[SECTOR TRAINING] Thinking About & Responding Differently to Distress, Suicidality and Complexity

This training has been developed by LELAN in response to our learnings from co-creating the Care not Treatment film, advocating for and systematically embedding the Alternatives to Suicide (Alt2Su) approach across South Australia, as well as learnings from developing the Lived Experience Governance Framework and then translating it for implementation within service delivery, policy and government contexts.  

The session will explore current risk averse cultures and intervention where decisions are made for people, toward person-directed and -led solutions grounded in relational practice. It responds to what people that use services (consumers) have shared about the support they find helpful or would most like when seeking support. 

Core to the learning goals of the training is highlighting the need to shift paradigms toward cultures, practices and support options that strengthen safety, choice, and control. Such environments are ones that recognise the dignity of all people and promote helpful experiences of care that don't harm and are accountable. Ensuring responsive rather than reactive approaches and where the rights, needs, preferences and decision-making autonomy of people experiencing distress, suicidality and complexity are prioritised.

Who The Training is For:

Thinking and Responding Differently to Distress, Suicidality and Complexity training is designed for people interested in, advocating for or responsible for funding, delivering, overseeing, governing, or evaluating different approaches beyond medical and clinical-only models. 

The training is suitable for people in service delivery roles (inclusive of clinical, allied health and peer disciplines), senior practitioners and organisational leaders and executives.

* If you are being supported by an organisation and require an invoice please email info@lelan.org.au outlining the workshop/ training session(s) and attendee information. Please note that three or more people attending the same session from the same organisation will be registered using the member priced tickets.

What Will be Covered:  

• Deeper understanding of how the experience of distress, suicidality and complexity make sense in the context of peoples' lives.

• The impact of trauma, power and current responses by community, services and ‘the system’.

• What people have told us would be most helpful or preferred when seeking support.

• The dilemmas and shifts required to move from pathologising and risk averse approaches to ones that promote safety cultures and are person-directed or -led.

• Core qualities and relational approaches for holding space in connection with people.

• Examples of local and not-so-local approaches where practitioners, services and policy settings are supportive of and enable 'doing differently'.

• How to structure and/or advocate for better responses to distress, suicidality and complexity at a team, service, and organisational level.

Structure of The Day:

This is a one-day in-person training available to people that work in the mental health and social sectors, inclusive of suicide prevention, alcohol and other drugs, homelessness and family, domestic and sexual violence. The session will include presentation of information by the facilitator(s), large and small group discussions, and reflective exercises. The knowledge, skills and diverse experiences of attendees will be drawn on to create an environment of dialogue, shared learning, and community.

* Morning and afternoon tea will be provided by LELAN only. For lunch a supermarket and range of cafes and other places are close by for you to purchase food yourself, facilities are accessible for storing and reheating food you may bring.

Facilitator Information: 

This session will be facilitated by Ellie Hodges (Chief Executive) and Tanya Blazewicz (Senior Community and Projects Worker).

You can learn more about LELAN team members and access numerous resources that inform and demonstrate our expertise via our website at www.lelan.org.au.

Scholarship Support for People with Lived Experience to Attend:

If you are a person with lived experience that is interested and available to attend but the cost of training is a barrier, please email info@lelan.org.au expressing interest and telling us about yourself, including how this will help you in any advocacy, representative or peer work role you have.

Bespoke Training Options with LELAN:

If you would like this or similar training to be facilitated within your organisation, please reach out to LELAN to discuss how we can tailor learning and development opportunities to your needs. The best way to do this is via info@lelan.org.au or 0431 953 526.

A follow up session to this workshop is available for organisations, Applying and Grappling with the Tensions of Thinking About & Responding to Distress, Suicidality and Complexity. The second day provides space to explore and reflect more deeply on concepts and practices core to the training, talk through the scenarios that matter most to your team or organisation and identify what steps could be taken to strengthen supports and structures for this work to thrive where you are.