The Association of Participating Service Users (APSU) is a Victorian consumer representative body at the Self Help Addiction Resource Centre (SHARC). APSU believes that people who use drug and alcohol services have a wealth of knowledge and experience.
APSU has been set-up to ensure that people who use alcohol and other drug services opinions, ideas and experiences contribute to policy, research, service provision and professional development. APSU draws guidance and direction from an advisory committee made up mostly of consumers. APSU’s membership is free and both consumers and service providers are encouraged to join. APSU has conducted research, developed and disseminated written information materials and newsletters, conducted awareness raising.
- To work collaboratively with key stakeholders to increase community (consumer), participation in drug treatment and care provider systems.
- To increase service user impact on relevant policy development and implementation at the local, state and national level.
- To promote, encourage and assist service users in the development of service user run programs and activities at the local level.
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Resources
We have a great collection of resources to assist you.
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APSU Become A Member
We invite you to join us in having a say.
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Speaker Bureau
Join Speaker Bureau
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Request Speaker
Speaker Request Form
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"Your Feedback Matters"
Your Feedback Matters
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Contact Us
Have a question? Please don't hesitate to contact us.
Resources
APSU Forum on Prescription Monitoring and Codeine Legislation Changes
APSU Summary of Safe Scripts Forum 2017
Safe Script Forum – Supports for Consumers
So you want to start a consumer group? – The story of SRCAC
This publication has been developed by the members of The Southern Region Community Advisory Council (SRCAC).
A practical guide to family participation in the Victorian alcohol and other drug sector.
A practical guide to consumer participation in the Victorian alcohol and other drug sector.
A step-by-step practical guide to the three APSU training modules:
- Peer Helper Training
- Experts by Experience
- Speaker Bureau
Experiences of AOD consumers with a criminal record accessing employment and education.
Position paper on remuneration and reimbursement of consumers of alcohol and other drug services.
A wealth of consumer participation resources including training materials, handouts, exercises and the instructor toolkit.
Click here to view and join our mailing list for the ‘Consumer Participation in Action‘ e-Newsletter
Consumer Participation
This page and all its content is currently being updated. If there is any information you require that is unavailable please email apsu@sharc.org.au for assistance.
The CARE Ideas Exchange is a key outcome of the Consumer Participation Training project, which took place at the ibis Melbourne Hotel & Apartments on Thursday 4th May 2017. Over 90 people, from across Victoria and interstate, attended this full day event focusing on the role and future of consumer participation in the Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD) sector.
Following are the PowerPoint presentations from the day:
Overview of Project
MC, Heather Pickard, Chief Executive Officer, SHARC
Power and Passion: Why Your Experience Matters and How to Drive Change in the AOD Service Sector
Keynote by Jacqui Gibson-Roos, consumer & Darlene Cox, Executive Director of Health Care Consumers Association Inc.
Presented by Jacqui Gibson-Roos
‘The Big Toolbox’ Guide to Starting a Consumer Group
Russell Chilcott & Richard Gornall, the former Southern Region Consumer Advisory Council (SRCAC)
High Quality Care in the 21st Century
Professor Jane Burns, Professor of Innovation and Industry at the University of Sydney
‘Let Love In’ Fostering Family Participation Workshop
Edita Kennedy, APSU Project Worker & Marg Quon, family member
Creating an Effective Interprofessional Network of Leaders in Mental Health
Jo Stubbs, Project Manager at Victorian Mental Health Interprofessional Leadership Network
Advocating for Change from Within
Wayne Wright, Manager of Southern Dual Diagnosis Service
Training Resources for Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD) Services in Victoria
A project funded by the Commonwealth Department of Health, Substance Misuse Service Delivery Grant Fund
Consumer participation is broadly defined as the process of involving health consumers in decision making about health service planning, policy development, priority setting and quality in the delivery of health services.
A consumer is someone who uses, has used, or is eligible to use alcohol and other drug services.
Consumer participation in the alcohol and other drug sector consists of including consumers in the decision making processes around:
- their own treatment
- service planning, development, delivery and evaluation
- AOD policy
- AOD research
- education and training of AOD professionals
APSU at SHARC and TaskForce Community Agency have now delivered Consumer Participation Training to each of the AOD regions in Victoria.
The practical training courses aimed to teach AOD workers how to improve the participation of consumers in the sector and more specifically in their own organisations. Participants had ample opportunity to discuss and develop an action plan for participation and were then supported to bring this training back to their own organisations.
This webpage has been designed to support participants who have completed the consumer participation training with current, user friendly information and resources.
This Consumer Participation Toolkit is here to assist you and your organisation in successfully implementing and imbedding consumer participation into your organisation’s culture, processes and procedures.
News
Peer Helper Training 2018
Posted: 9 March 2018We are now receiving applications for the Peer Helper Training 2018, to be held from 2 – 18 May. For further information about the training and how to apply, please download the Peer Helper Training 2018 flyer.
Read moreSHARC Peer Workforce Capacity Building with Central Queensland, Wide Bay and Sunshine Coast Primary Health Network (PHN)
Posted: 25 January 2018The Self Help Addiction Resource Centre (SHARC) has been active in peer projects and programs across the AOD sector for a number of years. SHARC has now been commissioned to deliver its Peer Workforce Capacity Building training beyond Victoria. We are excited to support the engagement and growth of the peer workforce nationally. SHARC, in conjunction with Central Queensland, Wide Bay and Sunshine Coast Primary Health Network (PHN) is delivering the following training opportunities: Peer…
Read moreSHARCs Peer Projects are looking for a Peer Worker to join our team!
Posted: 10 January 2018SHARC is a unique peer led organization. Since its establishment, SHARCs model of practice and service delivery has been underpinned by peer support. All of SHARCs current programs are based on the inherent value of lived experience. SHARC has a long history delivering peer projects, programs and services. In 2017 Peer Projects became a program of SHARC to support the dedicated effort of SHARCs peer based initiatives. Current initiatives encompass peer workforce development and support,…
Read moreBuilding Victoria’s Peer Workforce – Call out to prospective AOD Peer Workers
Posted: 23 November 2017The Self Help Addiction Resource Centre (SHARC) is leading the development of the emerging lived experience workforce in the Victorian Alcohol and Drug sector. SHARC envisions that every peer worker receives consistent high level training and support and agencies who employ workers hold an authentic understanding of the role of the peer worker. Do you want to take your recovery journey to the next step and help others? We are making a call out…
Read moreFlipside
2018 summer – Harm reduction
2017 winter – Relationships
2017 autumn – Stigma
2016 spring – Opportunities
2016 autumn/winter – The anniversary edition
2015 winter – This one goes out to the ones we loved
2015 autumn – Privacy, confidentiality, anonymity
2014 spring – Ice
2014 winter – Education
2014 autumn – It’s the little things…
2013 spring – Change
2013 winter – Out of the red & into the black
2013 summer – Consumer participation
2012 spring – Prescription drugs
2012 autumn/winter – Recovery and peer support
2011 spring/summer – Criminal records
2011 winter – Home sweet home
2011 autumn – Smoking
2010 winter – Love
2010 autumn – Gambling and other addictions
2009 summer – Hep C and other stuff
2009 winter – Parenthood
2009 summer – Peers
2008 spring – The black and white of waiting times
2008 autumn – Before it comes to this – teeth and other health issues
2008 summer – Songlines and footprints
2007 spring – Pissed
2007 autumn/winter – Drugs for drugs
2007 summer – Boulevard of broken dreams
2006 spring – Dual diagnosis: under pressure
2006 winter – Centrelink: welfare law turns nasty
Speaker Bureau
APSU is inviting expressions of interest from people with a lived experience of alcohol and/or other drug (AOD) misuse and family members affected by a loved one’s AOD misuse to become members of our Speaker Bureau.
APSU’s Speaker Bureau members are people who are willing to speak publically at forums, meetings, presentations, conferences and other community or corporate events. Speaker Bureau members nominate themselves for this role and they choose what topics they are prepared to speak about.
Speaker Bureau members are remunerated as participants (as well as trained and supported by APSU) and are empowered in their endeavor to help raise awareness, overcome stigma and shame, and educate people about addiction, recovery and hope.
The vast majority of evaluations over the years demonstrate that Speakers Bureau members have an immediate, positive, and often transformative effect, on their audience members.
If you would like to become a Speaker Bureau Member simply join APSU. Membership is free. Join Here
Request Speaker
"Your Feedback Matters"
This quick survey is a way to better understand your experience in accessing the Victorian Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) Treatment system. By gathering your experiences APSU can work with the AOD treatment sector to make continuous improvements to the system in the future. Alternatively if you would like complete the survey and provide feedback in person with someone at APSU phone:
1300 442 552
Monday – Friday 9 am -5 pm.
(Leave a message for a callback if unattended, engaged or outside business hours).
THIS SURVEY IS FOR FAMILY MEMBERS AND PEOPLE WHO USE/HAVE USED VICTORIAN AOD SERVICES.
THIS SURVEY IS NOT DESIGNED FOR SERVICE PROVIDERS.
Start Survey – Click Here (opens new window)
Contact Us
Association of Participating Service Users
(Please note this form is for general enquiries/feedback only. If you are applying for a student placement or a volunteer please use the relevant forms in the ”About Us’ section on the SHARC home page.)
Address: 140 Grange Road, Carnegie, 3163
Phone: 9573 1700
Email: apsu@sharc.org.au
Latest News
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Peer Helper Training 2018
We are now receiving applications for the Peer Helper Training 2018, to be held from 2 – 18...
Read More -
SHARC Peer Workforce Capacity Building with Central Queensland, Wide Bay and Sunshine Coast Primary Health Network (PHN)
The Self Help Addiction Resource Centre (SHARC) has been active in peer projects and programs...
Read More
