http://hdl.handle.net/11343/159 Wed, 19 Sep 2018 06:01:57 GMT 2018-09-19T06:01:57Z http://hdl.handle.net/11343/216284 An Evaluation of the Implementation of the Australian ATAPS Suicide Prevention Services Initiative. Nicholas, A; Bassilios, B; King, K; Ftanou, M; Machlin, A; Reifels, L; Pirkis, J The Access to Allied Psychological Services (ATAPS) Suicide Prevention Services initiative is an Australian Government-funded primary mental healthcare initiative providing free intensive psychological intervention for consumers at moderate risk of self-harm or suicide. Findings from a multi-method evaluation aimed at identifying whether the initiative is being implemented as stipulated within the operational guidelines, barriers and facilitators to implementation, and preliminary outcomes suggest that the Suicide Prevention Services are largely being implemented as stipulated in the Guidelines, but with some exceptions. In particular, service delivery barriers unique to rural and remote areas place limitations on implementation. Uptake of the ATAPS Suicide Prevention Services is high (10,428 consumers were referred to the Suicide Prevention Services between October 2008 and April 2013, and 86% of those attended at least one session), as is acceptance from organizations involved in its implementation. Mon, 26 Mar 2018 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/11343/216284 2018-03-26T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/11343/216283 Why Innovative Learning Environments? Stories from three schools that helped establish an ongoing space and pedagogy agenda Cleveland, B The research reported in this chapter was conducted to address a seemingly simple question: How are contemporary middle years (Years 5-9) pedagogies influencing the design of physical learning environments? What the study uncovered was a deep spatio-pedagogical conversation about historical misalignments between middle years pedagogies and largely isolated and dissociated classrooms, and the desire to create new and innovative learning environments to better accommodate the practices, activities and behaviours of contemporary teaching and learning. During the period between 2008-2011, school leaders identified tensions between traditional classroom spaces fitted only with tables and chairs and the pedagogical objectives and intensions of leading middle years educators, such as those outlined in the Middle Years Research and Development (MYRAD) Project (DEET, 2002, p. web): – Strengthening teacher-student relationships; – Involving students in decision-making about content, process and assessment; – Presenting authentic tasks that require complex thought and allowing time for exploration; – Inclusion of processes involving co-operation, communication, negotiation and social competencies generally; and – Providing for individual differences in interest, achievement and learning styles. Undertaken as a PhD study titled Engaging spaces: Innovative learning environments, pedagogies and student engagement in the middle years of school (Cleveland, 2011), the research investigated the emergence of ‘space’ as a factor in re-thinking how schools might operate, how teachers might teach, and most importantly how students might learn. The project was embedded within an Australian Research Council Linkage project titled Smart Green Schools and was situated in three schools in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. To report on a) why the three participating schools wished to create more innovative learning environments for their middle years’ students, b) how they went about creating these environments, and c) what characterised the learning environments they created, this chapter is divided into three main sections: – Drivers for change; – Design process; and – Architectural responses. These sections are preceded by a short discussion of critical pedagogy (Freire, 1970; 1973: Giroux 1985; Apple, 1995; McLaren, 1998; 2007; Giroux & Schmidt, 2004), the theoretical framework that informed the analysis of the field-data and supported discussion in this chapter. This conceptual tool was employed to analyse and discuss the motivations, objectives and intentions of the schools’ leaders and explore the ideological, sociological, pedagogical and spatial implications of their educational aspirations. As a qualitative multiple case study (see Research Design), the findings presented have been aggregated from across the three schools. Quotes extracted from interviews have been included to support the claims made and to ensure that the voices of the study’s co-researchers/participants were portrayed. On occasion, specific sites are referred to by pseudonyms to illustrate particular phenomenon. The schools that took part in the study were selected due to their involvement in ‘space and pedagogy projects’ i.e. projects that dealt with the development of innovative learning environments for contemporary pedagogies. The individuals who drove these projects were largely the school leaders – principals, associate principals, assistant principals and leading teachers. The findings that are presented and discussed were mostly derived from a series of interviews with these influential people. To a lesser extent, the perspectives of the teachers and students who took part in these projects are also represented. Of course, school communities do not act in isolation to imagine and deliver new ‘socio-spatial contexts for learning’. Architects, interior designers, landscape architects, education consultants, members of school council and parents are all instrumental in driving projects such as these forward. I chose to focus on the perspectives and opinions of school leaders, teachers and students in order to portray the voices of those most likely to be directly affected by changes to learning environments and pedagogies. Mon, 01 Jan 2018 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/11343/216283 2018-01-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/11343/216282 Crafting safe and effective suicide prevention media messages: outcomes from a workshop in Australia Ftanou, M; Skehan, J; Krysinska, K; Bryant, M; Spittal, MJ; Pirkis, J Background: Suicide and suicide-related behaviours are major public health concerns in Australia and worldwide. One universal intervention that has received an increased focus as a means of preventing suicide is the use of media campaigns. There is, however, a lack of understanding of the kinds of campaign messages that are safe and effective. The current paper aims to expand on this knowledge. The study objectives were to: (1) explore what suicide prevention experts consider to be essential characteristics of effective and safe suicide media campaigns; (2) develop suicide prevention media messages; and (3) explore the impact that these messages might have on different audiences. Methods: We conducted a workshop in July 2015 which was attended by 21 experts (professionals with knowledge about suicide prevention and/or media campaigns, and people with a lived experience of suicide). The experts were split into three groups, and each group developed a suicide prevention message for one of the following target audiences: people at risk of suicide; family and peers of people at risk of suicide; and people bereaved by suicide. Results: The three groups generally agreed that these messages had to include two key characteristics: (1) validate or reflect the target group's issues and needs; and (2) promote help-seeking behaviours. They noted, however, that messages that might have a positive impact for one target audience might inadvertently have a negative impact for other target audiences. In particular, they were concerned that messages designed for family and peers about being supportive and looking for warning signs might leave those who had been bereaved by suicide feeling isolated, guilty or traumatised. Workshop participants highlighted that gaps exist in relation to the use of appropriate language, were unsure of how to create destigmatising messages without normalising or sensationalising suicide and commented on the lack of evaluative evidence for the efficacy of media campaigns. Conclusions: Developing suicide prevention messages is complex and target and non-target audiences may interpret these messages differently to the way they were intended and the impact of such messaging may be detrimental. Caution needs to be applied when developing suicide prevention messages. Thu, 24 May 2018 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/11343/216282 2018-05-24T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/11343/216281 Art as document: on conceptual art and documentation Berryman, J Mon, 01 Jan 2018 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/11343/216281 2018-01-01T00:00:00Z