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The article discusses a study which evaluated a series of leadership development workshops focused on project management and partnership development skills held at the New South Wales Institute of Psychiatry (NSWIOP) for mental health workers from the Pacific Islands. Topics covered include the response of participants to the training, their confidence in taking on formal or informal leadership roles in the workplace, and strengths and weaknesses identified in the delivery of this training.

This paper reports on the impact of a structured program of mental health training on the clinical practice of mental health workers in NSW, Australia. The NSW School-Link Training program, comprising four courses to date, has been delivered locally to more than 2000 mental health workers from various agencies over seven years. Participants, who include school and TAFE counsellors and clinicians from health, Juvenile Justice, Community Services and drug and alcohol agencies, report improved inter-agency collaboration and improved clinical skills as a result of the training. Sixty-seven per cent of school counsellors report retaining clients they would previously have referred to other agencies, providing opportunities for specialised mental health services to focus on clients with more severe presentations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]