Mind Australia will provide valuable employment opportunities for students undertaking a Certificate IV in Mental Health in regional Victoria and metropolitan Melbourne. 

Mind has been chosen to deliver 12 traineeships as part of the Victorian government’s new Earn and Learn Traineeship program, announced last week. 

Each trainee will undertake two separate placement opportunities at different Mind services and be part of a collaborative learning community to share ideas and engage with other trainees. 

Trainees will experience working in Mind service settings including youth residential rehabilitation services, Haven Foundation residences and adult and youth Prevention and Recovery Care Centres. 

Mind CEO Gill Callister said the program will provide students with precious real-life experience so that they can effectively transition from study to a career in mental health. 

“The new Earn and Learn Traineeship program will give people invaluable practical experience, mentorship and insight while they study. This will help us continue to build the strong, capable and motivated workforce the reformed mental health system needs,” Ms Callister said. 

“These traineeships will help us at Mind Australia to continue to mentor frontline staff from a range of backgrounds and circumstances – especially those with lived experience – that help us to provide recovery support for the widest range of people with mental health and wellbeing challenges.” 

Mind Manager Growth and Development Chris Murphy said the Earn and Learn Traineeship program will help deliver the recommendations from the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System by supporting the development of the mental health workforce. 

“It’s vital that regional areas have a strong, local mental health workforce and Mind is keen to work with regional TAFEs to help build and strengthen those pathways,” Mr Murphy said. 

“It’s a very fulfilling career and at Mind students and graduates can experience the best in mental health support - especially our work enabling people with their own lived experience of mental health and wellbeing challenges to become peer practitioners. 

“I’m optimistic that this will mean that not only will graduates have a chance to work in the mental health sector but that they won’t have to move to Melbourne to do so.” 

Mind has already begun receiving enquiries from interested students and will advise when applications are open. Follow Mind Australia on social media for notifications or subscribe to our monthly e-magazine Mind View.  

If this article raises concerns for you, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders can also call 13 YARN (13 92 76) a 24/7 national crisis support telephone service staffed by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.