International Initiative for Mental Health Leadership

The following was received from the Mental Health Council of Australia:

The 2010 International Initiative for Mental Health Leadership (IIMHL) exchange and network meeting will be held on 17-21 May in Ireland. Please click here for information about the event.

The Mental Health Standing Committee has requested assistance from the National Mental Health Consumer & Carer Forum (NMHCCF) to identify two Australian mental health consumers and two Australian mental health carers to attend the 2010 IIMHL leadership exchange and network meeting. Each individual would receive a maximum of AUD $2,000, to be put towards the travel costs associated with attending the IIMHL leadership exchange and network meeting in Ireland.

Please note:

This selection and funding process has been initiated by the Mental Health Standing Committee, and is not a NMHCCF or MHCA process.

• This process should not be confused with the one undertaken for the Canada IIMHL in 2007 by the MHCA, which had consumers and carers involved in its design, implementation and the selection of attendees, as well as support before, during and after the exchange.
• Mental Health Standing Committee is only providing a total of AUD$2,000 per person for travel costs. Any additional expenses associated with attendance must be met by the successful applicants.
• While the IIMHL website advises that registrations for the IIMHL have closed, four IIMHL leadership exchange and network meeting places are being held open for Australian consumers and carers pending this selection process.
• Australian mental health consumers and carers who have already registered for the IIMHL are welcome to apply for this funding.
• The Irish National Service Users Executive (NSUE) is offering bursaries for consumers and carers to meet travel and accommodation expenses (up to 500 euro) within Ireland. The bursaries are not linked to this selection process and must be applied for separately. Please click here for further information.

Selection process

Mental health consumers and carers wishing to apply for a place and financial assistance to attend the IIMHL leadership exchange and network meeting in Ireland must submit an application addressing set criteria.

As MHCA auspices the NMHCCF, it will use the selection panel usually involved in the selection of consumer and carer representatives through the NMHCCF and National Register of Mental Health Consumers and Carers. The selection panel will use the criteria below, set by the MHSC.

Applicants must:

• be able to meet all additional costs associated with attending the IIMHL leadership exchange and network meeting in Ireland;
• be leaders and active in their organisations;
• have the capacity to represent the diverse views of the mental health sector;
• write a short report on their exchange, the network and the value of the experience and to be submitted within one month of the end of the Conference to the NMHCCF to on forward to the MHSC; and
• undertake to forward receipts for travel and associated expenditure after the event.

Please click here for further information on how to apply.

Applications must be received by 5pm Wednesday 31 March 2010. These should be sent to Kim Harris at MHCA at kim.harris@mhca.org.au. Late applications will not be considered.

Successful applicants will be notified by 17 April 2010.