Professional development

Turning Point provides fee for service and funded training programs to AOD workers and the broader health and welfare workforce across an extensive range of areas. Professional development training may include:

  • Introduction to dealing with addiction and mental health issues (for secondary teachers, tertiary institutions, workplaces and allied health professionals)
  • Assessment, treatment and referral for addiction related problems
  • AOD awareness 
  • Addiction and mental health
  • Vicarious Trauma self-care for sector workers
  • Group work for Addicted Populations
  • Tailored training on request across a range of workforces and sectors.
  • The emotional impact of addiction
  • AOD boundaries and safety plans
  • Addiction and families

Turning Point delivers a funded training calendar, with workshops scheduled throughout the year that are available to AOD workers and other allied health professionals working in the AOD sector. Workshops are delivered online or at Turning Point in Richmond and are delivered by experts in the field. To facilitate ongoing engagement in professional development and knowledge-sharing practices, Turning Point hosts a regular series of publicly available lectures and webinars. Visit our Events page for upcoming dates, or view past recordings on our Resources page.

 

Contact

Please contact Workforce Development via [email protected] for information about Turning Point’s training.

Collaborative AOD leadership Network (CAN)

The Collaborative AOD leadership Network (CAN) is a leadership development and mentoring project that unites existing and emerging leaders within the Victorian AOD sector. Turning Point was instrumental in its establishment in 2014 and has oversight of its annual activity.

CAN provides the ultimate networking opportunity with participants drawn from a variety of roles and organisations across the AOD sector; enabling participants to connect and converse with other leaders from different perspectives and backgrounds to solve complex problems.  
 
It also provides unique leadership opportunities for experienced and emerging leaders to increase their leadership capacity and to support culture and practice change, through the emergence of shared values and commitments to improving AOD treatment and effectiveness. 
 
CAN members participate in both formal leadership training and a community of practice on an ongoing basis.
 

*How would you rate your experiences with CAN to other professional development opportunities you have had? 100% said significantly better (from the CAN Annual Report 2025)

 

Please contact Workforce Development via [email protected] for information about the Collaborative AOD Leadership Network.

Nurse & Midwife Education & Training

Turning Point, in partnership with the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF), provides quality AOD education and training to the nursing and midwifery workforce in Victoria. The training aims to improve understanding of substance use and treatment approaches. These sessions can count towards CPD points.
 
The suite of training includes two streams:
  • Four 3-hour sessions which serve as an introduction to AOD. These cover the mechanisms of substance use, effects and harms of using, harm reduction principles and strategies, understanding the AOD service sector, building rapport with people who use, supporting them to build and sustain motivation to change, and models of recovery. This course is delivered online over 4 weeks, or in-person over two full days.
  • Masterclasses are 3-hour online sessions delivered by AOD specialists. These sessions provide an in-depth look at different substances and treatment approaches. They are pitched at nurses and midwives working in AOD services.
To enquire and enrol, visit the ANMF website here: Alcohol & other drugs training.