Support and Advocacy

Support is provided on an individual and group basis and is closely related to our individual and group advocacy activities.

Individual Support

Whilst the importance of emotional support for people who have experience with a mental illness or emotional problems can often be undervalued, the feedback from consumers is that it is one of the most valuable contributors to their recovery. In essence, support is about caring for the feeling side of being mentally unwell. Given that the feeling side of mental illness is what leads to suicide (according to consumers who have tried) its importance should never be undervalued and from a VMIAC point of view it is an underlying core principle for all of our work.

Providing individual support as opposed to group support takes up a major part of our work.

Group Support

Currently the VMIAC has 82 consumer groups across the State. VMIAC meet with these groups on a monthly basis. The groups enable people to get together, form friendships, networks, engage in social interactions and discuss issues of common interest and concern. In essence, these groups provide an avenue for people isolated through stigma to develop a sense of connectedness and community.

Included in the 82 groups are specific support groups. These include one for parents, one for consumers in the forensic mental health system, one for people with a diagnosis of schizophrenia, one for depression, one for those who self harm and a statewide male and female support group. Due to demand, we are currently in the process of forming a support group for people who are employed.

Advocacy is provided on an individual, systemic and group basis and is closely related to our individual and group support activities.

Individual Advocacy

Individual advocacy is provided to any person who has a mental illness or emotional problems.

The advocacy provided may encompass support and education so that the person can advocate for himself or herself.

Alternatively depending on the wishes of the person the VMIAC will provide active support whilst the person advocates for himself or herself or we will advocate on behalf of the person. The type of individual advocacy is dependent on the wishes of the person requesting advocacy.

Requests for individual advocacy can come from a variety of sources such as the person needing advocacy, from a carer or service provider.

In instances where someone other than the person requiring advocacy make the request, the VMIAC can only advocate if the person needing advocacy agrees.

Where the issue of advocacy would be better resolved by another agency, the VMIAC (with agreement of the consumer) will refer the matter to another agency. Other agencies include the Mental Health Legal Service, Disability Law Advocacy Service, Villamanta Legal Service and the Office of Public Advocate.

Systemic Advocacy

As a consequence of the feedback provided via local and statewide consumer groups and individual support and advocacy cases, the VMIAC will take up systemic issues.

Examples of the VMIAC's systemic activities include consumer rights, complaint processes, service provider attitudes, State Trustees, etc.

Group Advocacy

The VMIAC establishes local consumer groups in the areas where people live as well as statewide consumer groups.

The groups are largely met with on a monthly basis. The main function of each group is mutual support and self help. Additionally, the group meetings provide the staff of the VMIAC with opportunities to obtain information and feedback from the members about issues of interest and concern to them at a local and statewide level. With group approval, information can then be fed back into the local mental health and psychiatric disability support services as well as statewide services.

From time to time the VMIAC receives requests from other services to conduct focus group meetings about specific issues. Depending on the issue, the VMIAC will arrange local or statewide consumer meetings for the purpose of gathering consumer views.

Other Advocacy and Support We Provide

Regional Meetings

The VMIAC holds monthly Statewide consumer meetings. These meetings are held in a different region each month ensuring that each second month a meeting is held in a rural area

Education

Part of the VMIAC's role is to provide education to the community about mental illness from the consumer perspective. As a result, the VMIAC responds to requests to talk about mental illness from local community groups, schools, etc.

Additionally the VMIAC engages in educational activities for service providers who work in the clinical as well as psychiatric disability support sector.

Education sessions are also carried out in colleges and universities to undergraduate and postgraduate students of health courses.

Education is also carried out at a local consumer group level on subjects identified by particular groups.

Information Provision

The VMIAC provides information to consumers, carers, service providers and the general public about consumer rights, mental illness and mental health service provision.

Consumer Consultants

Consumer consultant meetings are held at the VMIAC each six weeks.

The consumer consultants identify topics for discussion.

Additionally, consumer consultants are met with on a monthly basis through contact with the local VMIAC consumer groups.

Generally, the VMIAC provides support and education to most consumer consultants on an on-going basis. Some also receive supervision on a monthly basis by the Director.