The Collaborative Centre coordinates, promotes and delivers workforce development opportunities for Victoria’s mental health and wellbeing workforce, strengthening capability across roles, settings and disciplines.
As recommended by the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System, this work goes beyond skills. It supports the culture, structures and power dynamics that shape care, and contributes to a learning mental health system where people and organisations can reflect, adapt and improve.
Central to this is embedding Lived and Living Experience leadership and recognising the expertise of practitioners, carers, families and communities as equally vital to reform.
We build on the strong foundations of the Centre for Mental Health Learning, continuing and expanding this work across Victoria.
Our mission is to support and grow workforce capability, contributing to a compassionate, human rights based and healing system.
We do this by connecting people with existing expertise, training and resources, promoting good practice, and creating opportunities to share knowledge and learn together.
We recognise the many organisations and experts already leading this work. Our role is to connect, amplify and collaborate so that these efforts contribute to a shared vision for a capable, empowered and healing workforce.
Explore workforce support and development
The Collaborative Centre supports workforce development across Victoria’s mental health and wellbeing system. We work to strengthen capability, connection and learning across roles, settings and disciplines, grounded in Lived and Living Experience.
Workforce Insights
We share what we are learning from the workforce across Victoria, including priority needs and emerging gaps to inform workforce development.
- Development Needs Analysis (DNA)
- Spotlight on Capabilities
Learning and Development Hub
We bring together learning opportunities, resources and training to support ongoing development across the mental health and wellbeing workforce.
- Summer Learning Series
- eLearning
- Educator Resources
- Workforce Resources
Foundations and leadership
We support discipline leadership, supervision and educator roles, including tailored support for the Lived and Living Experience workforce.
- Statewide mental health educators
- Lived and Living Experience Workforce development
- Supervision and leadership
Spotlight on Capabilities
Our Spotlight on Capabilities series shines a light on key areas of workforce capability.
Each spotlight explores a theme through stories, tools, events and training opportunities — building capability in practice and across disciplines.
What is the Development Needs Analysis (DNA)
With the Department of Health’s support, the Victorian Collaborative Centre for Mental Health and Wellbeing (VCCMHW) is undertaking a development needs analysis of the whole Victorian mental health and wellbeing workforce. This analysis will directly inform the development of a targeted, three-year workforce development strategy for both the Collaborative Centre and the department’s Mental Health and AOD Workforce Development team.
The Summer Learning Series
The Summer Learning Series is your opportunity to help shape the future of Victoria’s mental health and wellbeing workforce — while gaining practical insights, learning alongside peers, and contributing your experience in a way that respects your time.
About our workforce development function
We’re part of a statewide effort to create a learning ecosystem where everyone working in the mental health and wellbeing system — no matter their discipline, background, experience or location — can access meaningful learning, high-quality education and professional development.
Our approach is collaborative, evidence-informed and grounded in Lived and Living Experience. It recognises that true reform comes from shifting power, sharing knowledge and valuing every form of expertise — clinical, professional, cultural and personal.
Together, we’re building a workforce that is skilled, connected and supported to deliver compassionate, person-centred care and healing.
