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 March 20, 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 March 21, 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.
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 March 20, 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 March 21, 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.
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.
In this training, participants will be guided through a clearly articulated practical process for engaging families, which is ideally suited to contexts where a family member is the primary client of an individually oriented service (e.g. AOD Adult and Youth AOD services).
Course Description:
- 3-hour self-paced online learning unit
- 3-hour online training
Participants must complete a 3-hour 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 January)
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 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.
Dr. Ed Ogden, Addiction Medicine Specialist, Swinburne University, GV Health, Austin Health and Hamilton Centre
In this presentation, Dr Ed Ogden discusses the barriers to treatment for people with co-occurring ADHD and substance use.
Slides: ADHD and Drug Use, Ed Ogden
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Mel Spencer OAM, CEO Different Journeys
In this presentation, Mel Spencer discusses her experiences navigating Victoria’s service system as a mother and carer of autistic children and as an autistic person. Her experiences led her to start Different Journeys, a not-for-profit dedicated to helping neurodivergent people access the appropriate support they need.
Slides: Navigating the Service System_Mel Spencer
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Dr Theresa Lynch, Chair, Pregnancy and Homelessness Coalition and
Kerri Felemonow, Manager, Women’s Alcohol and Drug Service
Slides: Lessons from the women’s movement – Kerri Felemenow
In this video, Theresa and Kerri highlight gaps in AOD treatment systems for women, and the importance of specialised, trauma-informed, gendered services to better support women affected by substance use.
Resources mentioned can be accessed here: Symposium Resource Hub
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Presented by: Dr Eddie Mullen, Director of Medical Workforce, Lead Psychiatrist, Hype Clinic, Dual Diagnosis Stream, Substance Use Research Group
Slides: Autism Substance Use and Addiction_Eddie Mullen
In this video, Dr Eddie Mullen discusses the clinical understanding of autism and the challenges faced by autistic people.
To access the video, click on ENROL NOW to change to “I’m going”
The WATCH VIDEO button will appear; click to access the video.
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This training will assist participants in building their knowledge and confidence to engage LGBTIQ+ community members in their AOD practice and will provide opportunities for participants to:
- Individually analyse your own assumptions and values and reflect on the implications in your delivery of health care to LGBTI+ communities
- Understand the importance and use of respectful and appropriate language
- Identify and understand the unique vulnerabilities that LGBTI+ communities face
- Improve your confidence in comprehensively meeting the needs of LGBTI+ consumers
- Develop improved skills around intake and assessment
- Understand the complexity and risk of methamphetamine use for men who have sex with men (MSM) and aim to improve treatment outcomes for this community
- Understand the broader AOD issues for LGBTI+ communities
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 waitlist.
This training will explore working with trans and gender-diverse folks in an AOD service context and will provide opportunities for participants to:
- Raise their awareness of important language, terminology and lived experiences of people with a trans or gender-diverse identity
- Understand current research regarding the health and wellbeing of trans and gender-diverse people, including those with intersectional identities
- Explore the ways in which the AOD comprehensive assessment may provide opportunities to ask clients about their experiences in relation to gender identity, and the impact of stigma, discrimination and transphobia on presenting issues and needs
- Apply learning to AOD practice using case examples and group discussions
- Develop strategies to build safe and inclusive services and practices
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 waitlist.
