Family Works Champions Program

Family-Inclusive Practice training for the Victorian Alcohol and Other Drugs Workforce

Program Description: Working with people impacted by alcohol and other drugs and often means navigating complex and changing circumstances. Research and practice experience demonstrate that outcomes for individuals can be enhanced when families and supporters are included in the therapeutic journey.

Purpose: This program is designed to support the AOD workforce alignment with the Department of Health’s AOD strategy and broader Mental Health and Wellbeing Workforce Capability Framework.

The program will give you the opportunity to:

Strengthen your family-inclusive practice skills
Build confidence in engaging families
Enhance your ability to motivate and support practice change
Develop practical strategies that can be applied immediately in your service
Learn alongside experienced practitioners from across the Victorian AOD sector
Become a champion for family-inclusive practice within your organisation

Cost: This training is no-cost to practitioners, as places are funded by the Department of Health, Victoria

Workshop Dates

Metro Workshop	Dates	Location
Workshop 1	19th Aug	Metro
Workshop 1	20th Aug	Metro
Workshop 2	2nd Sep	Metro
Workshop 2	8th Sep	Metro
Workshop 3	13th Oct	Metro
Workshop 3	14th Oct	Metro
Workshop 4	21st Oct	Metro
Workshop 4	28th Oct	Metro
Workshop 5	25th Nov	Metro
Workshop 5	26th Nov	Metro

Regional Workshop	Dates	Location
Workshop 1	26th Aug	Regional
Workshop 1	27th Aug	Regional
Workshop 2	23rd Sep	Regional
Workshop 2	24th Sep	Regional
Workshop 3	6th Oct	Regional
Workshop 3	7th Oct	Regional
Workshop 4	10th Nov	Regional
Workshop 4	11th Nov	Regional
Workshop 5	1st Dec and 2nd Dec	Regional

Online Workshop	Dates	Location
Workshop 1	1st Dec	Online
Workshop 1	2nd Dec	Online

Training Locations: See the website for dates, locations and expression of interest for regional workshops

Learn more and register here

Single Session Family Consultation (in-person)

Registrations have closed. Check if you’ve enrolled correctly under ‘My Courses’

Description:

This training aims to support AOD workers to engage and include families when supporting clients. Single Session Family Consultation (SSFC) offers timely, accessible support to all family members while retaining a strong therapeutic relationship. In keeping with single session thinking, it enables workers to make the most of each encounter with families.

**Please ensure you can commit to the package below before enrolling.

Training package:

Pre-requisite: Participants must complete a self-paced learning before attending the online training session. You will have approximately 6 weeks prior to the online training session to complete this at your own time (generally takes about 3 hours).
In-person training session: Thursday 2 October 2025, 9:30AM – 1:30PM @ The Bouverie Centre 8 Gardiner Street, Brunswick VIC 3056
Optional online consultation: Thursday 30 October 2025 – Participants will have the opportunity to attend an optional 1.5 hours online consultation 4 weeks after the training. This would take the form of a facilitated group supervision to explore your experience in applying SSFC in your practice.

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 including peer workers.

Who is not eligible?

Students on placement or internships, workers from other sectors (i.e. homelessness, mental health) and workers outside of Victoria.

Terms & Conditions

Please ensure you have clearance from your line manager to attend.

Email elevate@vaada.org.au at least 24 hours before the training to cancel you registration.

Single Session Family Consultation (online)

*To enrol, change ‘Enrol Now’ to ‘I’m Going’. Check if you’ve enrolled correctly under ‘My Courses’

Description:

**Please ensure you can commit to the package below before enrolling.

Training package:

Pre-requisite: Participants must complete a self-paced learning before attending the online training session. You will have approximately 6 weeks prior to the online training session to complete this at your own time (generally takes about 3 hours).
Online training session: Wednesday 20 August 2025 @ 9:30AM – 1:30PM
Optional online consultation: Thursday 25 September 2025 @ 10:30AM – 12:00PM – Participants will have the opportunity to attend an optional online consultation 6 weeks after the training. This would take the form of a facilitated group supervision to explore your experience in applying SSFC in your practice.

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 including peer workers.

Who is not eligible?

Students on placement or internships, workers from other sectors (i.e. homelessness, mental health) and workers outside of Victoria.

Terms & Conditions

Please ensure you have clearance from your line manager to attend.

Email elevate@vaada.org.au at least 24 hours before the training to cancel you registration.

Family Inclusive Practice for working with Young People: Half-day Workshop

Working effectively with young people includes engaging with their social and cultural ecosystems to build resources that can sustain them into the future. This training outlines a framework for family inclusion where practitioners can better understand their role in relationship to families and communities.

Learning outcomes:

Understanding how engaging with families can improve outcomes for young people
Keeping the family in mind when care planning
Strategies for enhancing communication and strengthening relationship bonds

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.

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.

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ABOUT PROVIDER

The Youth Support + Advocacy Service (YSAS) is Australia’s largest, youth-specific community service organisation. Operating since 1998 as Victoria’s flagship Youth AOD service, YSAS now employs over 350 skilled staff across 19 sites in metropolitan and regional Victoria. While the prime focus of YSAS remains on effective Youth AOD Treatment and sector leadership, the organisation also has extensive experience in providing young people and families with services that support improved mental health and improve meaningful community participation.

Level 3/33 Lincoln Square South
Carlton VIC 3053
Ph: 03 9415 8881
Em: reception@ysas.org.au
web: ysas.org.au

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Nov 10

Youth AOD 6 – A framework for including families in young people’s care

Duration: Half day

Delivery Mode: Online

Enrolment Now Open

Working effectively with young people includes engaging with their social and cultural ecosystems to build resources that can sustain them into the future. This training outlines a framework for family inclusion where practitioners can better understand their role in relation to families and communities.

Timetable:

Details:

9:30 am – 1:00 pm

Training Type: Non-accredited
Topic: Family
Priority Population: Youth
Age Group: Youth
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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Working effectively with young people includes engaging with their social and cultural ecosystems in order to build resources that can sustain them into the future. This training outlines a framework for family inclusion where practitioners can better understand their role in relationship to families and communities.
Learning outcomes:

Understanding how engaging with families can improve outcomes for young people
Keeping the family in mind when care planning
Strategies for enhancing communication and strengthening relationship bonds

Provider: YSAS

Eligibility Criteria

This course is suitable for Youth AOD workers working in a Victorian State-funded 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

Turning Point is a national treatment, research and education centre providing leadership in alcohol, drug, gambling and mental health sectors in Victoria. Combining research in clinical, population health and policy fields with service innovation, Turning Point assists services, communities and the Victorian government respond to alcohol, drug and gambling issues.

110 Church St
Richmond VIC 3121
Em: Marion.Brophy@easternhealth.org.au
Ph: 03 8413 8413
web: turningpoint.org.au

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Jan 31

31/01/22 Alcohol and Other Drugs Skillset CHCSS00093 (Youth Focused and Lived Experience)

Duration: See dates and classes below

Delivery Mode: Online

THIS TRAINING IS NOW FULL Apply now for all four units in the Alcohol and Other Drugs Skill Set CHCSS00093, delivered by Turning Point in partnership with YSAS and SHARC, focusing on youth and the lived experience. All four units will be delivered online, with virtual classes co delivered by the three partner organizations.

Timetable:

Details:

CHCAOD001 Work in an alcohol and other drug context

Online and virtual classes:
Monday 31^st January 2022 – Friday 25^th March 2022
Mandatory virtual classes from 9.30am – 2:00pm on the 8^th and 15^th February and the 1^st March 2022

CHCAOD004 Assess needs of clients with alcohol and other drugs issues

Online and virtual classes:
Tuesday 26^th April 2022 – Friday 24^th June 2022
Mandatory virtual classes 9.30am – 2:00pm on the 5^th, 12^th and 19^th May 2022.

CHCAOD009 Develop and review individual alcohol and other drugs treatment plans

Online and virtual classes:
Monday 18^th July 2022 – Friday 9^th September 2022
Mandatory virtual classes 9.30 AM – 2 PM on the 27^th July and 10^th and 24^th August 2022.

CHCAOD006 Provide interventions for people with alcohol and other drugs issues

Online and virtual classes:
Monday 3^rd October 2022 – Friday 25^th November 2022
Mandatory virtual classes 9.30am -2:00pm on the 12^th and 19^th October and the 2^nd November 2022.

Training Type: Accredited, AOD Skill Set
Topic: Diversity, Family, Harm Reduction, Treatment
Priority Population: Youth
Age Group: Youth
Location:
Online with virtual classes

About this training:

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Description

Turning Point (RTO 6948) has been contracted by the Department of Health (DH Victoria) to provide competency training and assessment opportunities to the Victorian AOD workforce.

This training is targeted at new employees currently in the AOD sector and has been contextualised for the AOD sector. In developing and delivering this skill set, Turning Point has worked with YSAS and SHARC, experts in understanding young people and their alcohol and drug use. Trainers with relevant experience within the Youth AOD Sector and Lived Experience in the Victorian AOD sector are involved in the delivery of these competencies.

Units of Competency:

CHCAOD001 Work in an alcohol and other drug context
This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to establish and work within the current context, philosophy and values of the AOD sector and applies to workers who come into contact with clients affected by alcohol and other drugs.

CHCAOD004 Assess needs of clients with alcohol and other drugs issues

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to prepare for and conduct assessments of AOD clients to determine eligibility, service requirements and referral needs. This includes knowledge of factors affecting assessment for a range of different client groups including different genders, youth, older people, mandated and voluntary clients, Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people and those from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

This unit applies to people involved in the assessment of clients with AOD issues using established organisation or jurisdictional AOD assessment tools.

CHCAOD009 Develop and review individual alcohol and other drugs treatment plans

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to work collaboratively with clients to establish treatment goals and to develop and evaluate individual treatment plans to meet those goals.

The purpose of the training is to enable participants to develop treatment plans with, and for, clients with AOD issues on the basis of an existing assessment and within established organisation guidelines.

CHCAOD006 Provide interventions for people with alcohol and other drugs issues

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to confirm, conduct and monitor evidence-based intervention strategies to address alcohol and other drugs issues. This unit includes applying standard processes and procedures to effectively manage tasks and contingencies required in the context of the work role.

The purpose of the training is to enable participants to develop the theoretical knowledge and practical skills required to prepare clients for interventions and deliver those interventions under supervision, within the scope of an established individual treatment plan.

Provider: Turning Point

Eligibility Criteria

To enrol in the CHCSS00093 AOD Skills Set you must be 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.

This is an expression of interest only and you must be available to attend all mandatory virtual classes advertised for all units of competency. These four (4) units of competency are part of the AOD Skills Set.

You will be notified via email if you have been successful in securing a place and you will be required to accept your offer by a due date, as demand for this skillset is high and there are limited places.

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.