The consumer workforce is growing.
We believe training for all consumer roles should be grounded in consumer perspective, utilise best-practice teaching models and be tailored to the local context
We get it.
We understand the difference between having a lived experience and working from that lived experience in a designated consumer workforce role.
Support for growth.
We recognise consumer perspective work is a growing discipline, and yet the workforce has had minimal opportunities for training and education specific to its needs, developed by people with expertise in the field.
Addressing a range of workforce gaps.
Our courses address a range of consumer workforce gaps, from the needs of entry-level consumer workers, to building on skills and knowledge provided by existing training such as the Certificate IV in Mental Health Peer Work, Intentional Peer Support and PeerZone, and providing training where none previously existed, such as for consumers on advisory committees.
Our courses provide opportunities for depth and breadth development.
Tailored to meet different needs.
Our courses can also be tailored to meet the strategic and educational needs of consumers working in specialist roles such as consumer consultant or advisory roles, policy development, co-design work or management, by focusing on the consumer perspective principles, knowledge and skills required.
Both the Victorian Consumer Workforce Strategy and the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System identified the separate training and support needs for beginning or entry-level workers, and more advanced needs of workers as they step into specialist, management or leadership roles.
Did you know about all these different roles that consumers and survivors have across the mental health system?
It’s growing every year.
In recent years we’ve seen some growth in entry level training for peer support workers, but there is very little training designed for most of our other lived experience roles. Athena is committed to supporting development for all of our consumer workforce that is grounded in our collective consumer perspective.