Message from the Chief Executive

Michelle Carter

We’ve all done it. Nervously walked into a job interview. It’s fight or flight.

You sit down. It’s all very formal. The panel sits behind a large desk and before long starts firing questions at you. They take notes and occasionally nod. It can be tough going.

It’s a feeling that Metro North Red-Cab Mental Health Transitional Care Team Senior Social Worker, Michelle Carter, knows all too well.

Michelle is neurodiverse and celebrates her Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) as her superpower. It often is. However, traditional job interviews have long been her kryptonite.

Her employer, Metro North Red-Cab Mental Health has recently started, very deliberately, considering how it can get the best from candidates applying for jobs.

They recognised that some applicants may be neurodiverse, and a traditional interview may not bring out their best, so they needed to be more inclusive. It was important to see how candidates performed over time, not during a short period under considerable stress and anxiety. Read Newsroom article.

Paul Justice

Paul is part of the Metro North Mental Health Peer workforce, with a lived experience of a mental health condition and disability.

Paul’s role as peer worker means he can relate to people accessing Metro North Health services as he has walked a similar pathway.

“I provide support to people by listening to their stories, understanding their journey and what it is like to walk a day in their life. I help identify barriers they encounter and any issues with accessibility. I also acknowledge people’s resilience and provide them with a space for hope,” he said.

Paul has recently been involved in the development of the Metro North Disability Service Action Plan as a member of the Steering Committee.

“It was empowering to be connected to a group of people in the Steering Committee. It provided a voice for change and created pathways for building inclusion, accessibility, diversity and connections,” he said.

Paul has advice on how those with neurodiversity can be better supported in the workplace.

“Take the time to get to know neurodivergent staff and appreciate their strengths. Neurodiverse people have different sensory issues and learning styles and require patience and understanding. A few reasonable adjustments can make a difference to their working environment and improve workplace engagement.” Read Newsroom article.

Kim Walker

Kim Walker is a champion for diversity.

Not only through her work as an Advanced Indigenous Mental Health Worker for the Metro North Mental Health Resource team, but also as a mum of four children, two of whom are neurodivergent.

During Neurodiversity Action Week (18-24 March), Kim is encouraging people to embrace difference and understand the strengths that come with being neurodiverse.

Kim, who has a 14-year-old and seven-year-old with neurodiversity diagnosed from around school age, said that managing the behaviours associated with these differences can be challenging.

“My sons are wired to think and interact differently which can be difficult and often uncomfortable for some people, especially other kids at school who can’t understand or relate to their unique ways,” Kim said.

Kim admits that as a single mum, it can be a struggle managing her children’s quirks and behaviours, as well as the stigma associated with neurodiversity.

“Mornings in particular can be overwhelming, trying to get the kids off to school with their specific behavioural routines and patterns,” she said. Read Newsroom article.