Co-design communities of practice in community-based mental health and rural suicide prevention

Abstract

This paper presents two case studies in mental health co-design through a community of practice lens and involving collaborators that extend the traditional binary of ‘users’ and ‘stakeholders’. The co-design was undertaken outside the service sector and oriented towards creating and producing innovative praxis and creative products in service to community-based mental health and rural suicide prevention. By inviting lived experience and creative design practitioners into a mental health co-design community of practice, the paper contends that relational engagements form the container for co-design and allow forms of ethically sensitive and creative community-based mental health design that embody therapeutic activism grounded in place.

Keywords:

• Co-design
• community of practice
• community mental health
• rural suicide prevention

Disclosure statement

The authors report there are no relevant competing interests to declare.

Acknowledgements

Dr Alexander Cothren and Mr Benjamin Altieri for their role leading and mentoring students in the Match Studio case study.

Additional information

Funding

The rural suicide prevention case study work was supported by The National Mental Health Commission, NSW Department of Primary Industries, Agriculture Victoria, Queensland Mental Health Commission, Superfriend, Country SA PHN, Primary Industries and Regions SA (PIRSA) and Wellbeing SA.

Notes on contributors

Lia Bryant

Professor Lia Bryant is a rural sociologist and passionate about collaborating with rural communities to understand and act on the challenges and opportunities facing rural Australia. Her research is action oriented and focused on co-designed outcomes which honours the knowledge and expertise within rural communities.

Bridget McFarland

Dr Bridget McFarland is a psychotherapist and interdisciplinary researcher. Her research is oriented towards understanding psychological distress and mental health as responsive to relational experiences within social, political, cultural and geographical contexts. Her work also prioritizes lived experience in research and practice for tailoring person-centred and relational therapeutic supports to people experiencing distress.

Jane Andrew

Dr Jane Andrew is Founding Director of Match Studio and is committed to delivering knowledge and skills development opportunities across the praxis of teaching and learning, research, and industry and community engagement. Jane’s research focuses on regional innovation systems and the development of ‘creative capital’ the creative and innovative thinkers and doers in our workforce, and our communities.