by JoFarmer | Jan 31, 2020 | Sector insights
Late last year, the Productivity Commission inquiry into mental health released their draft report of findings and recommendations so far. It is a huge report (over 1000 pages!) that covers immense ground, picking up on many of the flaws in the current mental health...
by JoFarmer | Nov 24, 2019 | My story, Sector insights
One of the surprisingly common reactions to my recent announcement that I have started my own business is the question of what my goals are. How soon before I employ someone else? Where is my office going to be? How big do I anticipate growing? It seems I’m not...
by JoFarmer | Jun 18, 2019 | News, Sector insights
As one of their election commitments, the Andrews Government pledged to hold a Royal Commission into the Victorian Mental Health System. This is an incredible opportunity for those with a lived experience, often left out of the policymaking process, to shape the...
by JoFarmer | Mar 4, 2019 | My story, Sector insights
One of the most important practices I have incorporated into my daily life is that of gratitude. It might sound like new-age nonsense, but at its heart is the simple premise that we should look for the good in life, even amongst the bad. And even when life is...
by JoFarmer | Sep 22, 2018 | My story, Sector insights
At the 2018 Australasian Evaluation Society conference in Launceston, I gave a paper reflecting on my experiences of conducting evaluation in the mental health sector while having a lived experience. I experience mental illness, and for some time, I have also worked...
by JoFarmer | Feb 23, 2018 | News, Sector insights
Evaluation is valuable, not just for working out if your project had an impact but for improving the overall quality of your intervention design. I have a blog up on BetterEvaluation about building evaluative thinking into your project from the get-go. It’s...
I’m a policymaker and evaluator focused on improving the health and wellbeing of all Australians, particularly those who experience mental illness and complex disadvantage.