With regret this is my last newsletter as Chair of IFIC Australia, as I stepped down from the role at our last Partners meeting in April. I’ll still be involved with IFICA as a Senior Associate but given that I’m shifting back to New Zealand it is important that there is an Australian based Chair to take over responsibility.
It’s been a great privilege over the year working with so many wonderful people and being part of IFIC Australia’s growth.
We’ve made such huge strides over the last 18 months. In particular, this has seen the development of the data base, the case studies, gathering a bevy of such great and influential partners to the cause, the holding of the 1st Asia-Pacific Conference (APIC 1) and the Accelerated Learning Workshop in Orange, numerous webinars and workshops and of course working with our Partners.
Special thanks for their support, vision and keen organisational processes go to our CEO Nick Goodwin and his great team at IFIC HQ and David Perkins and the team at the Centre for Rural and Remote Mental Health in Orange, especially Hazel Dalton and Lucy McEvoy. In this I wish to acknowledge also what a bonus it will be to have Nick, living and working in Australia later in the year as Professor and Director of the Central Coast Research Institute, a joint initiative between the University of Newcastle and the Central Coast Local Health District.
There are still significant challenges ahead but as we look forward to APIC 2, I am confident that IFICA will go from strength to strength.
All the best and integrate well,
Peter McGeorge is the Chair of IFIC Australia