What We Do

VTMH exists to support the efforts of those who are practising cultural safety and to elevate the importance of cultural safety in mental health practice, policy, and the allocation of public resources.

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 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

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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 VTMH (2011) and (2016)
  • Offer our partners 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.

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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

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  Advocate

  Advocate — We promote cultural safety through 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 Royal Commission into Mental Health Services
  • Design, conduct and disseminate evaluation and research: for recent examples see our publications