Mental health Learning Health Network “Improving Conversations” Webinar Partnering with lived and living experience in delivering meaningful and sustainable improvements in mental health care and outcomes

Join us for the next Mental Health Learning Health Network virtual Improvement Conversation webinar on Wednesday 18th
October 2023, 1400hrs-1500hrs. This is an opportunity to hear about partnering with individuals with lived and living experience to drive meaningful and sustainable improvement across the Victorian mental healthcare system. Gain insights into the experiences of consumers, carers and supporters, and learn from services that partner well with those with Lived Experience.

Speakers Bio:

Kate Laidlaw

Kate Laidlaw has been working as a Lived Experience Consumer Peer Support Worker at various Monash Health sites over the last two years. She has worked in different areas of the inpatient program, including the early in life ward at Dandenong Hospital, and the adult ward at South Eastern Private Hospital. She is also a part of the SaferCare Victoria Reducing Restrictive Interventions Project, representing Monash Health's Lived Experience Workforce. Kate also volunteers as a Consumer Advocate for The Albert Road Clinic. Kate has a Bachelor of Arts degree with a Major in Psychology, and Masters of Counselling degree from Monash University.

Rebecca Langman

Rebecca Langman is a consumer lived experience leader in public mental health services. She is the Director of Consumer Lived/Living Experience at Alfred Mental and Addiction Health. Previously Rebecca worked on Kaurna Land as the Coordinator Consumer Engagement & Lived Experience for the Central Adelaide Local Health Network’s Mental Health Clinical Program. 

Rebecca has worked as a Peer Specialist in public hospital and community environments. She has a Bachelor of Media Arts majoring in Performing Arts & Film/TV Production and a Bachelor of Psychological Science from the University of South Australia. Her special interests include early intervention, peer support, experiences of trauma, outdoor/adventure therapy and access to emergency care. A firm believer in 'nothing about us without us', Rebecca is excited to walking alongside peers, carers and clinical staff on this journey of reform with the ultimate aim of a world where mental health care is recovery-focused, strengths-based and trauma informed.

Violeta Peterson has worked extensively across various community and health service leadership roles. In her current position as Director of Carer Lived/Lived Experience with Alfred Mental and Addiction Health, Violeta brings a depth of understanding, compassion and expertise to inform, shape and support the vision for an expanding family and carer lived/living experience workforce.

Together, Rebecca and Violeta lead a Lived Experience Workforce of over 60 staff members across Alfred Mental and Addiction Health

Ellie Hodges

In 2017 Ellie founded and is the Executive Director of LELAN. Ellie combines her personal, professional and socio-political worlds, centring lived experience and a commitment to transformative systems change. This is underpinned by a focus on innovation, social justice and leading together. Ellie is an individually appointed member of the legislated South Australian Suicide Prevention Council and loves cheese, particularly the stinky oozy kind.

LELAN is the independent peak body in South Australia by, for and with people with lived experience of mental distress, social issues or injustice. LELAN’s systemic advocacy targets the mental health and social sectors in South Australia, whilst their thought leadership and expertise on lived experience expertise and leadership is borderless.

Pivotal pieces of work completed in partnership and/or led by LELAN with the lived experience community include the groundbreaking Model of Lived Experience Leadership that launched in 2021, as well as The Lived Experience Governance Framework and A Toolkit to Authentically Embed Lived Experience Governance that were released in July 2023 (all available at www.lelan.org.au/shared-resources).

This event will be an online webinar with a link to follow once registered.

We look forward to seeing you there!