We’re working with SHARC to campaign for immediate funding for Recommendation 29 of the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System
Recommendation 29 called for a new agency led by people with lived experience of mental illness or psychological distress – we call it Our Agency.
So what is our agency and why is it important?
The mental health sector has been slow to acknowledge the value of consumer/lived experience workforce and leaders. We have few consumer-led services and organisations that can provide leadership progression and pathways for consumers. The purpose of Our Agency will be to help to connect and grow consumer-led initiatives, provide training and resources for consumer leadership, develop consumer-led services, and embed consumer-led approaches across the mental health sector.
But there is still no funding allocated for Recommendation 29, and a board has not yet been established. We welcome the progress being made on other new agencies and services, although this progress is happening without connections with or input from Our Agency. Consumer-led learning, innovation, leadership, and systemic involvement are at risk of being side-lined. We are calling on Premier, Dan Andrews; Treasurer, Tim Pallas; and Minister for Mental Health, Gabrielle Williams to fund Our Agency and establish its board immediately.
You can help by adding your name to our open letter and by letting us know why consumer lived experience leadership is important to you.
To show your support for Consumer Leadership, click on the button below.
Approved by Craig Wallace – Level 3, 211 Chapel St, Prahran VIC 3121