Noticeboard - Consumers and Carers
Latest news about activities of particular relevance to consumers and carers. All items for this year are available here. More general news is available here.
| 2008-05-05 |
Raising awareness and recognition for people with biploar disorder: online survey
This international survey for people with bipolar aims to gain a patient perspective (rather than clinical) on important issues. The survey is being conducted by PatientView, in association with the World Federation of Mental Health (WFMH) and GAMIAN-Europe, as well as the European family and carer federation, EUFAMI. The survey is part of a new project to create a global website for people living with bipolar depression, designed by people with bipolar themselves.
The brief survey is due to close on Monday 30th June 2008 and is available from online bipolar survey.
| 2008-04-23 |
National Mental Health and Disability Employment Strategy
As a part of the Social Inclusion Agenda, the Australian Government is developing a National Mental Health and Disability Employment Strategy to address the barriers faced by people with disability and/or mental illness that make it harder for them to gain and keep work. The Strategy will be developed in close consultation with consumers, peak bodies, employers, state and territory governments and experts.
The discussion paper provides instructions and examples of how to submit ideas and also outlines the background and purpose of the Strategy. More information can be found at Commonwealth Department of Employment Education and Workplace Relations webpage. Submissions close 30 June.
| 2008-04-16 |
Mental Health Council of Australia (MHCA) Carers Engagement Project
MHCA is currently organising and delivering a series of nationwide workshops that will provide opportunities for family members and carers of a person with a mental illness to further develop their coping and management skills.
There will be specific workshops for carers who are Indigenous, from a culturally and linguistically diverse background, and young carers.
Mental health carers will not only have the opportunity to share and learn but also provide the MHCA with information of relevance to advance the issue and needs of mental health carers in Australia at the national level. For more information about the workshops and where they will be held go to Mental Health Council of Australia website.
| 2008-04-07 |
Carers research project
A clinical psychology PhD student at the University of Wollongong is undertaking research with families or people who care for someone with a serious mental illness:"Paving the way: can identity, relationships & perceived control help map the caregiving journey?"
If you are a carer or relative (sibling, partner, parent, adult child or friend), are 18 years or older and would like to paricipate, please phone 0404 159 379, or email Cathy Bentley.
| 2008-04-01 |
New research into parent fatigue
According to Associate Professor Jan Matthews, Director of Research and Practice at the Parenting Research Centre (PRC), when parents are coping with fatigue it can have an impact on their ability to raise children. This survey of parent wellbeing will help to determine the level of fatigue that families are coping with on a daily basis, as well as to identify any potential impact on parenting. The research findings will be of real value in developing information and strategies to help support families.
The PRC would like to hear from any parents of children aged 0-6 who would like to participate in the parent fatigue and wellbeing survey: for more information go to Parent Fatigue Survey.
| 2008-03-31 |
Angels and Demons: Andrew Denton looks at the world of mental illness
At the 2007 Annual Mental Health Services Conference in Melbourne Andrew Denton met people from many walks of life who have struggled with severe mental illness. "Angels and Demons" provides a rare insight into the experiences of those with mental illness and finds the possibility of a better life for people often dismissed as beyond hope.
This episode of Enough Rope will screen on ABC TV, Monday April 7th at 9.35pm.
| 2008-03-25 |
New research into parent fatigue
According to Associate Professor Jan Matthews, Director of Research and Practice at the Parenting Research Centre, “We know that when parents are coping with fatigue it can have an impact on their ability to raise children. Previous international research has shown that fatigue can get in the way of parent-child and partner relationships, which has implications for a child’s emotional, physical and cognitive development, as well as for people’s physical and emotional health. Fatigue may even be a trigger in post-natal depression so there is a major need for resources to help parents address their fatigue”.
The Parenting Research Centre and the Parent Wellbeing team would like to hear from any parents of children aged 0-6, whether they are feeling fatigued or not, who would like to participate in the parent fatigue and wellbeing survey. For more information go to Parenting Research Centre.
| 2008-03-07 |
Self-injury and eating pathology questionnaire
A student of the Doctorate of Clinical Psychology at Deakin University, Melbourne, is seeking females aged 18 years and over to fill out an online questionnaire. This research is looking at how specific personality traits (impulsivity and compulsivity) may or may not be related to certain behaviours (disordered eating and self-harm) in females. This questionnaire will take about half an hour to fill out. The results will be confidential, and can be anonymous (if you opt not to receive the results of the research or to participate in the follow-up study). This research project has Deakin University Human Research Ethics Committee approval.
To fill out the questionnaire go to: Deakin University webpage.
| 2008-03-03 |
Membership of COPMI (Children of Parents with a Mental Illness) National Family Forum: Expression of interest
The COPMI National Family Forum and its governing body AICAFMHA is committed to participation of consumers, carers and young people in the COPMI initiative. One of the participation avenues is the COPMI National Family Forum (CNFF) that will consist of a group of 8-10 people who will inform and advise the COPMI team on consumer and carer perspectives. Applicants for the CNFF will be selected from a diverse group of consumers, carers and young people so that as far as possible a variety of communities are included.
Expressions of interest are due by Friday the 14th of March 2008. For more information contact Chris Alliston, ph: 08 83670888 Ext 30.
| 2008-02-15 |
'Social Alternatives' issue on mental health: call for papers
Social Alternatives is an independent, quarterly refereed journal, committed to the principles of social justice. The journal will publish a special issue focusing on mental health and is seeking relevant papers, personal stories and poetry. The submission deadline is 1st June 2008 with a release date in November 2008.
Guidelines for interested contributors can be found at: Social Alternatives webpage. Or contact guest editor Dr. Victoria Palmer (Research Fellow, Mental Health, Primary Care Research Unit, The University of Melbourne)
E-mail: vpalmer@unimelb.edu.au.