Building a Better Future for the Outback
Tracks
Room - Stanley A
| Thursday, November 9, 2023 |
| 2:00 PM - 2:20 PM |
Overview
Linda Hansen, Outback Futures
Speaker
Ms Linda Hansen
Chief Operating Officer
Outback Futures
Building a Better Future for the Outback
Abstract
Workforce is one of the most recognised challenges globally, with the mental health sector in remote Australia particularly affected. Another significant challenge is the need to shift away from continually working downstream on acute mental illness, and work more upstream on prevention and promoting greater mental health and wellbeing.
At Outback Futures we believe there is a synergy between these two issues, and that common solutions can be found that address both. Innovating both our service delivery and workforce models has been essential. Critically, both models have been bush-informed through ongoing collaboration with our remote communities.
Our multidisciplinary clinical teams have expanded to include non-clinical skill sets such as community engagement and development, co-design and public health. Our “Work In Work Out” workforce model adapts traditional FIFO approaches to be consistently place focused and available.
Our service delivery model firstly moves away from the assumptions that an expert is always needed, and looks towards opportunities to build the skills of the community in managing their own mental health and wellbeing. Secondly the model spans sectors other than health such as education and employment.
With 2023 being our 10th year of operations, we have experienced high retention of experienced practitioners, longevity of trusted relationships with communities, change champions that embrace the opportunity to lead change in their communities, and high word of mouth referrals.
This paper will:
1. Outline features of Outback Futures’ workforce and service delivery models in detail,
2. Discuss key challenges and successes in moving towards these models, and
3. Outline results including community participation in mental health and wellbeing initiatives.
At Outback Futures we believe there is a synergy between these two issues, and that common solutions can be found that address both. Innovating both our service delivery and workforce models has been essential. Critically, both models have been bush-informed through ongoing collaboration with our remote communities.
Our multidisciplinary clinical teams have expanded to include non-clinical skill sets such as community engagement and development, co-design and public health. Our “Work In Work Out” workforce model adapts traditional FIFO approaches to be consistently place focused and available.
Our service delivery model firstly moves away from the assumptions that an expert is always needed, and looks towards opportunities to build the skills of the community in managing their own mental health and wellbeing. Secondly the model spans sectors other than health such as education and employment.
With 2023 being our 10th year of operations, we have experienced high retention of experienced practitioners, longevity of trusted relationships with communities, change champions that embrace the opportunity to lead change in their communities, and high word of mouth referrals.
This paper will:
1. Outline features of Outback Futures’ workforce and service delivery models in detail,
2. Discuss key challenges and successes in moving towards these models, and
3. Outline results including community participation in mental health and wellbeing initiatives.
Biography
Linda Hansen is an Occupational Therapist with 30 years’ experience in international and domestic settings. She’s passionate about building high functioning health teams and delivering effective programs across complex and decentralised environments. Linda works as the Chief Operating Officer for Outback Futures, who work in partnership with communities towards long term mental health and wellbeing in remote Australia. Prior to this she founded a not for profit in Africa and spent 10 years building capacity in national health services across 17 countries. Despite Covid19’s chaos, Linda’s grateful it forced her back to Australia and loving partnering with our remote communities.
