Developing a Culturally Responsive and Psychologically Safe Framework for Engaging Families, Carers, and Supporters in Mental Health Care
Medical, Biological and other Sciences
PLEASE NOTE
- This internship is being funded by the Victorian Collaborative Centre for Mental Health and Wellbeing and therefore an academic mentor will be assigned from the University of Melbourne.
- It is preferred that the project will be undertaken primarily onsite, however remote candidates will be considered.
ABOUT THE INDUSTRY PARTNER
cohealth is a not-for-profit community health organisation, providing health and support services in Melbourne’s CBD, and northern and western suburbs. cohealth’s aim is to improve the health and wellbeing within our diverse communities and in partnership with them and to address health and social inequality, whilst promoting and protecting human rights. Alongside medical, dental, allied health, AOD, homelessness and family violence services, cohealth manages a range of community mental health and wellbeing programs across the west and north metro, including residential and outreach programs, forensic mental health, peer internships and a Mental Health and Wellbeing Local.
WHAT’S IN IT FOR YOU?
- Gain hands-on experience in applied mental health research, with a focus on community health and culturally responsive care.
- Contribute to the development of a best-practice framework that will directly impact mental health service delivery.
- Engage with diverse stakeholders, including families, carers, and mental health professionals, to co-design meaningful solutions.
- Develop skills in qualitative and quantitative research methods, evaluation strategies, and knowledge translation.
RESEARCH TO BE CONDUCTED
This project will explore and develop a structured, evidence-based approach for engaging families, carers, and supporters in community mental health care at cohealth. The research will involve:
- Reviewing national and international best-practice frameworks for family and carer engagement in mental health services.
- Identifying and analyzing existing good practices within cohealth and similar community mental health organizations.
- Assessing gaps in current practices and proposing integrated models that address the unique needs of culturally diverse communities.
- Co-developing a culturally responsive, trauma-informed framework that ensures psychological safety for families and carers.
- Designing an evaluation strategy to measure the effectiveness and impact of the proposed framework.
SKILLS WISH LIST
If you’re a postgraduate research student and meet some or all the below we want to hear from you. We strongly encourage women, indigenous and disadvantaged candidates to apply:
The ideal candidate will have:
- An interest in community health, mental health, and social equity.
- Experience or knowledge in qualitative and/or quantitative research methods (preferred but not required).
- Strong communication and stakeholder engagement skills, particularly in working with diverse communities.
- An understanding of trauma-informed care, cultural responsiveness, and the role of families and carers in mental health recovery.
- Lived or living experience as a mental health consumer or carer (encouraged but not required).
RESEARCH OUTCOMES
This project aims to:
- Develop a culturally responsive, psychologically safe framework for family and carer engagement in community mental health care.
- Identify and integrate best-practice approaches to improve the inclusion of families, carers, and supporters in the care process.
- Propose models that address gaps in current engagement practices, ensuring alignment with national mental health policies.
- Establish an evaluation strategy to assess the impact and effectiveness of the new framework.
ADDITIONAL DETAILS
The intern will receive $3,300 per month of the internship, usually in the form of scholarship payments.
It is expected that the intern will primarily undertake this research project during regular business hours and maintain contact with their academic mentor throughout the internship either through face-to-face or phone meetings as appropriate.
The intern and their academic mentor will have the opportunity to negotiate the project’s scope, milestones and timeline during the project planning stage.
Please note, applications are reviewed regularly and this internship may be filled prior to the advertised closing date if a suitable applicant is identified. Early submissions are encouraged.
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