Delivery Mode: Online

Trauma Informed Care

Date: Wednesday, 16th July 2025, 9:00AM – 4:00PM

Location: Online

Description

This introductory training to trauma informed care provides an overview of the core principles of trauma informed care, the neurobiology of trauma, a strengths approach to human behaviour and an understanding of the nervous system and polyvagal theory application.

Eligibility Criteria

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

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.

Motivational Interviewing Foundational Skills

Dates:

Day one: Tuesday, 17 June 2025, 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM

Day two: Tuesday, 24 June 2025, 9:00 – 4:30 PM

Location: Online

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 under the AOD Traineeship Program.

Who is not eligible?

Anyone not employed under the AOD Traineeship Program, workers from other community sectors such as family violence, homelessness, mental health, non-supervisors 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.

Motivational Interviewing Foundational Skills

Dates:

Day one: Tuesday, 17 June 2025, 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM

Day two: Tuesday, 24 June 2025, 9:00 – 4:30 PM

Location: Online

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 under the AOD Traineeship Program.

Who is not eligible?

Anyone not employed under the AOD Traineeship Program, workers from other community sectors such as family violence, homelessness, mental health, non-supervisors 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.

Responding to Co-occurring Disorders

Dates:

Day 1: Monday 19th May 2025 @ 9:30 AM – 4:30 PM

Day 2: Monday 26th May 2025 @ 9:30 AM – 4:30 PM

Location: Online

Description:

Co-occurring mental health issues are the norm rather than the exception among people seeking alcohol and other drug treatment. Across this 2-day workshop you will learn how to adapt and expand your existing alcohol and other drug treatment skills to assist your clients with managing mental health symptoms.

Deepen your understanding of co-occurring mental health and alcohol and other drug issues and build your knowledge, confidence and skills to better understand clients’ needs, respond effectively, and adapt treatment. Find out what you need to know about the different co-occurring conditions you may encounter and how to effectively incorporate best practice responses into your treatment.

Key learning outcomes:

  • Recognise and understand the common mental health conditions in alcohol and other drug treatment
  • Undertake a thorough assessment and develop an integrated case formulation to guide your practice
  • Apply a range of alcohol and other drug treatment skills to working with clients with co-occurring mental health conditions
  • Learn how to respond therapeutically and effectively within the bounds of the alcohol and other drug treatment setting

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 and make your spot available to someone else on the waitlist.

Responding to Co-occurring Disorders

Dates:

Day 1: Monday 19th May 2025 @ 9:30 AM – 4:30 PM

Day 2: Monday 26th May 2025 @ 9:30 AM – 4:30 PM

Location: Online

Description:

Co-occurring mental health issues are the norm rather than the exception among people seeking alcohol and other drug treatment. Across this 2-day workshop you will learn how to adapt and expand your existing alcohol and other drug treatment skills to assist your clients with managing mental health symptoms.

Deepen your understanding of co-occurring mental health and alcohol and other drug issues and build your knowledge, confidence and skills to better understand clients’ needs, respond effectively, and adapt treatment. Find out what you need to know about the different co-occurring conditions you may encounter and how to effectively incorporate best practice responses into your treatment.

Key learning outcomes:

  • Recognise and understand the common mental health conditions in alcohol and other drug treatment
  • Undertake a thorough assessment and develop an integrated case formulation to guide your practice
  • Apply a range of alcohol and other drug treatment skills to working with clients with co-occurring mental health conditions
  • Learn how to respond therapeutically and effectively within the bounds of the alcohol and other drug treatment setting

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 and make your spot available to someone else on the waitlist.

Superskills: Core Skills for Supervisors

Dates:

Day 1: Thursday, 25th September 2025 @ 9:30 AM – 4:30 PM

Day 2: Thursday, 2nd October 2025 @ 9:30 AM – 4:30 PM

Location: Online

Description:

If you are a practice or clinical supervisor in the alcohol and other drug sector (or looking to become one), this workshop is for you. Gain a deep understanding of the ‘why’ as well as the ‘how’ and ensure that you have the right theoretical and practical foundation skills to offer powerful practice supervision across different contexts and supervisees.

You will learn about developing and implementing supervision contracts and plans, assessing supervisee development needs, and navigating challenges and roadblocks.

Learning outcomes

  • Understand different approaches to supervision and determine which one is right for you and your supervisees
  • Understand and apply structured practical supervisory processes to deepen core supervisory relationship skills, including listening, questioning, guiding, and giving and receiving feedback
  • Understand and utilise the reflective practice model of supervision
  • Understand and practice self-reflection and self-practice as a way of improving supervisory skills
  • Increase skills in facilitating reflective practice in staff
  • Understand and utilise a framework to support decision-making with ethical dilemmas
  • Improve knowledge and skill in responding to staff exposed to complex client presentations

Eligibility Criteria

This is a specialist skills workshop suitable for advanced practitioners who are current or future practice supervisors. This workshop is suitable for practitioners in low threshold and clinical settings.

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

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.

Superskills: Core Skills for Supervisors

Dates:

Day 1: Thursday, 25th September 2025 @ 9:30 AM – 4:30 PM

Day 2: Thursday, 2nd October 2025 @ 9:30 AM – 4:30 PM

Location: Online

Description:

If you are a practice or clinical supervisor in the alcohol and other drug sector (or looking to become one), this workshop is for you. Gain a deep understanding of the ‘why’ as well as the ‘how’ and ensure that you have the right theoretical and practical foundation skills to offer powerful practice supervision across different contexts and supervisees.

You will learn about developing and implementing supervision contracts and plans, assessing supervisee development needs, and navigating challenges and roadblocks.

Learning outcomes

  • Understand different approaches to supervision and determine which one is right for you and your supervisees
  • Understand and apply structured practical supervisory processes to deepen core supervisory relationship skills, including listening, questioning, guiding, and giving and receiving feedback
  • Understand and utilise the reflective practice model of supervision
  • Understand and practice self-reflection and self-practice as a way of improving supervisory skills
  • Increase skills in facilitating reflective practice in staff
  • Understand and utilise a framework to support decision-making with ethical dilemmas
  • Improve knowledge and skill in responding to staff exposed to complex client presentations

Eligibility Criteria

This is a specialist skills workshop suitable for advanced practitioners who are current or future practice supervisors. This workshop is suitable for practitioners in low threshold and clinical settings.

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

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.

Walking the line – A workshop on professional boundaries

Date: Thursday, 9th October 2025 1:00 PM – 4:30 PM

Location: Online

Description:

This half-day workshop will build and strengthen core knowledge and skills in understanding and maintaining professional boundaries, specifically when working with clients with alcohol and other drug issues. This will include:

  • Understanding professional boundaries
  • Strategies to prevent and respond to boundary challenges
  • Consideration of specific boundary issues to different AOD treatment roles, including lived experience roles
  • The use of technology
  • Selfcare

This workshop will use case based discussion throughout to ensure knowledge and skills taught are relevant to the AOD workforce.

Key learning outcomes:

  • Understand professional boundaries and their maintenance
  • Recognise and respond to boundary challenges
  • Build your own toolkit of practitioner specific boundary maintenance strategies, including managing technology
  • Recognise your own and your colleagues’ warning signs and challenging client presentations
  • Enhance your self care skills and know when to debrief and access further support

 

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 and make your spot available to someone else on the waitlist.

Understanding Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

Date: Thursday, 10th April 2025 9:30 AM – 4:30 PM

Location: Online

Description:

Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) is one of the key practice skills you need for effective alcohol and other drug treatment. This interactive workshop offers an engaging and practical introduction to CBT and makes CBT meaningful in day to day practice. Improve your understanding of CBT theory and practice, learn a comprehensive CBT framework, and develop skills in tailoring strategies and treatment for different client presentations.

Key learning outcomes:

  • Gain core knowledge and clinical skills in different types of behavioural and cognitive therapies
  • Understand the CBT approach to assessment, formulation, brief interventions and treatment planning
  • Apply knowledge and practice of key alcohol and other drug specific CBT interventions

 

Eligibility Criteria

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

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.

Walking the line – A workshop on professional boundaries

Date: Tuesday, 22nd July 2025 9:30 AM – 1:00 PM

Location: Online

Description:

This half-day workshop will build and strengthen core knowledge and skills in understanding and maintaining professional boundaries, specifically when working with clients with alcohol and other drug issues. This will include:

  • Understanding professional boundaries
  • Strategies to prevent and respond to boundary challenges
  • Consideration of specific boundary issues to different AOD treatment roles, including lived experience roles
  • The use of technology
  • Selfcare

This workshop will use case based discussion throughout to ensure knowledge and skills taught are relevant to the AOD workforce.

Key learning outcomes:

  • Understand professional boundaries and their maintenance
  • Recognise and respond to boundary challenges
  • Build your own toolkit of practitioner specific boundary maintenance strategies, including managing technology
  • Recognise your own and your colleagues’ warning signs and challenging client presentations
  • Enhance your self care skills and know when to debrief and access further support

 

Eligibility Criteria

This training has been funded for workers employed under the AOD Traineeship Program.

Who is not eligible?

Anyone not employed under the AOD Traineeship Program, workers from other community sectors such as family violence, homelessness, mental health, non-supervisors 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.

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We at VAADA acknowledge the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung People as the traditional owners of the land on which we reside and pay respect to elders past, present and emerging. We also acknowledge that this land was never ceded.
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