How to use this framework

The framework is for individual members of the workforce, service leaders, organisations, and institutions that engage with the system.

It aims to support reflection, growth and development at all these levels.

The ultimate goal is to improve the experience for consumers, carers and families. We want to ensure that all Victorians have positive mental health and wellbeing outcomes.

For members of the workforce, the framework helps you undertake reflective practice. You can use it to self-assess your knowledge and skills. You can also use it to discuss capability development with your peers, team leaders, supervisors and managers.

For service leaders, the framework helps you determine professional development priorities, as well as create diverse teams, and assess team capabilities so you can take advantage of group learning opportunities. It also provides approaches to professional practice supervision, and supports growth and career pathways.

For organisations, the framework supports values-based recruitment, team composition and role descriptions, and career development. It sets out how individuals and organisations need to adapt, grow and continuously improve to achieve the highest standards of practice.

For institutions, such as education and professional bodies, the framework will guide the development of education, training programs and curriculum. It complements or informs professional development requirements for formal or informal accreditation. You can use it to review standards of practice to provide another layer of insight and consistency.

The capability framework provides reflective practice questions that can help you develop your practice.

Here are some examples of the ways different members of the workforce can use the capability framework:

• As a frontline worker, I will use the capability framework, along with my experience, education and other learning, to inform the way I work with consumers, families, carers and supporters. The framework will help me to work collaboratively with colleagues within and across services.
• As a consumer peer-support worker, I will use the capability framework to guide my interactions with consumers and with colleagues in multidisciplinary teams. This will help me provide safe and effective peer support.
• As a training or education provider for the sector, we will use the capability framework to guide design, delivery and continuous improvement of our curriculum. We understand the need for consistent practice across the sector, and we will align our learning and development training and resources with the principles and capabilities set out in the framework.
• As a family peer-support worker, I will use the capability framework to guide my interactions with families, carers and supporters, as well as to guide how I work with colleagues in multidisciplinary teams. The framework will help us all recognise that families and carers have their own support needs too.
• As a practice supervisor and mentor for the team, I will use the capability framework to guide my reflective practice. I will use it to prepare development plans and assess progress against performance goals. The framework will also help me understand the skills and knowledge the team needs to deliver effective care, support and treatment.
• As a people manager, I will use the capability framework to support workforce planning, and to understand the capabilities that I need to recruit for and continually develop and assess. This will ensure that our organisation has the right mix of capabilities to deliver positive mental health and wellbeing outcomes for all people and their families, carers and supporters.
• As a service leader, I will use the capability framework to support the recruitment and professional development of my team. The framework will help me understand and communicate the approaches and capabilities our organisation needs to deliver effective outcomes.
• As someone with lived experience of mental illness, I will use the capability framework to understand the expectations of this role in the sector, as well as the capabilities I will need to develop throughout my career.