A message from the Chair and Co-CEO
A year of change and growth In the 2024-25 financial year, the Collaborative Centre made major achievements in progressing our work and impact in implementing recommendations from the Royal Commission.
Recent Victorian Government announcements have further refined our purpose on whole-of workforce training and capability development. Our translational research and partnerships are positioning the Collaborative Centre to drive innovative new models of care and support Victoria’s mental health workforce, informed by LLE leadership and engagement.
As we pause and reflect on our achievements, we are pleased that we have delivered on time and under budget across our 2024-25 performance indicators. We launched our first Strategic Plan 2024–2027 and our Translational Research Strategy 2024–2027, providing a roadmap to improve Victoria’s Mental Health and Wellbeing System together.
Building a stronger foundation for transformation
The 2024-25 financial year was about embedding the Royal Commission vision of working differently at the Centre, bringing together people with LLE researchers, practitioners, workforce educators and policy makers to improve mental health outcomes for all Victorians. We also consolidated and refined our legislative functions, risk management, reporting and compliance obligations. In addition, formalising the Adult and Older Adult Best Practice Consortium (Consortium) with our lead partners, Royal Melbourne Hospital and the University of Melbourne, provides a strong foundation for ongoing development of our translational research, workforce development and innovative service delivery.
Our achievements this year included:
- Strengthening our partnerships with members of the Consortium, marked by a Consortium Connect Event and the development of the Consortium’s workplan.
- Completing the fit out of our new accommodation in Carlton, embedding us in the community and bringing us closer to our lead partners, by July 2025.
- Launching our flagship AI-driven Knowledge Sharing Platform, bringing new technology to support research translation and workforce capability development across the mental health sector.
- Strengthening our leadership team, with the appointments of Professor Jason Thompson, the University of Melbourne’s inaugural Professor of Mental Health reform; Emma Cadogan, Director of Workforce Education and Development; and Bradley Medcroft, Chief Operating Officer.
- Standing up our workforce training and development function ready to commence on 1 July 2025, ensuring minimal disruption to continuity of professional training programs as staff transitioned from the Centre for Mental Health Learning (CMHL).
All of these achievements have been delivered as we near the end of the three-year term of the inaugural Board and the Lived Experience Advisory Panel (LEAP). The Collaborative Centre has built firm foundations for our next phase of development and growth. We enter the 2025-26 financial year with a clear understanding of our role as a system steward. We appreciate the scale of work to be done and look forward to delivering on our legislative functions in collaboration with the sector.
We acknowledge the commitment and contributions of all Board members during the past year. In particular, we recognise the leadership the inaugural Board Chair, Terry Laidler and Deputy Chair, Maria Katsonis in establishing the Collaborative Centre. We extend our sincere gratitude to our LEAP and look forward to their evolving governance role as they transition to the new Lived and Living Experience Governance (LLEG) Committee.
Our progress throughout this year would not have been possible without the commitment and purpose our hardworking staff have brought to their roles every day. We also acknowledge our inaugural Co-CEO (Lived Experience), Carolyn Gillespie, who we farewelled in June 2025. We thank her for her leadership and commitment to embedding LLE into our foundations. We are also grateful for the work of Dan Brown, who served as Director of Operations and Acting Director of Workforce Education and Development, and Dr Katie Jones, Director of Research Strategy.
We extend our deep gratitude to the CMHL leadership and staff for the invaluable contribution they have made to developing Victoria’s mental health workforce over the years. We are proud to be continuing their important work in supporting the capability of the sector.
Finally, we recognise and thank our lead partners, Royal Melbourne Hospital and the University of Melbourne for their contributions and partnership. We also recognise and thank our broader network of sector partners and lived experience leaders and communities. Your engagement, collaboration and trust keep us accountable and moving forward. In the year ahead, our focus will be on consolidating our progress and deepening our impact.
We look forward to working together towards a better, more connected mental health and wellbeing system for all Victorians.
Dr Gerry Naughtin OAM Board Chairperson
Professor Sarah Wilson, FAHMS, FASSA, GAICD Co-CEO (Clinical/Academic)
