. The aim of the project is to design and test a methodology to support mental health workforce planning for the non-government community mental health sector, through the provision of improved data and information on workforce supply and trends. The data collected will assist in raising a consistent and professional profile for the mental health non-government organisation sector.
The study aims to create a workforce planning tool for future planning, and to achieve a minimum dataset for the workforce. The first phase of this program will involve distributing a survey for the completion by managers of non-government organisations providing mental health services to the community. This first stage of data collection is an internet based survey, with a paper based option. It seeks to identify the activities, size and needs of the organisations and workforce, and contributes to government policy. Data collected will be de-identified, and will assist the sector with forward planning and ongoing workforce recruitment, retention and development. Further, it will support raising a consistent and professional profile for our often under-valued workforce.
The survey is open from 16 December 2009 for a response by 5 February 2010.
As a further incentive there will be a draw for a $100 Myer’s voucher for organizations completing the survey
Further information on NHWT and the NGO Mental Health Workforce Study can be found at www.nhwt.gov.au
A hotline to answer any specific questions about the survey has been set up and is available Monday-Friday 9am-5pm. The hotline number is 03 9092 1890.
MHCC Is producing resources to assist organisations to develop their workforce within a recovery framework
NEW RELEASE - Mental Health Recovery Philosopy into Practice: A workforce development guide
MHCC is assisting Community Based Organsiations to attract and retain staff and help individuals in their career development
Much of the work of the workforce development strategy is about making working within the mental health NGO sector more rewarding. A key aim is to raise the sector’s profile, addressing issues concerning career pathways, skills recognition and development and industry standards. We do this by:
- Producing a Staff Development Guide for organisations
- Producing materials to promote work in the sector to the general public
- Providing connections to new mental health sector jobs
- Promoting professional development, standards and qualifications through encouraging and promoting relevant sector wide training opportunities and participating in and facilitating sector Training Package Reviews
- Developing our own courses through our Learning & Development Unit, including the Certificate IV in Mental Health Work
- Promoting quality and outcomes with resources and specific training to develop staff in outcome monitoring skills
- Identifying opportunities for qualification pathways in VET and Higher Education
Our work in workforce development is informed by The Workforce Development Reference Group which provides MHCC with advice and knowledge of the NGO mental health workforce sector’s training and workforce development needs. Click here for more information on the Workforce Development Reference Group, including how you can be involved and records of meetings.
Our overall strategy in workforce development aims to ensure that:
- service delivery is characterised by quality, innovation, and evidence based practice;
- service delivery involves a continuous process of enhancing the workforce to ensure it is capable of delivering organisational objectives into the future; and
- necessary steps are taken to improve the skills and capacity of the mental health workforce
- This includes addressing career development, workforce expansion, organisational governance and management.