Mental Health Commission
The Mental Health Commission (Commission) youth sector training is free for professionals from not-for-profit and government organisations working in the mental health and alcohol and other drug sectors.
While primarily aimed at Commission-funded youth alcohol and other drug workers in youth accommodation services, the training is also suitable for anyone supporting young people who use alcohol and other drugs. Registrations are encouraged from across the broader youth sector, with all sessions facilitated by experienced alcohol and other drug clinicians and trainers.
Training dates are published once a year, with registrations opening twice a year in April and November. Training is delivered from February to June and recommences from July to November each year.
Please note each course is designed for a specific target audience, as outlined in the event information. Registrants who do not meet the specified criteria may not be offered a place due to limited spots being available for each event.
Face-to-Face Training
Read through the Commission’s list of different training courses below. To register for the training sessions, please see our Upcoming Training Events. Please note, courses will not appear if they are unavailable or at capacity.
Target audience: Human service providers who work with young people experiencing alcohol and other drug and/or mental health issues.
Training details: This workshop provides an overview of trauma, describes the principles of trauma-informed care and practice (TICP) when working with young people, and offers participants the opportunity to consider how TICP could be incorporated with youth.
At the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- define types of trauma
- discuss the impacts of trauma on young people
- describe the relationship between trauma and alcohol and other drug and/or mental health issues for young people
- understand the importance of trauma informed care and practice (TICP) for person-centred practice with young people
- identify how to implement TICP principles with young people at an organisational and personal level.
Target audience: Human service workers who work with young people experiencing alcohol and other drug use issues.
Training details: This workshop provides an overview of principles for effective engagement with young people, functions of alcohol and other drug screening and assessment, and suitable screening tools and models for use with young people. Participants will have the opportunity to practice using screening tools and models to assess alcohol and other drug use and practice a brief intervention based on the principles of Motivational Interviewing (MI).
At the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- explore assessment models and screening tools for alcohol and other drug use with young people
- implement assessment models and screening tools to engage and explore a young person's alcohol and other drug use
- understand the principles behind effective alcohol and other drug brief interventions
- perform an effective brief intervention using a brief MI conversation.
Target audience: Human service workers who work with young people who use alcohol and other drugs.
Training details: This workshop provides an overview on harm reduction approaches and the principles of sustained behaviour change. Participants will learn skills to assist them in supporting young people to reduce the harms of their alcohol and other drug use and engage in lasting behaviour change where a young person has identified a need for change.
At the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- define harm reduction
- utilise the hierarchy of harm to assist young people in reducing the risks of their alcohol and other drug use
- use Zinberg's Model to assist young people to identify potential harm reduction strategies
- define sustained behaviour change
- describe the principles of effective decision making
- utilise Kwasnicka's model to assist young people to develop strategies to sustain behaviour change.
Target audience: Human service workers who work with young people experiencing alcohol and other drug and/or mental health issues.
Training details: This workshop provides an overview of the issues relevant to working with young people with alcohol and other drug and mental health issues. Participants will learn about prevalence, developmental considerations, common presentations in young people, and best practice approaches and guidelines. Participants will have the opportunity to practice developing case formulations for young people with co-occurring mental health and alcohol and other drug issues.
At the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- define co-occurring mental health and alcohol and other drug issues
- outline prevalence for young people
- discuss developmental considerations
- discuss screening and assessment for young people
- describe common presentations in young people
- discuss best practice when providing services to young people with co-occurring mental health and alcohol and other drug issues
- practice case formulation for young people.
Target audience: Human service workers who work with young people experiencing alcohol and other drug issues.
Training details: A full-day training event on alcohol and other drug assessment and intervention with young people in Perth.
At the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- describe roles and responsibilities when working with young people who use alcohol and other drugs
- explore attitudes and views towards young people who use alcohol and other drugs
- discuss alcohol and other drug dependence
- discuss national harm minimisation strategy and harm reduction approach
- define alcohol and other drug withdrawal
- explore types and categories of AOD
- discuss opioid overdose and naloxone
- apply alcohol and other drug assessment tools and models to a case study.
Upcoming Training Events
Training registrations will appear below. It may take a few minutes to load.
Page last updated7 January 2026
