For Immediate Release – 19 March 2014
Mental health support workers to gather in Dunedin
Mental health and addictions support workers from around Otago and Southland will gather in Dunedin on March 26 for
their annual seminar at Forsyth Barr Stadium.
It is the third Southern Mental Health and Addictions Support Workforce Seminar, and the first time it has been held in
Dunedin (the previous two were held in Invercargill).
The day is being organised by Pact, the Corpac Trust, the Corstophine Baptist Trust and SF Otago with the Southern
District Health Board providing some funding.
The day is a chance for support workers to network with each other and gain from professional development.
Speakers at the seminar are coming from around New Zealand, including people from industry training organisation,
Careerforce; the Addiction Practitioners’ Association Aotearoa-New Zealand (DAPAANZ); research and workforce development
organisation, Te Pou; and the Otago Polytechnic.
There is no formal association for mental health and addictions support workers so the annual event is one way for them
to get together to share ideas. It is hoped that work can be done at the seminar on establishing a more formal
association in the southern region. This is particularly important as the role of support worker becomes more
professional.
Most of those attending are from NGOs, but there are some Southern District Health Board provider arm staff attending as
well.
ENDS