Supporting Resources

NLA Allied Professionals Committee ToR

1. Purpose

The purpose of this document is to define the role and responsibilities of the National Legal Aid – National Allied Professional Committee. The purpose of the group is to provide allied professional practice leadership, information, support, and advice to NLA, as well as provide a forum for members to access peer support, share practice experience and resources, build an evidence base, improve understanding of the role and value of allied professionals in legal aid commissions, and consider opportunities for service collaboration and development.

2. Members of the Committee

Name, Legal Aid Commission, Role

3. The objectives of the Committee are:

a) Share practice and service experiences, learnings and resources, i.e. set up a shared database where brief information on projects undertaken by students can be accessed by the group;

b) Work together to build the evidence base for allied professional services in legal aid commissions;

c) Provide each other with peer support;

d) Establish subgroups to address particular needs identified such as practice issues in a particular jurisdiction, i.e. community of practice in Family Law;

e) Identify strategic advocacy priorities and opportunities for allied professional service development and communicate these to NLA;

f) Respond to NLA requests for advice regarding allied professional services, client needs and systemic/strategic advocacy;

g) Identify areas for evaluation and research;

h) Identify shared education and training needs and coordinate training that can be accessed by all legal aid commissions;

i) Improve understanding of allied professionals through education/training and promote the value of allied professional practice providing holistic services for clients to legal aid commissions and the legal sector more broadly;

j) Share allied professional student guidelines with the Committee to support development of guidelines in each Commission.

4. Strategic Planning

The Committee will develop a Strategic Plan annually to ensure it meets its Purpose and Objectives. The Strategic Plan is a tool for the Committee to achieve these. The Strategic Plan will detail:

a) Objective the activity it relates to;

b) Activities to achieve the Objective;

c) Person responsible for overseeing the activities are completed; and

d) Time frames.

e) The Strategic Plan will be reviewed at the end of the year and a new plan will be developed. The Chair will Agenda the Strategic Planning session into set meeting dates unless the Committee decides a separate session is required.

5. Role of Committee Members

The responsibilities of Committee members are to:

a) Understand and represent the interests of their organisation;

b) Take a genuine interest in the objectives, outcomes and overall success of the Committee;

c) Act on opportunities to collaborate;

d) Support open discussion and debate, and encourage fellow Committee members to voice their insights;

e) Actively participate in meetings through attendance, discussion, and review of minutes, papers and other Committee documents;

f) Review meeting materials and provide feedback and input offline when attendance at a meeting is not possible.

6. Role of attendees

Attendees are invited to the Committee to provide information to members.  Attendees are invited to meetings on a permanent or one-off basis.  One-off attendees are invited to support a specific agenda item.  Permanent attendees are invited for their specific expertise.

7. Conflicts and Confidentiality

Upon becoming aware of a conflict of interest, members and attendees must immediately declare their conflict of interest to the Chair.

Members and attendees must regard all information made available to them in agendas and minutes, and all discussions at Committee, as confidential unless otherwise agreed to by the group. It is agreed that where decisions need to be informed by the organisation that the Committee Members will share information needed with their organisation to allow decisions to be made.

8. Role of the Chair and Minute Taker

The role of the Chair and Minute Taker will be rotated amongst Legal Aid Commissions. The Legal Aid Commission Chairing the Committee will be responsible for convening the meetings; sending out an Agenda, taking minutes and any other tasks required to convene the meeting. At the end of the 2 years, the Chair will request at a Meeting for another legal aid commission to nominate to take on the role.

If the Chair is unable to attend a meeting, the Chair will appoint a proxy to undertake the role from their organisation.

The responsibilities of the Committee Chair are to:

a) Invite appropriate persons to become members of the Committee;

b) Set the agenda for each meeting;

c) Make the purpose of each meeting clear to members and explain the agenda at the beginning of each meeting;

d) Place time limits on agenda items and ensure meetings end at the scheduled time;

e) Encourage broad participation from members in discussion by calling on different people;

f) Conclude each meeting with a summary of decisions and actions;

g) Follow up with consistently absent members;

h) Be available to respond to queries from Committee members;

i) Communicate with the Chair of NLA when this is determined necessary by the Committee or in response to NLA requests;

j) Follow up any actions.

The minute taker will:

a) Take minutes and circulate these;

b) Schedule all meetings and invite participants;

c) Send out the Agenda and Minutes.

The current Chair and Minute Taker roles are being undertaken by Victoria Legal Aid. In June 2023 at the completion of two years the Chair will Agenda – nomination of new Chair and a new Chair will be appointed for two years.

9. Meetings and decisions

A quorum is a majority of members. The meetings will not proceed if a quorum is not reached in a meeting.

It is acknowledged that members are attending on behalf of their organisation and that if decisions that impact beyond the meting need to be made, they will need to seek input and authority from their organisation regarding these decisions.

10. Duration and Frequency of Meetings

Meetings will take place monthly for an hour and a half. The Committee can decide at any time to change meeting frequency if needed to meet the Committee’s purpose and objectives.

11. Review

A Review will be held annually. This will be done with the Committee as a whole and a range of methods may be used to evaluate the Committee’s effectiveness. The Chair will be responsible for overseeing the evaluation.

VLA Terms of Reference Speaking From Experience

Background

At Victoria Legal Aid (VLA), the Mental Health Program comprises Independent Mental Health Advocacy (IMHA) advocates and VLA’s Mental Health and Disability Law (MHDL) lawyers. These services provide integrated, consumer-focussed legal and non-legal advocacy services for people subject to compulsory treatment, together with linkages to important services both within VLA and external organisations. In addition to representation before courts and tribunals, VLA’s Mental Health Program provides people with access to information and support to act on their rights through self-advocacy at any stage during their compulsory treatment and advocacy.

MHDL and IMHA are committed to people experiencing mental health issues being supported to make decisions regarding their assessment, treatment, and recovery. MHDL and IMHA work with the justice and health system to promote the rights of people receiving or under threat of receiving compulsory treatment and ensure that these rights are both respected and promoted. MHDL provides legal advice and representation to people receiving compulsory treatment in Victoria, IMHA is a non-legal advocacy service for people receiving compulsory treatment in Victoria.

The services are guided by what people receiving compulsory treatment want rather than what may be considered by others to be in their best interests.

IMHA incorporated consumer perspectives in the establishment phase. IMHA began delivering services on the 31st of August 2015 and now has a Senior Consumer Consultant (SCC) role to embed consumer leadership and engagement at a systemic level. The Speaking from Experience (SFE) Group will initially sit across the IMHA and Mental Health Disability Law (MHDL) programs at VLA and will provide regular opportunities for dialogue between VLA and consumers.

Purpose

SFE will openly and honestly discuss service, quality improvement and responsiveness at IMHA, MHDL and VLA more widely. It will operate within a human rights framework and within the principles of consumer leadership, participation, and recovery focused practice. It will support IMHA, MHDL and VLA in identifying, responding to, and leading initiatives based on consumer perspectives.

In undertaking this role, SFE members will be responsible for creating a safe and mutually supportive environment where members feel empowered to use their lived experience and expertise when participating in meetings. Members will be supported to learn from each other and be self-reflective regarding group processes and dynamics.

The views and the advice of group members will help shape and influence decisions made by IMHA, MHDL and VLA. The group will aim for consensus in any decisions they make at the group level, but a majority vote will be made when consensus cannot be reached. However, the group will not have decision making power or authority. There will be a process and feedback loop that articulates how IMHA, MHDL and VLA makes its decisions regarding accepting or not accepting the group’s recommendations, including an explanation to the group about who, how and why decisions were made. The group will have decision making power regarding what recommendations it makes to IMHA, MHDL and VLA.

Terms of Reference

The priority for SFE will be issues and advice drawing on the expertise and experiences of its members in the areas of both mental health and consumer leadership and engagement. SFE will provide advice and support to the SCC and IMHA and MHDL. Where relevant, and resourcing permits, it will also provide advice to VLA more broadly. The particular focus will be on:

a) Guiding and supporting the SCC on issues of importance which include:

• Developing priorities for service improvement initiatives and activities

• The development of plans to strengthen and support consumer leadership at all levels

• Scoping the need and feasibility of a consumer workforce

• Providing consumer leadership into the development of staff training and education where relevant. This may include delivery of workshops

b) Informing and guiding service priorities, ensuring consumer perspectives are considered and adopted as relevant.

c) Informing policy development and review for MHDL, IMHA, and where resources allow, VLA.

d) Providing consumer perspectives on evaluation of services delivered, including an analysis of feedback provided to the service.

e) Embracing multiple perspectives and valuing diversity, supporting the expression of varying views.

Meeting frequency and dates

The committee shall meet monthly for 2 hours with a minimum of 8 meetings per year at the Melbourne CBD office or via an online platform as decided by quorum. There is potential for working groups to meet outside of regular meeting times if this is warranted. (Add here once survey is done)

Quorum

IMHA Senior Consumer Consultant or Acting Chair, and 50 per cent of members. Meetings will still run if there is not a quorum, but no voting or decisions will take place and only notes will be taken rather than minutes.

Meeting agendas and minutes

Members will be notified of the date and time of monthly meetings through an annual meeting calendar and will be informed of additional meetings as soon as practical. The SCC will aim to distribute meeting agendas at least two working days before the meeting.  Members will send apologies to the SCC before meetings if they are unable to attend. If a member misses 3 consecutive meetings without an apology, the SCC will discuss ongoing membership with that person.

Minutes will be forwarded to the IMHA Program Manager and MHDL Program Manager who will then provide them to the Civil Justice Director if required.

SFE agenda, minutes and attachments will be stored in a central electronic folder on IMHA SharePoint.

Reporting

SFE members are not employees of VLA. The group is responsible to the IMHA Program Manager and the MHDL Program Manager. Program Managers will also be responsible for reporting to SFE. Where a member has a concern relating to SFE, a meeting will be scheduled with the SCC or the IMHA Program Manager if that is the member’s preference. If the issue is not resolved, a further meeting will then be arranged for the member with both the SCC and the IMHA Program Manager or MHDL Program Manager to seek resolution. The SCC reports to the IMHA Program Manager and seeks advice from both the IMHA Program Manager and MHDL Program Manager where necessary.

Managing Conflict/concerns between members

• Members can approach peers to voice any concerns to try and resolve issues together.

• Members can seek support to prepare to have this discussion with a peer from the SCC and/or the IMHA Program Manager

• If members feel unsafe at any time or feel like an issue has escalated, they should contact the SCC and/or IMHA Program Manager  directly to discuss and decide on the next steps.

SCC Role

The SCC role is responsible for managing SFE. This includes:

• Briefing managers, policy officers and other people who attend SFE about: the group; what it is able to do; and advice on how to engage with the group – e.g. that SFE is not a decision-making group, that SFE is clear on what will be done with advice they provide and whether they will be informed on how their advice was or was not used

• Working with VLA, MHDL and IMHA management to inform organisational priorities for SFE advice

• Facilitate reporting back to VLA on SFE achievements and challenges

• Group dynamics and review of how SFE is working by undertaking annual one on one meetings with members and a scheduled annual group discussion on how the group is performing its functions. The group is responsible for the group dynamics and the SCC role is to support the group to address dynamics which might be impacting on how the group does its work.

• Managing the demand on the group, based on:

o Prioritising according to SFE and organisational priorities

o Whether or not SFE has a real opportunity to influence decisions or projects through a consumer perspective

o Whether or not there is an opportunity for learning and development for SFE members or guests

o Whether or not there is an opportunity for building relationships

o Whether or not it is aligned with consumer perspective principles of being meaningful, influencing, and addressing power

Duration/Tenure

When members join the group, they will have a 6-month review meeting with the SCC. This is an opportunity for the SCC and member to discuss what is working and what is not working and continuation at SFE. Post this the SCC will meet with all members at the end of their two-year tenure to review their position on the group. This review will discuss the individual’s expectations and contribution to the group and will determine further interest in continued participation for another 2-year term. If agreed, the individual membership will be continued for a further 2 years. Recruitment for new positions will occur through natural attrition.

Members taking up new positions will be provided an orientation session with the SCC. The SCC will also meet individually with all members annually to review how group participation is progressing and to identify the supports those members may require.

A member may be asked to leave the group prior to any of the above timeframes if concerns are raised that cannot be addressed. All attempts will be made by the SCC and where applicable the IMHA Program Manager, prior to a request to leave the group to support the member to address concerns.

Membership

Senior Consumer Consultant (SCC) (Chair)

SFE members:

Up to 12 members with a lived experience of using mental health services, IMHA and or MHDL services.

One of the eleven positions is reserved specifically for a First Nations person with lived experience.

SFE consciously aims for diversity of membership and experiences.

Where a member would like to take a leave of absence from SFE for more than 3 months, the SCC will offer the place to people on the waiting list to join SFE after having an informal chat with them to determine suitability.

All meetings with potential new members will be undertaken by the SCC and one SFE member. Where a decision about who will join SFE cannot be made by the SCC and SFE member or there are other concerns the IMHA Program Manager will be consulted and may become involved in the recruitment process.

SFE members wishing to contact other members directly:

• Members to seek permission through SCC to connect with other SFE members (other member needs to give their permission).

OR

• Members can use private chat function in Zoom to ask another member for direct contact. Member can say “No” to such a request or if in person meetings, members can approach other members to ask if they can chat outside of the meeting attendance at SFE by VLA staff/students and external people.

Other attendees:

IMHA Program Manager and MHDL Program Manager will attend part of each meeting.

By Invitation: Other people may at times be invited to attend or request to attend as deemed relevant by the group and/or the SCC. Visitors details will be provided to SFE members via the Agenda which is sent by the SCC one week prior to the meeting.

Attendance

Members are expected to attend most meetings. Where unable to attend they will inform the SCC. If the SCC is not available they will inform the IMHA administration team who will inform the SCC and SFE members. Meetings will be held both in person and via zoom. The means of meeting will be determined by the SCC and SFE members at the beginning of each year.

Remuneration

All participants will be paid for their time, travel and expertise (see guideline) and it will be the responsibility of each member to declare or manage any work time conflict regarding their membership and payment.  

Where there is a member of the group that is attending on behalf of an organisation, they will not be renumerated for their involvement in SFE.

Confidentiality will be discussed with any new members at orientation to the group and a confidentiality agreement will be signed by each member.

A Conflict of Interest Declaration will be signed by each member.

Special meeting circumstances

If special circumstances or accommodations are required for a meeting, e.g. if a member does not have access to childcare and needs to bring their child to a meeting, this will need to be discussed with the SCC ahead of the next meeting and a decision made by the SCC, taking into consideration the needs of the other group members.

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

VLA has agreed to advisory group members across the organisation to have access EAP. Please contact the SCC or IMHA Program Manager if you cannot access the service or have feedback about the service.

Consumer Consultant,  Independent Mental Health Advocacy

Position Description

Position title: Consumer Consultant

Reports to:       Senior Consumer Consultant

Program area: Legal Practice, Civil Justice, Access and Equity

Position Summary

Independent Mental Health Advocacy (IMHA) is a non-legal advocacy program that is staffed and led by professionals with mental health consumer experience and/or backgrounds in community development, consumer advocacy, mental health advocacy, community sector advocacy, social work, mental health service provision and similar fields.

This role supports the Senior Consumer Consultant in providing a consumer perspective into the development of strategic initiatives. The role also facilitates the consumer advisory group and contributes to strategic advocacy work as required from a consumer perspective.  

Responsibilities

1. Provide high quality advice to the IMHA and Mental Health Disability Law (MHDL) teams on policies, projects and initiatives from a consumer perspective.  

2. Assist the Senior Consumer Consultant to develop projects and strategies to obtain consumer perspectives, including from IMHA priority client groups and their experiences that led to service improvement and the development of new educative tools.

3. Facilitate the Speaking from Experience consumer advisory group and other focus groups as required.

4. Participate in individual professional development and contribute to the development and delivery of training for Victoria Legal Aid (VLA) staff from a consumer perspective as well as providing education resources and sessions to consumers about their rights.

5. Build ongoing relationships with internal and external stakeholders to understand the issues impacting consumers in the broader mental health sector.

6. Contribute to the strategic advocacy work of IMHA and VLA as required from a consumer perspective.

Key selection criteria

1. A lived experience as a consumer in the mental health system and demonstrated experience providing consumer leadership and working from a consumer perspective.

2. Experience convening and facilitating consumer groups in a way that is safe, appropriate, attends to power and is responsive to diverse needs and backgrounds.

3. Excellent interpersonal and communication skills and demonstrated ability to liaise and communicate effectively with consumers from diverse backgrounds, various stakeholders and organisations.

4. Proven ability to connect and build trusting relationships with people across varied settings and backgrounds.

5. Demonstrated time management and organisational skills including the ability to manage own work priorities and meet deadlines.

Qualifications and experience

• Lived experience and/or experience in working with lived experience experts to co-produce or co-design services and resources (desirable).

• An understanding of the issues that people experience in mental health and other related systems (desirable).

• Qualification in a relevant field such as Intentional Peer Support, community development, community health, community mental health or social work (desirable).

• Knowledge of the consumer movement, relevant policy and legal frameworks including the Mental Health Act 2014 (Vic), Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act 2006 (Vic) and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities (desirable).

• Experience in the development and delivery of training programs (desirable).

Other relevant information

• To be eligible to apply for this position you must have the right to work in Australia (i.e., be an Australian or New Zealand citizen, permanent resident or hold a valid work permit or visa).

• All appointments are subject to reference checks and pre-employment misconduct screening. A preferred candidate with an adverse conduct history or criminal record will not necessarily be precluded from employment with VLA and each application will be considered on its merits. Pre-employment checks for this position may include:

o You may be required to consent to a police check.

o You may be required to undergo or hold a current Working with Children Check.

• It is a requirement that all VLA employees reside in Victoria, or a nearby border community, and attend for office-based days at their primary work location. From time to time you will be required to travel to meeting venues, outreach services, courts and tribunals to deliver quality services to our clients or for meetings and/or professional development.

• Occupational health and safety responsibilities at Victoria Legal Aid:

o All staff at VLA are expected to champion proactive and positive health and safety practices in the workplace by raising health, safety and wellbeing issues or concerns with managers and colleagues. Staff are required to observe all safe work procedures, rules and instructions, and take all reasonable care for their own safety and for the safety of work colleagues by always operating in a safe and appropriate manner.

Organisational context

VLA provides legal aid services to the Victorian community through our in-house practice, contracted private lawyers as well as by funding community legal centres. We have 15 offices across Victoria.

Victoria Legal Aid is a statutory authority that serves the broader community by providing information, legal advice, and education with a focus on the prevention and early resolution of legal problems. We prioritise more intensive services, such as legal advice, legal representation, non-legal advocacy, and family dispute resolution, for those who need it most.

We recognise the intersections between legal and social issues in how we do our work and advocacy. We also work to dismantle the barriers that prevent people from accessing the justice system by participating in systemic reforms and strategic advocacy.

VLA’s Strategy 26 outlines our strategic directions across the first four years of our Outcomes framework 2022–30: an eight-year view of the difference we make for our clients, the Victorian community, our partners, and the services and systems we work with.

Our in-house legal practice covers three program areas: Criminal Law; Family, Youth and Children’s Law; Civil Justice and Access and Equity.

Civil Justice

The Civil Justice program consists of sub-programs including Mental Health and Disability Law, Independent Mental Health Advocacy, Migration, Economic and Social Rights, and the Equality Law Program.

The Civil Justice program’s vision is a fairer, stronger and more inclusive community. We advocate for equality, enable people to protect their rights and promote accountability of systems. Together with our partners in the legal and community sectors, and with our clients and consumers at the centre, we use the law so people can access justice and secure better, fairer outcomes in relation to issues that affect their lives, including their housing, income, mental and physical health, visa status and ability to live and work free from discrimination.

Independent Mental Health Advocacy (IMHA)

This program is the first of its kind in Victoria and is funded by the Department of Health. The IMHA program is not a legal service. It is a serious step for people to be detained and to receive mental health treatment against their will. It is vital that people subject to compulsory treatment have a say about their treatment, care, and recovery, are supported to express their treatment preferences, and have their wishes considered, respected and where possible, followed.

Senior Consumer Consultant, Independent Mental Health Advocacy  Position Description

POSITION SUMMARY

As part of the Independent Mental Health Advocacy (IMHA) and Mental Health and Disability Law (MDHL) sub-programs, develop, implement, promote and evaluate effective mental health consumer participation strategies and initiatives in the development and delivery of mental health legal and advocacy services.

IMHA is a new advocacy service that will provide advocacy and support to people receiving compulsory treatment. It will assist people to have a voice in decisions made about their treatment, care and recovery. The MHDL sub-program provides legal advice and representation in relation to the operation of laws (including the Mental Health Act 2014 (Vic)) that impact the liberty, dignity and autonomy of people with a mental health diagnosis or cognitive disability.

RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Provide advice to MHDL and IMHA sub-programs from a consumer perspective

a) Provide advice and feedback on policies, projects and initiatives arising out of the IMHA and MHDL sub-programs, from a consumer perspective

b) Provide advice and feedback to the IMHA Manager and MHDL Manager on best practice within the legal and advocacy subprograms

c) Build ongoing relationships with IMHA and MHDL team members

2. Consultation with consumers

a) Establish, lead and provide administrative support to consultations and co-production initiatives, and advice and input to the IMHA and MHDL sub-programs based on these initiatives

b) Develop projects and strategies to obtain consumer feedback, including from IMHA priority client groups, and their experiences that lead to service improvement, the development of new educative tools and assist in strategic advocacy

c) Convene and administer consumer focus groups as required, and establish and support a continuing consumer advisory group

3. Training and education

a) Working with the IMHA and MHDL Managers, lead the development, delivery and evaluation of training for advocates, MHDL lawyers and VLA staff on the consumer perspective

b) Assist in the development and delivery of education resources and sessions for consumers about their rights

4. Relationship building and collaboration

a) Actively identify opportunities to collaborate with the consumer workforce across Victoria and contribute to consumer-focused initiatives

b) Work with other service providers in the development of training and resources for staff, to provide expert advice

c) Participate in other organisations’ forums and seek out opportunities for networking and collaboration with other agencies

d) Maintain an awareness of consumer-related developments, projects and events in the sector

5. Strategic

a) Develop a consumer engagement strategy for IMHA and MHDL

b) Contribute to the vision of the IMHA and MHDL programs, including participation in program planning, implementation and evaluation

c) Collaborate with other VLA staff and contribute to the VLA strategy and other broader organisational forums, projects and events

KEY SELECTION CRITERIA

1. Understands the consumer perspective

a. Understands and can articulate the importance of consumer input to service delivery and improvement

b. Demonstrated experience of working from the consumer perspective and within a recovery-orientated framework

c. Commitment to the principles of consumer participation  

2. Relationship building

a. Collaboration – builds and maintains relationships within the organisation and broader sector, working together and liaising with external stakeholders where possible and appropriate

b. Cultural competency – skilled in working with people who come from diverse backgrounds

3. Interpersonal and communication skills

a. Communication – able to communicate effectively and appropriately, both internally and externally

b. Sensitivity and tact – able to provide advice and feedback in a constructive way that enables change and improvement

c. Positivity and resilience – maintains positive attitude when faced with a set-back or change

4. Facilitation

a. Brings people together for effective discussion and collaboration

b. Experience convening and facilitating consumer groups in a way that is safe, appropriate, responsive to diverse needs and backgrounds, and empowering

5. Education and training skills

a. Conveys information in accessible, compelling manner

b. Thinks creatively about the provision of education and training

6. Work management

a. Takes a methodical approach to managing workloads and associated stressors

b. Can work independently, proactively identify opportunities and access management as required

c. Demonstrates adequate self-care knowledge and skills

QUALIFICATIONS/ EXPERIENCE

• Experience as a consumer of mental health services and a demonstrated understanding of the consumer perspective (mandatory)

• Experience working in a consumer consultant or peer support role (desirable)

• Post secondary qualification (certificate, diploma or degree) in a relevant field such as health, community development, community health, community mental health or social work (desirable)

OTHER RELEVANT INFORMATION

• To be eligible to apply for this position you must be an Australian or New Zealand citizen, permanent resident or hold a valid work permit or visa.

• You may be required to consent to a police check. Please note that people with criminal records are not automatically prevented from applying for this position and each application will be considered on its merits.

• As required by the Legal Profession Act 2004 (Vic), you will be required to disclose to VLA any offences against Division 2 Part 1 of the Crimes Act 1958 or corresponding offences of the Commonwealth or in a foreign country. Relevant offences include theft and similar or associated dishonesty offences. If you are a lawyer you will need to disclose if you have had your practising certificate suspended, cancelled or not renewed, removed from the roll of legal practitioners or are the subject of a disqualification order.

• You will be required to undergo or hold a current Working with Children Check.

• From time to time you will be required to travel between various office locations to deliver quality services to our clients or for professional development. In the first six weeks of employment you will be required to participant in an extensive induction and education program which will be held predominately in the Melbourne CBD.

• This position may require you to independently travel to outreach services and hospitals across Victoria.

ORGANISATIONAL CONTEXT

About the position

This position is responsible for assisting Victoria Legal Aid to develop, promote, implement and evaluate effective consumer participation strategies in the development and delivery of mental health legal and advocacy services. The role will provide advice to the management of both the Independent Mental Health Advocacy and the Mental Health and Disability Law programs.

The Senior Consumer Consultant will establish, lead and facilitate an ongoing consumer advisory group, which will provide advice to the IMHA and MHDL teams, to provide a consumer lens to Victoria Legal Aid’s mental health practice. This role will involve bringing together a diverse range of consumers from varied backgrounds, and seeking their input and advice on VLA’s projects, initiatives and practices in the mental health space. The Senior Consumer Consultant will provide secretariat support to this group, including the payment of group members.

This position will be required to develop and lead education and training for IMHA advocates and MHDL staff, and for wider VLA staff, about consumer participation and perspectives. It will involve assisting and providing input into the development of resources that will assist consumers to understand and exercise their rights.

The Senior Consumer Consultant will be required to contribute to other forums and participate in networking opportunities, in order to contribute to the wider consumer community. The position will require reaching out to and connecting with other consumer consultants and consumer positions in the wider mental health sector, to build relationships and contribute to collaborative projects.

This position will contribute to strategic direction of the IMHA and MHDL programs, and other broader organisational forums, projects and events.

About Independent Mental Health Advocacy

In November 2014, Victoria Legal Aid has reached agreement with the Department of Health and Human Services to deliver an independent mental health advocacy service. IMHA will provide support and advocacy to people receiving compulsory treatment to ensure they have a voice in decisions made about their treatment, care and recovery. This new service is the first of its kind in Victoria and will support the goals of the Mental Health Act 2014. While Victoria Legal Aid will deliver IMHA, it is not a legal service. Advocates will outreach to mental health services across Victoria, as well as provide assistance and information through the IMHA phone line and website. Advocates will be based in Melbourne CBD, Dandenong, Geelong and Bendigo.

About the Mental Health and Disability Law program

The MHDL sub-program provides legal advice and representation in relation to the operation of laws (including the Mental Health Act 2014) that impact the liberty, dignity and autonomy of people with a mental health diagnosis or cognitive disability. Lawyers are located across Melbourne CBD, Dandenong, Geelong and Bendigo. The MHDL team engages in policy work and strategic advocacy to improve outcomes for people more generally across the mental health and disability sectors.

About the Civil Justice Program

Both IMHA and the MHDL subprogram sit within the Civil Justice Program. The Civil Justice Program also includes Migration, Equality, Commonwealth Entitlements and Social Inclusion subprograms.

VLA is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive workforce. We encourage Indigenous Australians and people from culturally diverse backgrounds to apply for positions within our organisation. We will make reasonable adjustment where possible for people with disabilities.