Since commencing in the role of Executive Director of SMART Recovery Australia in late 2013, it is clear to me that SMART Recovery has significant respect and goodwill with policy makers, service providers, professionals and community.
The team at SMART Recovery Australia are implementing strategies to further support our SMART Recovery facilitators that are the ‘backbone’ of the programme. We want to ensure that a participant in Sydney can go to a SMART Recovery group in Darwin and receive the same quality within the programme. We are striving to form more collaborative partnerships with clinicians and people with lived experience. These are the ‘big issues’ SMART Recovery Australia is tackling. SMART Recovery however has an enormous opportunity to grow and make more positive impact on those people’s lives that are challenged by addictive behaviours.
It’s been a productive period for the SMART Recovery Australia team, from a new strategic direction, to new faces, upgrading of the training and refreshing of materials, as well as some exciting digital innovations just around the corner.
– Executive Director, Ryan McGlaughlin
SMART Recovery Australia Strategic Directions
The SMART Recovery Australia Strategic Directions 2014-19 have been completed. This was done after all the information gathered by the Review and Development Project was analysed and debated at a SRAU Board and Staff Strategic Workshop in June 2014.
The major outcome from the strategic direction was the need to make SMART Recovery more accessible to all people living in Australia. It is also important for SRAU to diversify its income streams to become financial sustainable in the longer term.
SMART Recovery Australia’s Strategic Directions and Plan 2015-19 can be viewed here.
Review of Facilitator Training and Training Materials
SMART Recovery Australia, in conjunction with Leadership Coaching Academy, has conducted a comprehensive review of our Facilitator Training programme, as well as a review of the Training Materials involved.
The information gathered prior to the development of the strategic plan indicated that the training materials needed refreshing and more time needed to be spent on role playing work in our two-day facilitator training, which is carried out through face-to-face means.
Some key points from the Facilitator Training and Training Material Review included:
- An imperative to ensure that everyone completing training feels competent and enthused to begin facilitating SMART Recovery groups.
- To make the training more ‘experiential’.
- Update of materials (Facilitator Manual, Participant Handbook, promotional materials).
- A utilisation of online learning components, to be available pre and post training, to compliment existing face-to-face training.
New Faces: Area Coordinator (Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania)
SMART Recovery Australia (SRAU) previously has had all the training team based in Sydney. This is the reason that, whilst there are SMART Recovery Groups in all states and territories in Australia, the majority of SMART Groups are currently from NSW.
David Hunt joined the SRAU team nearly a year ago as the Area Coordinator (Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania). He resides in Melbourne. David recently completed a Masters of Science in the International Programme of Addiction Studies jointly convened by Kings College London, University of Adelaide and Virginia Commonwealth University. He also has a Bachelor of Science in Psychology, and a Bachelor of Arts in English Studies. David comes to SRAU after being employed as a senior Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD) clinician at Odyssey House, Victoria (leading treatment provider) and psychiatric and AOD public health researcher with the Burnet.
This is the first time SRAU has employed outside of Sydney. The Strategic Direction is that if this positioning is successful, SRAU will employ Area Coordinators in other regions over the coming years.
New Faces: Digital and Online Community Coordinator
SRAU has employed Michael Bellamy as the Digital and Online Community Coordinator. Michael’s most recent position was as the National Director of Digital Content & Social Media at Australia’s largest digital performance and experience agency, Columbus. He has almost a decade’s experience developing, implementing and managing digital content and social media strategies for known companies such as Bauer Digital (formerly Australian Consolidated Press) and ninesmsn. He completed a Bachelor Degree in Communications (Digital Media Studies, Public Relations, with psychology electives), at the University of Newcastle, NSW.
Digital innovations on the horizon
SMART Recovery Australia seeks advance its addiction treatment in Australia by establishing interactive and real-time digitally hosted addiction recovery group meetings, for those unable to physically attend existing face-to-face meetings.
SRAU is still committed to strengthening our face-to-face capacity, but understand that we cannot achieve making SMART Recovery assessable to all people living in Australia without going online. There are too many people isolated in rural and remote communities. Further, stigma is still a barrier to individuals attending groups such as those in the Australian Defence Force, and the Fly In Fly Out (FIFO) communities.
A cornerstone to the strategic direction and plan is to develop SRAU’s online community.
All aboard: SMART Recovery Australia Board finalised
Following a Board Skills Audit and Composition Review, a new talented Board has been recruited for SMART Recover Australia.
– Tony Wales Chair (Businessman and Philanthropist)
– Professor Amanda Baker (Co-Director, National Health and Medical Research Council Centre of Research Excellence In Mental Health and Substance Use)
– Sue Henry-Edwards (Former Principal Advisor Alcohol and Drugs and Health Promotion at Corrective Services NSW)
– Mike Fry (Asia Pacific Service Leader, Corporate Secretarial Support Services, Ernst & Young)
– Jennifer Tetstall (Lawyer, MARQUES Lawyers Pty Ltd)
– Emma Vincent (Head of Client Services, Paerato Fundraising)
– Ruth Campbell (Official Visitor NSW Correctional Facilities)
– Joe Gerstein (SMART Recovery Founder and Representative)
– David Barton (Chief Financial Officer, Australian Ethical).
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