Promoting the Rural Family Carer Mental Health Workforce Through the Co-production of a Discipline Framework
Tracks
Room - Stanley B
| Friday, November 10, 2023 |
| 9:45 AM - 10:05 AM |
Overview
Caroline Walters and Deua Stojanovska, Tandem
Speaker
Ms Deua Stojanovska
Research Assistant
Tandem
Promoting the Rural Family Carer Mental Health Workforce Through the Co-production of a Discipline Framework
Abstract
The creation of a Mental Health Family Carer Workforce Discipline Framework is seen as pivotal to raising the profile of and enabling the valuable work this workforce does in supporting families and carers, and people with mental health challenges. The Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System identified “deep respect within the sector for consumer and family carer lived experience work”. The Royal Commission used ‘lived experience workforces’ to represent two distinct disciplines—people with personal lived experience of mental illness (‘consumers’) and families, carers, and supporters with lived experience of supporting a family member or friend with mental health challenges. Within each discipline there are various paid roles, including workers who provide support directly to consumers, families and carers through peer support or advocacy or indirectly through leadership, consultation, system advocacy, education, training or research. Lived experience work will be a central pillar of the mental health system.
This presentation explores both the process and value of coproducing a discipline framework to differentiate the work undertaken by family carer workers, the principles of family carer work, and to support family carers and family carer workers. The inclusion of rural and regional family carer workers within the steering and advisory groups, and consultations reaching out to rural and regional areas, is key to raising the voice and ensuring practical strategies create lasting and positive effects for families and rural sector workers.
Co-production in co-designing the methodology for evidence creation, in the co-collection of information and data, co-analysis of the data, and in the co-writing of reports has challenges, which will be explored. However, the investment of time and resources is shown to produce authentic engagement and products that meet the context within which they are to be utilised. This co-produced discipline framework will support rural and regional family carer workers.
This presentation explores both the process and value of coproducing a discipline framework to differentiate the work undertaken by family carer workers, the principles of family carer work, and to support family carers and family carer workers. The inclusion of rural and regional family carer workers within the steering and advisory groups, and consultations reaching out to rural and regional areas, is key to raising the voice and ensuring practical strategies create lasting and positive effects for families and rural sector workers.
Co-production in co-designing the methodology for evidence creation, in the co-collection of information and data, co-analysis of the data, and in the co-writing of reports has challenges, which will be explored. However, the investment of time and resources is shown to produce authentic engagement and products that meet the context within which they are to be utilised. This co-produced discipline framework will support rural and regional family carer workers.
Biography
Deua Stojanovska is a Research Assistant within the Family & Carer Research Team at Tandem. Deua has lived-experience as a young family carer in the mental health space and a professional background in anthropology. Prior to joining Tandem, she held positions at La Trobe University, as a graduate researcher and research assistant, working on health-related projects and evaluations with Aboriginal people from remote communities in Central Australia, and Culturally and Linguistically Diverse community leaders in metropolitan Melbourne. These projects focused on issues of accessibility, relationality, and structural marginality, exploring how care practices, policies, and resourcing shape local experiences of wellbeing.
Ms Caroline Walters
Senior Family Carer Researcher
Tandem
Promoting the Rural Family Carer Mental Health Workforce Through the Co-production of a Discipline Framework
Abstract
The creation of a Mental Health Family Carer Workforce Discipline Framework is seen as pivotal to raising the profile of and enabling the valuable work this workforce does in supporting families and carers, and people with mental health challenges. The Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System identified “deep respect within the sector for consumer and family carer lived experience work”. The Royal Commission used ‘lived experience workforces’ to represent two distinct disciplines—people with personal lived experience of mental illness (‘consumers’) and families, carers, and supporters with lived experience of supporting a family member or friend with mental health challenges. Within each discipline there are various paid roles, including workers who provide support directly to consumers, families and carers through peer support or advocacy or indirectly through leadership, consultation, system advocacy, education, training or research. Lived experience work will be a central pillar of the mental health system.
This presentation explores both the process and value of coproducing a discipline framework to differentiate the work undertaken by family carer workers, the principles of family carer work, and to support family carers and family carer workers. The inclusion of rural and regional family carer workers within the steering and advisory groups, and consultations reaching out to rural and regional areas, is key to raising the voice and ensuring practical strategies create lasting and positive effects for families and rural sector workers.
Co-production in co-designing the methodology for evidence creation, in the co-collection of information and data, co-analysis of the data, and in the co-writing of reports has challenges, which will be explored. However, the investment of time and resources is shown to produce authentic engagement and products that meet the context within which they are to be utilised. This co-produced discipline framework will support rural and regional family carer workers.
This presentation explores both the process and value of coproducing a discipline framework to differentiate the work undertaken by family carer workers, the principles of family carer work, and to support family carers and family carer workers. The inclusion of rural and regional family carer workers within the steering and advisory groups, and consultations reaching out to rural and regional areas, is key to raising the voice and ensuring practical strategies create lasting and positive effects for families and rural sector workers.
Co-production in co-designing the methodology for evidence creation, in the co-collection of information and data, co-analysis of the data, and in the co-writing of reports has challenges, which will be explored. However, the investment of time and resources is shown to produce authentic engagement and products that meet the context within which they are to be utilised. This co-produced discipline framework will support rural and regional family carer workers.
Biography
Caroline Walters is a Senior Family Carer Researcher, within the Research Team at Tandem, the Victorian peak body for family, carers and supporters in mental health. Prior to this, Caroline worked as a lived experience advisor, working on advocacy for families within Victoria’s Mental Health System Reform, including initiatives around the family carer workforce and the new Mental Health and Wellbeing Act. Caroline has a long-term career working in health care research and is currently undertaking a PhD, at Monash University, exploring participatory methods to elevate and engage family voices in mental health system change.
