Age Group: All

Motivational Interviewing Foundational Skills

Unfortunately, our waitlist is now at capacity.

Dates:

Day one: Wednesday, 2 April 2025, 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM*

Day two: Wednesday, 9 April 2025, 9:00 – 4:30 PM

*Download both days to your calendar.  Bookings can only be made from day one of training.

Location: Online (Link will be sent to you closer to the training date)

Description

Motivational Interviewing (MI) is a collaborative method for guiding conversations about change. More than a set of techniques, MI is a discipline in its own right that brings together a set of values, principles and disciplined use of skills to assist people in resolving ambivalence and deepen motivation to pursue meaningful changes for them.

While the skills take time and practice, the conversation style is gentle, and curious and comes from a place of faith in the other person. The hope is that, together, we may discover what is meaningful for this person and what choices would work best for them, knowing who they are and what they want deep down for their future. MI asks us to be mindful of the way our own hopes and assumptions can interfere in the process as much as they can help and create a space of genuine enquiry and deepening understanding.

Rather than replace other approaches, MI can enhance and deepen the full range of interventions we use by bringing a more acute awareness to the how and when of conversation rather than just what we talk about.

The training is highly interactive, with a focus on practical skill development. The two-day workshop will offer an opportunity to:

  • Gain a clear and up-to-date understanding of MI – what it is, how it works and recent changes to the framework
  • Increase understanding of the change process
  • Review and practice the core skills
  • Apply the skills to the change process
  • Increase ability to work effectively with resistance and ambivalence
  • Practice skills in softening sustained talk and eliciting change talk
  • Develop strategies to continue learning and practising MI.

 

Eligibility Criteria

This training has been funded for workers employed in a Victorian State-funded Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) service.

Who is not eligible?

Students on placement or internships, workers from other community sectors such as Family Violence, Homelessness and Mental Health and AOD workers outside of Victoria.

Terms & Conditions

Please ensure you have clearance from your line manager to attend. If you cannot attend, cancel your registration at least 24 hours before the cancel your registration and make your spot available to someone else on the waitlist.

No shows will be charged a $50 cancellation fee.

Take Note! Case Notes Essentials

Date: Thursday, 27th February 2025 9:30AM – 12:30PM

Location: Online

Description:

This training will provide you with:

  • An understanding of the benefits and importance of effective case note writing, record-keeping and information sharing for yourself as AOD workers, for your clients and your workplace
  • An overview of evidence-based practice and principles for clinically-relevant and compliant case notes
  • An understanding of the legal context and important concepts (e.g. consent, disclosure, confidentiality, privacy, access, ownership, record-keeping and reporting)
  • Consideration of ethical and operational barriers to case note writing
  • Practical tips and resources for efficiently writing effective case notes
  • Skill development through key examples, resources and activities

 

Eligibility Criteria

Workers employed in a Victorian State-funded Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) service.

Who is not eligible?

Workers from other community sectors such as Family Violence, Homelessness and Mental Health and AOD workers outside of Victoria.

Terms & Conditions

Please ensure you have clearance from your line manager to attend. If you cannot attend, cancel your registration and make your spot available to someone else on the waitlist.

Working with Trans and Gender Diverse people: Enhancing Skills for AOD Workers

This training is for AOD workers who would like to develop their skills in working with trans and gender diverse (TGD) communities.

We invite you to gain a deeper understanding of the experiences of TGD people, focusing on Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD) issues and strategies for engaging with support services. The session will discuss population specific considerations and provide practical insights and in-depth reflections on the real-life impacts faced by the community.

Location: Online (Your zoom link will be sent to you a few days before the training)

Key topics covered:

  • Overview of basic concepts regarding TGD people (sexuality =/= gender; pronouns; definitions)
  • Data and statistics for different TGD populations relating to AOD, mental health and access to support
  • Minority stress and incremental trauma
  • Language
  • Social construction of gender
  • Community specific AOD presentations (Chemsex, Party and play (PnP), access to community, hormone therapy)
  • Gender affirmation
  • What does inclusive and affirmative practice for TGD people look like?
  • Current research
  • Reflective practice and case studies

 

Eligibility Criteria

This training has been funded for workers employed in a Victorian State-funded Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) service, including Peer and LLE workers and workers participating in the AOD Traineeship Program.

Who is not eligible?

Students on placement or internships, workers from other community sectors such as family violence, homelessness, mental health, and AOD workers outside of Victoria. Please ensure you have clearance from your line manager to attend. If you cannot attend,  cancel your registration and make your spot available to someone else on the waitlist.

No-shows will be charged a $50 cancellation fee.

ACECHO- AOD Collaborative ECHO

The AOD Collaborative ECHO (ACECHO) partnership involves VAADA, Turning Point, and Goulburn Valley Health. This dedicated ECHO for Victorian AOD state-funded services aims to enhance the capabilities of AOD workers in addressing substance use issues among their clients. The primary objective of these sessions is to foster a community of AOD workers with varying levels of expertise, united by the shared goal of improving the well-being, and achieving positive outcomes, for individuals with problematic substance use.

Conducted under the guidance of Turning Point, each session commences with a presentation delivered by a Turning Point expert or a related professional, focusing on a specific topic. This is followed by an in-depth case consultation, during which attendees have the opportunity to ask questions or offer recommendations based on a case study presented by one of the participants.

ACECHO Timetable

 

20th November, 2024

The invisible supports: Families and carers of people living with substance use problems or addiction
Presenter – Dr Keri Alexander

Dr Keri Alexander is an addiction medicine specialist at Hamilton Centre and Austin Health and has many years of experience in a variety of AOD and family violence programs, including Family Drug Helpline. She advocates for people living with substance use and addiction issues, as well as their carers, to be treated with dignity and respect.

Launch zoom meeting

 

Submit a Case Presentation to ACECHO

Case presentations by participating healthcare providers are the cornerstone of the ECHO model. Presentations are always followed by an open Q & A discussion of the case and recommendations by the hub team. To submit a case study, click Go to Form.

Go to Form

 

Introduction to Aboriginal and Cultural Safety

Date: Tuesday, 18th February 2025, 9:30AM – 3:00PM

*catering will be provided*

Location: Level 6, 222 Hoddle Street, Abbotsford, Victoria 3067 (Read more about Travel Contribution)

Cost: $40 (tickets can only be purchased via credit card)

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Description

VACCHOs Introduction to Aboriginal Cultural Safety training encompasses, and builds on, cultural awareness content by providing considerations and advice to implement cultural safety considerations into practice. Participant learning and understanding are enhanced by the personal stories and the lived experience of our facilitators while exploring Aboriginal identities, cultures, and history.

The session covers:

  • Understanding cultural safety and its importance in increasing service accessibility and effective engagement with Australia’s First Peoples.
  • The historical and ongoing impacts of colonisation and colonial policies on Australia’s First
  • Peoples culture and Communities
  • Trauma-informed practice
  • First Peoples diverse identities; respectful terminology and language
  • Cultural Load and its impacts on individuals, Communities, and organisations
  • How Equity and Self-determination are vital to cultural safety
  • Foundational skills to implement cultural safety into practice
  • Fostering respectful relationships with First Peoples and Communities
  • A timeline of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Strength and Resilience

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Eligibility Criteria

Workers employed in a Victorian State-funded Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) service.

Who is not eligible?

Students on placement or internships, workers from other community sectors such as Family Violence, Homelessness and Mental Health and AOD workers outside of Victoria.

Terms & Conditions

Refunds are available up to 1 day prior to the event. Please ensure you have clearance from your line manager to attend. If you cannot attend, cancel your registration at least 24 hours before the cancel your registration and make your spot available to someone else on the waitlist.

Single Session Family Consultation (SSFC)

Course Description:

This training supports practitioners and AOD workers to engage and include families when working with clients. SSFC offers timely, accessible support to all family members while retaining a strong client–practitioner relationship. In keeping with single session thinking, it enables practitioners to make the most of each encounter with families.

  • 3-4 hour self-paced online learning unit (duration depends on your respective learning style)
  • 3-hour in-person training at The Bouverie Centre, 8 Gardiner St, Brunswick

Pre-requisite: Participants must complete a online learning component before the in-practice sessions. Links to online training will be provided to participants approximately six weeks prior to the in-practice training dates (Early October).

 

Learning Outcomes:

On completion of SSFC, you will be able to:

  • Understand the Single Session Thinking and Family Consultation frameworks that underpin SSFC
  • Convene, conduct and undertake follow-up as part of SSFC
  • Address challenging situations in sessions with families
  • Identify how you can incorporate SSFC into your practice

 

Eligibility Criteria

This training has been funded for workers employed in a Victorian State-funded Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) service.

 

Who is not eligible?

Students on placement or internships, workers from other community sectors such as Family Violence, Homelessness and Mental Health and AOD workers outside of Victoria. Please ensure you have clearance from your line manager to attend. If you cannot attend, even if you find out the day before, please cancel your registration and make your spot available to someone else on the waiting list.

Doing Difference Differently E-Learning

Doing Difference Differently aims to teach intersectionality in ways you can apply to your everyday practice.

The unit takes approximately 60 minutes to complete.

Learning objectives:

This course aims to provide you with tools, concepts, and frameworks to unpack how specific differences between people are made or constructed and how these differences are made to matter through hierarchies and binaries of status and value.

In this course you will learn:

  • Identity and representations: what is intersectionality? What isn’t intersectionality?
  • Power: understanding power and harnessing power
  • Framing and Representation: putting intersectionality to work

To access the course:  Make sure you are signed up or signed in,

Click on ENROL NOW. Click on the GO TO TRAINING button (it will appear once you are enrolled)

Create an account with Insight Queensland to receive your certificate of learning.

Foundations in Eating Disorders: Free eLearning until 30th June 2026

Details: Free training to build core skills in eating disorder identification and care

Date: Free of charge until the 30th of June 2026

Location: Online – eLearning module via NEDC

Description

This is a free training for AOD sector workers, health, mental health and lived experience workers, for a one-time professional development initiative to build knowledge and skills in prevention, identification, and evidence-based approaches to eating disorders and associated concerns.

This training will help practitioners to engage safely and confidently with people around topics of food, body image, and eating as part of routine care across a wide range of roles and settings.

About the initiative

As part of a collaborative effort to implement the National Eating Disorders Strategy and the Victorian Eating Disorders Strategy, the National Eating Disorders Collaboration (NEDC), in partnership with the Victorian Department of Health, the Centre for Excellence in Eating Disorders (CEED), and Eating Disorders Victoria (EDV), is offering a suite of eLearning courses free of charge to Victorian health professionals until 30 June 2026.

Participants receive free access to eLearning modules that form part of a stepped skill development pathway, tailored to discipline, service and role.

Registration: To register, please follow the instructions here: Foundations in Eating Disorders: Identification eLearning

Further information

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ABOUT PROVIDER

Odyssey Victoria has more than 30 years of experience providing alcohol and other drugs (AOD) treatment services in Victoria. Part of Odyssey’s remit is to provide AOD workforce development through its activities as an enterprise based registered training organisation – trading as Odyssey Institute (RTO 20995).

Odyssey House Victoria Head Office
660 Bridge Rd
Richmond VIC 3121
Em: trainer@odyssey.org.au
Ph: 03 9420 7600
web: odyssey.org.au
Oct 20
22510VIC Course in identifying and responding to family violence risk
clock Duration: 2 months
location Delivery Mode: Online

Enrolment Now Open

This course targets new entrants to the AOD sector as well as other professionals and workers who do not have family violence as a core function of their role, and others interested in increasing their understanding of factors and reporting mechanisms related to family violence risk.

clock Timetable:
location Details:

TBC

  • Training Type: Accredited
  • Topic: Family Violence
  • Priority Population: All
  • Age Group: All
  • Location: 

    Online
About this training:

IMPORTANT: registrations for training will become live approximately two months prior to start of training. To enrol in this or any training, you must click the link below and fill in the registration. If you do not complete the registration, you will not have a place in the training. If you experience a broken link, please get in touch with us at elevate@vaada.org.au

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This course targets new entrants to the AOD sector as well as other professionals and workers who do not have family violence as a core function of their role, and others interested in increasing their understanding of factors and reporting mechanisms related to family violence risk.

Assessments are conducted using a variety of methods to ensure that sufficient evidence is collected to demonstrate the required skills and knowledge. Assessments frequently require observation of therapeutic skills demonstrated via role-play/simulation and will include question banks to verify essential knowledge.

Provider: Odyssey Victoria

Eligibility Criteria

There are no pre-requisites for this program, although a minimum of prior qualification at Certificate IV level and or existing experience in working in the AOD sector is preferred.  Workers who have already undertaken MARAM, LGBTIQ and Child Safety / Reporting programs will have an advanced understanding of some key components of the program.

This training has been funded for workers employed in a Victorian State-funded Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) service, including those who are new to the AOD sector or recently employed under the COVID-19 Workforce Initiative and Peer workers.

Who is not eligible?

Students on placement or internships, workers from other community sectors such as Family Violence, Homelessness and Mental Health and AOD workers outside of Victoria.

Please ensure you have clearance to attend from your line manager. If you are unable to attend, even if you find out the day before, please cancel your registration and make your spot available to someone else on the waiting list.

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ABOUT PROVIDER

arbias Ltd. is a not for profit national company established in 1990. arbias Ltd. provides specialist services for people with acquired brain injury and high complex needs which include alcohol and other substances, and mental health disorders. Our services include Neuropsychology assessment, Training provided by Clinical Neuropsychologists for people working with clients with ABI, Community Programs, NDIS Services, Housing, and TAC Intensive Outreach Support Coordination.

arbias
27 Hope St
Brunswick VIC 3056
E: EnquiriesVIC@arbias.com.au
Ph: 03 8388 1222
web: arbias.org.au
Feb 01
01/02/22The Interplay between ABI, Mental Health, and AOD: Untangling the Complexity: Half Day Module
clock Duration: Half-day
location Delivery Mode: Online

**THIS TRAINING IS NOW FULL**

Let us provide insight into mental health disorders and associated cognitive difficulties, including co-occurring mental health difficulties and ABI. We will specifically look at substance use and ABI for an understanding of behaviours of concern in such contexts.

clock Timetable:
location Details:

9:30am – 12:30pm

  • Training Type: Non-accredited
  • Topic: ABI, Cognitive
  • Priority Population: All
  • Age Group: All
  • Location: 

    Online
About this training:

IMPORTANT: registrations for training will become live approximately two months prior to start of training. To enrol in this or any training, you must click the link below and fill in the registration. If you do not complete the registration, you will not have a place in the training. If you experience a broken link, please get in touch with us at elevate@vaada.org.au

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The aim of this module is to provide participants with knowledge and skills for working with people who have an ABI who present with alcohol and/or substance use and mental health issues.

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this session it is anticipated that participants will be able to:

  • Know how to screen for ABI risk factors and how to refer for further assessment
  • Describe a number of common mental health disorders
  • Understand how alcohol and other substance-related brain injury occurs and their common consequences
  • Understand how complexity/comorbidity occurs
  • Implement strategies to assist with working with complexity
  • Understand brain-behaviour relationships and the effects of ABI on behaviour
Provider: arbias

Eligibility Criteria

This training has been funded for workers employed in a Victorian State-funded Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) service, including those who are new to the AOD sector or recently employed under the COVID-19 Workforce Initiative and Peer workers.

Who is not eligible?

Students on placement or internships, workers from other community sectors such as Family Violence, Homelessness and Mental Health and AOD workers outside of Victoria.

Please ensure you have clearance to attend from your line manager. If you are unable to attend, even if you find out the day before, please cancel your registration and make your spot available to someone else on the waiting list.
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