Celebrating Collaboration, Growth and Impact
The evening was opened by Kim Allison, Director of the Collaborative Practice Centre (CPC), who drew inspiration from the Wurundjeri seasonal calendar, in which September and October mark Poorneet, or Tadpole Season – a time of growth, renewal and transformation as the natural world comes alive with new beginnings. This seasonal connection provided a fitting reflection for our Mental Health and Alcohol and Other Drugs (MH/AoD) Project Celebration, held at The Dax Centre on Thursday 8 October 2026. Just as Poorneet symbolises growth and change, the evening celebrated the incredible progress achieved through collaboration, shared purpose and a collective commitment to strengthening the future MH/AoD workforce.
The celebration brought together placement partners, clinical supervisors, discipline leads and colleagues to recognise the outstanding contributions of the Collaborative Practice Centre's Project Officer team and the many individuals and organisations who have supported the initiative. Throughout the project, the team has worked to strengthen partnerships, expand student placement opportunities, develop innovative approaches to clinical education and foster interprofessional learning across disciplines. These achievements would not have been possible without the generosity, expertise and commitment of our placement partners, supervisors and discipline leads, whose ongoing support has helped create meaningful learning experiences for students.
CPC Project Officer Team: Denise Ho, Vicky Rayner, Simone Stahli Quinn, Thomas Connell, Indi Swan and Meredith Oldis
A particularly special moment of the evening was the presentation of student-nominated placement supervisor awards, recognising supervisors who had made a lasting impact on students' learning, confidence and professional development. These awards highlighted the invaluable role of supportive supervision in shaping the next generation of healthcare professionals.
As the project draws to a close, the celebration was an opportunity not only to reflect on what has been achieved, but also to acknowledge the relationships, partnerships and foundations that will continue to grow. Much like Poorneet, this marks not simply an ending, but the beginning of new opportunities, continued collaboration and lasting positive change in MH/AoD education and workforce development.
