Tag: nonaccredited

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.

Essential Skills in Eating Disorders for AOD Workers

*This is a paid training*

Date: Thursday, September 19 9:00AM – 5:00PM

Location: Catholic Leadership Centre: 576 Victoria Parade, East Melbourne (Find out about our Travel Contribution Scheme)

Cost: $85

Click here to register and make payment

Description

As an AOD worker, you’re likely to encounter clients with co-occurring issues, including eating disorders. Understanding the basics can greatly enhance the care you provide within the scope of your role. This workshop will equip you with essential skills to recognize and respond to these complex needs within your existing AOD practice. Learn how to integrate care strategies that address both substance use and eating disorders, improving outcomes for your clients.

 

Learning Objectives:

  • Key Features for Early Identification understanding clinical features, prevalence and impact, risk factors and warning signs of eating disorders.
  • Response to an Eating Disorder explores engaging with a person experiencing an eating disorder, screening and screening tools, assessment, and making a provisional eating disorder diagnosis.
  • Shared Care covers referring to appropriate services in the stepped system of care for eating disorders, understanding and working in the multidisciplinary care team, and engaging families and supports.
  • Treatment provides an understanding of mental health treatment, medical care, nutrition support and stepping up care and/or referral pathways
  • Link between AOD and EDs helps us to understand the links between eating disorders and substance use and how you might work with someone experiencing both.

 

Pre-requisite

Students are required to complete the An Introduction to Understanding Eating Disorders e-learning prior to attending the workshop.

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.

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.

Working with LGBTQIASB+: Enhancing Skills for AOD Workers

This training is for AOD workers who would like to develop their skills in working with LGBTQIASB+ people.

This training will invite you to understand the experiences of LGBTQIASB+ individuals. We will specifically address issues related to Alcohol and Other Drugs, as well as strategies for engaging with support services. This training will provide both practical insights and in-depth reflections on the tangible, real-life impacts faced by the community.

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

Key topics covered:

  • Overview of basic concepts regarding LGBTQIASB+ people
  • Data and statistics for different LGBTQIASB+ populations relating to AOD, mental health and access to support
  • Minority stress and incremental trauma
  • Language
  • Social construction of identity
  • Community specific AOD presentations
  • Chemsex/Party and play (PnP)
  • HIV/AIDs
  • What does inclusive practice 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.

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.

Introduction to Aboriginal and Cultural Safety

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.

VACCHO’s Introduction to Aboriginal Cultural Safety training aims to provide the necessary foundational knowledge to enable participants to:

  • Develop a greater understanding of Aboriginal cultural and social perspectives
  • Engage meaningfully with Aboriginal peoples and Communities
  • Strengthen existing relationships and integrate cultural safety into practice
  • Identify ways to embed and apply learnings in professional and personal contexts.

Session topics include:

  • The historical and intergenerational impacts of colonisation and policies and how they have shaped Aboriginal culture, peoples and Communities
  • Aspects of Aboriginal identities, culture and protocols
  • Fostering respectful relationships with Aboriginal peoples and Communities
  • Foundational skills and strategies for implementing cultural safety into practice

Location

Online

 

Eligibility Criteria

This training is suitable for anyone interested in gaining the necessary knowledge and understanding to effectively communicate, engage, and work with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples in a culturally safe manner.

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 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.

Working with People with Borderline Personality Disorder – Foundational Training

This workshop is for AOD workers who would like to develop their skills in working with people who have borderline personality disorder (BPD) and explores the core common factors of effective engagement with this cohort.

It will provide a basic overview of signs and symptoms of BPD. The workshop will develop the workers’ understanding and practice in working effectively with people with BPD. It will include a developmental understanding of factors contributing to a diagnosis of BPD, the ongoing effects of early life experiences and complex childhood trauma, and the role of therapeutic relationships. The workshop will also focus on the assessment of, and working with risk, as well as principles for treatment and treatment planning.

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

Learning Objectives

  • Understand how BPD occurs and presents
  • Identify the principles of effective, therapeutic supportive relationships with people living with BPD
  • Set and maintain limits and boundaries with clients and work with strong emotions
  • Practice various grounding skills to stabilize emotions
  • Demonstrate an awareness of risk factors and assess the severity of risk
  • Appreciate the importance of self care, self awareness, and reflection when engaging with people who have BPD

 

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.

Group Facilitation for AOD Workers

*This is a paid training*

Date: Wednesday, September 11 2024, 9:30AM – 4:30PM

Location: MicDrop – 88 Langridge St, Collingwood 3066 (Find out about our Travel Contribution Scheme)

Cost: $103.00 (includes booking fee + GST). Pay by credit card, invoices cannot be issued.

Click here to register and make payment

Description

Group work is a common and useful treatment approach in Drug and Alcohol treatment. There are many types of groups such as support groups, task-focused, educative and therapeutic community groups.  Group Facilitation for AOD workers is a foundational course introducing the essential concepts of group facilitation.  Through a mixture of self-paced learning and in-person training, participants will learn how to:

  • Establish a supportive group culture and ensure safety within the group space
  • Define and apply the concepts of content and process, and the stages of group development
  • Identify common challenges in group program delivery and implement strategies to handle them effectively
  • Adapt to various group formats, including sole facilitation, co-facilitation, face-to-face and remote delivery
  • Apply skills and strategies to address responsivity factors in group work
  • Safely close a group through effective closing techniques

Course structure

  • Learning tasks to be completed before in-person training
  • One-day in-person training, incorporating discussion and applied learning activities
  • Free participant handbook

 

Terms and Conditions

  • You must work in a state-funded AOD service or program, mental health and other community service workers are not eligible
  • You must pay for your ticket to be considered enrolled in this course.
  • No invoices will be issued for this event
  • Travel contribution is available for this event for AOD workers in rural and remote areas.  See Travel Contribution to apply.  Travel Contribution is paid after the event upon proof of attendance.

Eligibility Criteria

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

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.

2-Day Harm Reduction Masterclass

Harm Reduction Masterclass: learn the principles and best practice with peer expert trainers from Harm Reduction Victoria. Learn alongside our living experience trainers about what clients who use drugs really want and need from our services. Essential for all new and established workers in the AOD and BBV workforces.

Description

There are 7 modules delivered over 2 half-days online, with each one designed to give you a basic understanding of each topic.  There is an activity that needs to be completed before attending the second day of training. Participants will receive details via email the week before the training.

NB: do not enrol in this training if you cannot commit to attending both days.  No-shows are not acceptable and will affect your ability to enrol in other training.

Details

DAY ONE – Wednesday August 21, 12:30PM – 5:00PM

Harm Reduction 101

  • Understand the history of harm reduction in Victoria & Australia.
  • Understand the National Drug Strategy policy of Harm Minimisation and how Harm Reduction fits into this policy.
  • Understanding the Substance, Set and Setting principles as a way to understand an individual’s drug experience.

Safer Injecting

  •  Understand safer injecting practices, including injecting sites; using a tourniquet, and infection & Blood Borne Virus risk.
  • Understand the circulatory system and the difference between veins and arteries.
  • Understand through “hands-on” demonstration the drug mixing up the process and the transmission risk points during the process.

Drug Overdose & Adverse Effects

  • Understand some of the common myths around opioid overdose.
  • Be able to recognize the signs of overdose and of actions to take in different circumstances
  • Understand when and how to intervene in overdose situations.

Naloxone Administration

  • Understand where to obtain naloxone for clients
  • Understand the different formulations of naloxone available
  • Understand the difference between someone who is ‘on the nod’ or overdosing and the appropriate time to administer naloxone.

 

DAY TWO – Thursday August 22, 9:30AM – 1:00PM

Introduction to Pharmacotherapy

  • Be aware of the pharmacotherapy options available to PWUD in Victoria.
  • Understand how to access pharmacotherapy in Victoria.
  • Be aware of Victoria’s “broken system”

Working Effectively with people who use drugs

  • Understand barriers to effectively working with people who use drugs (PWUD), in particular, people who inject drugs (PWID)
  • Understand and challenge the ‘gateway drug’ theory.
  • Understand common myths about PWID, the effects of criminalisation, and the stigma on the health of PWUD

Stigma & Discrimination

  • Understand how stigma and discrimination act as a barrier in healthcare settings.
  • Understand how frameworks of morality and social discourse frame our understanding of drug use.
  • Understand how we can all contribute to eliminating stigma and discrimination in ourselves and our services

 

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 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.

2-Day Harm Reduction Masterclass

Harm Reduction Masterclass: learn the principles and best practice with peer expert trainers from Harm Reduction Victoria. Learn alongside our living experience trainers about what clients who use drugs really want and need from our services. Essential for all new and established workers in the AOD and BBV workforces.

Description

There are 7 modules delivered over 2 half-days online, with each one designed to give you a basic understanding of each topic.  There is an activity that needs to be completed before attending the second day of training. Participants will receive details via email the week before the training.

NB: do not enrol in this training if you cannot commit to attending both days.  No-shows are not acceptable and will affect your ability to enrol in other training.

Details

DAY ONE – Wednesday August 21, 12:30PM – 5:00PM

Harm Reduction 101

  • Understand the history of harm reduction in Victoria & Australia.
  • Understand the National Drug Strategy policy of Harm Minimisation and how Harm Reduction fits into this policy.
  • Understanding the Substance, Set and Setting principles as a way to understand an individual’s drug experience.

Safer Injecting

  •  Understand safer injecting practices, including injecting sites; using a tourniquet, and infection & Blood Borne Virus risk.
  • Understand the circulatory system and the difference between veins and arteries.
  • Understand through “hands-on” demonstration the drug mixing up the process and the transmission risk points during the process.

Drug Overdose & Adverse Effects

  • Understand some of the common myths around opioid overdose.
  • Be able to recognize the signs of overdose and of actions to take in different circumstances
  • Understand when and how to intervene in overdose situations.

Naloxone Administration

  • Understand where to obtain naloxone for clients
  • Understand the different formulations of naloxone available
  • Understand the difference between someone who is ‘on the nod’ or overdosing and the appropriate time to administer naloxone.

 

DAY TWO – Thursday August 22, 9:30AM – 1:00PM

Introduction to Pharmacotherapy

  • Be aware of the pharmacotherapy options available to PWUD in Victoria.
  • Understand how to access pharmacotherapy in Victoria.
  • Be aware of Victoria’s “broken system”

Working Effectively with people who use drugs

  • Understand barriers to effectively working with people who use drugs (PWUD), in particular, people who inject drugs (PWID)
  • Understand and challenge the ‘gateway drug’ theory.
  • Understand common myths about PWID, the effects of criminalisation, and the stigma on the health of PWUD

Stigma & Discrimination

  • Understand how stigma and discrimination act as a barrier in healthcare settings.
  • Understand how frameworks of morality and social discourse frame our understanding of drug use.
  • Understand how we can all contribute to eliminating stigma and discrimination in ourselves and our services

 

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 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.

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