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Mapping engagement

There are many ways governments and organisations can effectively engage with people with a lived experience, their families and carers.

Our engagement mapping project mapped and measured the level, type and range of engagement of service users, consumers, families and carers within mental health and alcohol and other drugs sectors. It also identified areas of good practice.

Understanding existing engagement efforts

We engaged Urbis to undertake a state-wide survey to develop an understanding of the current state of service user, consumer, family and carer engagement in Queensland’s private, public and non-government mental health and alcohol and other drug service system.

Urbis consulted stakeholders via a survey and face-to-face consultations, including:

  • mental health consumers and clients of alcohol and other drug services, their families and carers
  • funding bodies, policy makers, and peak organisations
  • service delivery organisations and hospitals.

Report and summary

The Mapping of Engagement report and Mapping of Engagement summary show there are some strong practices and mechanisms in place to support engagement and some barriers to meaningful engagement.

Stakeholders across Queensland indicated that they see engagement as a genuine opportunity to drive change, but it needs to be specific, focused and part of an ongoing dialogue. For engagement to be meaningful and effective it must:

  • occur at strategic and operational levels
  • offer multiple opportunities
  • be embedded in governance structures
  • include feedback loops.

Better engagement, planning and delivery

Together with other research it will also inform the Commission’s ongoing work to support and facilitate greater engagement and participation of people with a lived experience of mental illness, suicide or problematic substance use, their families and carers in the planning and delivery of mental health and alcohol and other drug services.