E Tū Kahikatea - Standing Strong: Navigating Change & Building Resilience

Kia ora! Join us for the ATCA Conference 'E Tū Kahikatea - Standing Strong: Navigating Change & Building Resilience'. The conference theme celebrates the strength, innovation, and resilience of TCs, the workforce, and those accessing our services in an ever-evolving landscape. It honours the power of standing together through change and challenges.

The conference will attract delegates from across the ATCA membership, broader alcohol and other drug sector and other health and community services. Showcasing innovative practices, interventions, and research aimed at enhancing client outcomes, this event will introduce new ideas and provide valuable networking opportunities.

25 November (optional) Local member site visits & cultural experience Ōrākei Marae.

In the morning conference, delegates will have the opportunity to visit ATCA member's Odyssey House Auckland and Higher Ground to experience their work firsthand (lunch and transport will be provided).

That afternoon, delegates will visit the Ōrākei Marae to experience and learn about the culture and history of the Ngāti Whātua people. This visit is proudly sponsored by Odyssey Auckland.

26-27 November - Conference proceedings. Version 1 of the Conference program is available at www.atca.com.au - resources page.

Keynotes:

Dr David Best, Dr Andre McLachlan, Dr Lynne Magor-Blatch & Garth Popple.

For more details see [email protected].

Info: David’s keynote: ‘The role of TCs in building community recovery capital: An outside in model’ will explore creating the conditions that maximise the opportunities for recovery from a TC perspective, and the idea of Community Connections and Community Recovery Capital. Dr. David Best is Professor and Director of the Centre for Addiction Recovery Research(CARR) at Leeds Trinity University, Honorary Professor of Regulation and Global Governance at The Australian National University, Adjunct Associate Professor of Addiction Science at Monash University (Melbourne) and Affiliate Senior Scientist at the Public Health Institute in California. He is also a founding member of the College of Lived Experience Recovery Organisations in the UK and of the Inclusive Recovery Cities movement where he is chair of Inclusive Recovery Cities UK. Trained as a psychologist and criminologist, he has worked in practice, research and policy in the areas of addiction recovery and rehabilitation of offenders.

Info: Andre’s keynote: ‘Te Whare o Oro:Neurodiversity in the healing space - A Māori approach’ will provide a framework for exploring neurodevelopment, neurodiversity and the impact of trauma. He will discuss ways of discussing neurodevelopment, needs and healing responses from a Māori perspective; along with some of the innovative resources to support practice. Dr Andre McLachlan, Ngāti Apa and Muaūpoko (PhD; PGDipClinPsych; PGDip Health Sci) is a Clinical Psychologist and Addictions practitioner based in the Waikato. He has a range of research, lecturing and workforce development roles. Andre is a father of six, including Tamariki with Te Iho Tātai-ā-Rongo (FASD). He has specialist interests in Indigenous approaches to Mental Health, Trauma, Addictions and Neurodiversity. Andre enjoys creating and delivering interactive workshops that enhance people’s engagement in new learning and increases motivation to learn more and directly apply new skills to their practice.

Info: Lynne’s keynote: “No-one talks about having a love affair with methamphetamine” will detail the development of the Group Intervention for Amphetamine-type Stimulant use, the subject of Lynne’s PhD, and discuss best practice treatment interventions for methamphetamine treatment. Dr Lynne Magor-Blatch is a Clinical and Forensic Psychologist, with an extensive background in Therapeutic Community treatment. She has worked across diverse fields of psychology; health and wellbeing; alcohol and other drug use treatment, research and policy; community development and the arts in both Government and non-government organisations. Lynne has held positions of Associate Professor, teaching within Masters of Clinical and Health Psychology programs at the University of Canberra, University of Wollongong, Australian National University and University of Queensland. In June 2010,Lynne was inducted into the National Alcohol and Drug Honour Roll for significant contribution to the AOD sector.

Info: Therapeutic Communities in a global context: shared challenges, innovations, and the role of Australia and Aotearoa (New Zealand’), will provide a global perspective on Therapeutic Communities, sharing insights from the WFTC’s work. It will explore shared challenges and innovations globally from across the world, and how these relate to the Australian and Aotearoa, New Zealand context. Garth is the Deputy President of the World Federation of Therapeutic Communities (WFTC) and the Executive Director of We Help Ourselves (WHOS), a leading AOD organisation, providing Therapeutic Communities across NSW and Queensland.  Garth has been primarily focused on the Therapeutic Community model of treatment for most of his career to date, including working with TCs throughout Asia.

Host or Publisher Australasian Therapeutic Communities Association