**PLEASE NOTE**
All Focus Groups have now been filled. You will still have an opportunity to contribute via the Department of Health and Aged Care online survey which will be available in coming months.
The Department of Health and Aged Care is working to implement the peer workforce 2024-25 Budget measures. This includes establishing a “National Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Peer Workforce Association” from 1 July 2025 and delivering a National Census of the Lived Experience (Peer) Workforce by 30 June 2026.
The Department have engaged Lived Experience Australia to update the 2019 Towards Professionalisation Report to inform establishment of the Association, given the peer workforce sector has grown and developed significantly since then.
We are undertaking focus groups across March this year and invite you to express your interest in joining these consultations.
These focus groups are open to people in mental health and/or suicide prevention services who are currently or previously employed in designated personal or family/carer lived experience (peer) roles for example:
- Peer Support Workers
- Management and leadership
- Advocacy
- Education
- Policy, research and evaluation.
We recognise the importance of this work for the national mental health and suicide prevention peer workforce sector, and that there will be strong interest in contributing to this initiative.
If you are unable to attend any of the below focus groups, the focus groups are full, or you do not fit the above criteria, you will still have the opportunity to contribute your views via a national online survey. The Department of Health and Aged Care will announce details about this.
We are hoping to hold a focus group with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Peer Workers and are currently reaching out to Peer Leaders for their advice. If you are interested in attending this group, please contact Sharon Lawn (contact details below).
For enquiries regarding this consultation, please contact Sharon Lawn via slawn@livedexperienceaustralia.com.au or phone 0459 098 772
We encourage you to submit your expression of interest as soon as possible as applications will close once focus groups have reached capacity.
Please note: We will review applications and advise you of the outcome shortly. Please keep the selected date held in your calendar until confirmed.