Students attending a short course in professional development at the brain and mind centre

Foundations of leadership and policy in mental health

Learn mental health service leadership and policy development

This five-day, intensive course will arm you with a strong knowledge of leadership and policy in mental health, with experienced facilitator Professor John Mendoza.

This short course will provide you with:

  • an overview of key concepts and models of leadership and change management
  • an understanding of your own leadership attributes and development needs
  • knowledge of how to be a leader in the area of mental health service and policy development
  • best practice change management in the context of mental health reform in Australia
  • insights into the development of strategy, organisational-level policy, and governance for achieving change.

You will have the opportunity to apply these key concepts to a personal leadership development plan, providing the foundations for self-development as a leader and the development of service-level change and reform initiatives.

Registrations for Semester 1 2023 are now open and will close on Fri 17 Feb 2023

The course delivery will be split between lectures and interactive workshops. You will develop your leadership skills and enhance your knowledge of current policy development and implementation in mental health.

There are no formal prerequisites, however experience in a health and/or human service setting is assumed.

Some experience in developing, implementing or evaluating policy at the service, organisational or jurisdictional level will be beneficial, and a bachelor’s degree in a relevant discipline is recommended.

This course is offered by the Brain and Mind Centre in Camperdown. The course facilitator is Professor John Mendoza, director of consultancy Connetica, Adjunct Professor at the University of the Sunshine Coast, and Adjunct Associate Professor at the University of Sydney.

Professor Mendoza’s professional expertise lies in the areas of:

  • social policy
  • health promotion
  • governance
  • change management
  • workplace mental health and wellbeing programs.

Inaugural Chair of the National Advisory Council on Mental Health, Professor Mendoza was the Deputy Chair of the Alcohol and other Drugs Council Board. Prior to this, he was the chief executive of the Mental Health Council of Australia, and the Australian Sports Drug Agency. He has more than 30 years’ experience in public policy development, implementation and evaluation in health, mental health and alcohol and drug areas.

Course content will also be provided by Brain and Mind Research Centre’s leading clinical researchers.

The workshops will be part didactic (lecture style) and part interactive. The lectures will be short, and you will be able to apply your learning in your workplace and other contexts. 

You will gain most from the workshops by reading the recommended materials in advance and participating in workshop discussions.

Session 1: 3rd March 9am-1pm

Session 2: 10th March 9am-1pm

Session 3: 24th March 9am-1pm

Session 4: 21st April 9am-1pm

Session 5: 5th May 9am-1pm

Session 6: 26th May 9am-1pm

Registrations are now open and will close on Fri 17 Feb 2023

  • Personalised leadership assessment and development plan, identifying your own leadership capabilities, strengths, and learning priorities.
  • Change initiative and implementation plan for your own work context, or a different context of your choice.

Completing the assessment tasks is optional; however, you will gain the most from this short course if you attempt them.

$1250 including GST

You need to attend all workshops to complete this short course successfully.

This course is not accredited for CME points.

Credit for this course may be awarded, at the discretion of the Course Coordinator, to students enrolling in the Master of Brain and Mind Sciences.