Lived Experience Forum

[Neb]

Sounds interesting. Would you be interested in an older person from Australia now living in NZ . I was diagnosed with DID after years of mucking about in the truly revolting Qld public system and not so repellant private system. I have a good sense of humor.....

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@RANZCP wrote:

Hello All,

My name is Alexandra from the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP).

The RANZCP is responsible for training, educating and representing psychiatrists in Australia and New Zealand.Psychiatrists specialise in diagnosing and treating people with mental illnesses. As the trainers and examiners of future psychiatrists, the RANZCP works with consumers and carers to achieve the best possible mental health care for the community.

Consumers and carers know what it is like to live with symptoms of mental illness and experience recovery. They also understand the impact of hardship, prejudice and isolation which often goes with it. The lived experience of consumers and their families, whãnau and carers is invaluable, offering personal insight, unique expertise and a different point of view to that of doctors, as well as contributing new ideas to help improve the mental health system.

There is the opportunity for you to get involved. Currently we are seeking expressions of interest for community members to join the RANZCP Community Collaboration Committee.

The Community Collaboration Committee is made up of six psychiatrists (RANZCP Fellows) and eight community members: two carers and two consumers from Australia, and two carers and two consumers from New Zealand.

The role of the Committee is to:

• develop policy, advice and standards of practice with respect to involving carers and family (whānau) in mental health care
• increase awareness of consumer and carer concerns in the training of psychiatrists
• build relationships with other mental health organisations 
• contribute to RANZCP publications and present at RANZCP Congress. 

Community representatives also sit on a broad range of other RANZCP committees – as full voting members – to ensure the views of the community are considered in all RANZCP activities.

The term on the Committee will be from May 2016 to May 2018. For further information or to express an interest in joining, please contact Huseyin Mustafa, Manager Practice and Partnerships via huseyin.mustafa@ranzcp.org by COB Monday 18 April 2016.

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[Neb]

Thank you for the information sent. However, I can't find if one needs to be physically present at meetings? If this is the case, I would have to decline as I live in rural NZ😳

[Frangipani]

Hi Alexandra!
I have literally just come across your job advertisement for the Community Collaborations Committee and I am very excited! I have read the description and believe this role is perfect for me.
I stumbled across this job description as I was investigating different organizations that I could potentially do some more public speaking with relating to my lived experience with mental illness, in particular psychosis.
I am now 30 years old and have been teaching for roughly 5 years. I love educating people and being a part of a team. My mum is from New Zealand and Iive in Victoria, Australia.
I am very keen to get involved in this committee! I have volunteered my time to speak to 60 telephone crisis counsellors in 2014 at LifeLine in Victoria and thoroughly enjoyed my experience.
I'd love to hear back from you, if you too are interested in hearing more about my story.

Thanks for reading.

Kind regards
**I have also emailed my contact details through to Naomi & Huseyin at RANZCP.


: )