The mental health system is shifting. National reviews now call for genuine lived experience leadership, not tokenism. Here’s why every organisation will soon need a Lived Experience Governance Framework and why early adopters will lead the next era of reform.

The mental health workforce is under immense strain. Burnout, high turnover, and increasing complexity in client needs are stretching traditional care models to their limits. As someone working in the sector, I’ve seen firsthand how conventional approaches, often built around one-to-one clinical relationships and hierarchical supervision, can leave workers overwhelmed and isolated.

But there’s another way.

Loneliness and social isolation are among the greatest public health challenges of our age. This is recognised by multiple parliamentary inquiries into the issue. While much attention is rightly given to clinical services, there is much less focus on the social architecture we need to cultivate in order to sustain connection, reduce isolation, and foster resilience.

In this post, I’m exploring the transformational potential of the intentional peer support model and why it matters, how it works, and why I believe it should be central to any strategy addressing loneliness, mental health and community wellbeing.

Queensland’s mental health system is under pressure. Discover how Intentional Peer Support can strengthen workforce wellbeing, prevent hospitalisation, and rebuild community connection.