The National Mental Health Consumer Alliance (NMHCA) is the national mental health peak body for mental health consumers. We are led by, and represent, the voices of people with lived experience of mental health challenges.
NMHCA is working together with the Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia (FECCA) on this opportunity. FECCA is a national peak body.
Both NMHCA and FECCA recognise the additional challenges facing migrants, refugees, and people of colour in Australia, particularly when it comes to mental health and wellbeing. We are looking for a Chairperson to develop and lead the NMHCA’s Multicultural Mental Health Expert Group consisting of representatives from multicultural communities in each state and territory.
The Group will provide high level advice to NMHCA’s National Policy Council identifying particular concerns for people with mental health challenges. This will include providing a multicultural perspective on national mental health policies and providing input into Alliance policy development.
Available for four days a month, the Chairperson will Chair the Multicultural Mental Health Expert Group (2 hour meeting once a month) and attend the National Policy Council (NPC) once a month to create a policy pathway to and from the Expert Panel. The Chairperson CANNOT be a Board member of a State/Territory mental health consumer peak body (i.e. the members of NMHCA), nor be a member of a State/Territory peak body national Consumer Advisory Group.
To take on this role you will have lived experience of mental health challenges, using, or trying to use, nationally funded mental health services* in the last five years. The NMHCA defines lived experience of mental health challenges as “experience of mental health challenges that have caused life as we knew it to change so significantly we must reimagine and redefine ourselves, our place in the world, and out plans”.
You will be paid at the rate set by the National Mental Health Commission, currently $123.20 per hour, maximum of $616 per day.
An indication of the tasks you will be responsible for include:
- convening a group of mental health peers once a month
- devise and prepare the Agenda with the NMHCA
- formally sign off on minutes
- attend, report and contribute to monthly National Policy Council meetings
- supporting members of the group where required (out-of-session discussion with committee member, managing interpersonal issues)
- filtering discussions into policy proposals
Criteria
You will:
- Identify as a refugee, migrant, person of colour and/or from a multicultural background
- Have personal lived experience of mental health challenges, using, or trying to use, mental health services and supports funded or partially funded by the Australian Government* within the last five years
- have experience in:
o setting Agendas and undertaking general administration of committee
o listening to what other people say/insights that have been raised by a group and deliver it concisely back to other groups, such as the NPC - have experience sharing your lived experience in a safe way to contribute to the development of systemic policy advice
- have access to good internet access to facilitate online meetings
- understand how online meetings are run (proficiency with Microsoft Teams)
- be available up to four days a month on average and attend other meetings as required (such as attending a 2 day symposium in Melbourne in June/July)
To participate on this Expert Group you cannot be a member of the Board or the national Consumer Advisory Group of your State/Territory Mental Health Consumer Peak body.
If you meet these criteria and are interested in nominating for the Chairperson role, please submit an application, maximum of two pages, addressing the criteria above, by 5pm on 19 March 2025 to admin@nmhca.org.au.
If you have any questions, please contact Priscilla Brice, ceo@nmhca.org.au.
*Use mental health services and supports funded or partially funded by the Australia Government. This may include receiving services through the National Disability Insurance Scheme or at a Medicare Mental Health Centre, or receiving a Medicare Benefits Schedule rebate under the Better Access initiative when using a general practitioner (including a mental health plan), psychiatrist, prescribed medical practitioner, psychologist, social worker and/or occupational therapist.