One of the most effective ways of studying AOD is to study with an industry based provider of AOD training. These providers are also AOD service providers and agencies that are currently providing AOD services to clients. They are able to draw on the expertise and experience of currently practicing specialists working in their agencies to inform their training provision, resources and assessment approaches. Being able to translate current industry best practice into learning increases the relevance of the programs to learners’ needs. Programs are offered in a variety of flexible delivery modes including face-to-face, online and blended. Your learning experience can be tailored to suit your individual needs – whether you are upskilling, returning to study or seeking to change your career. Victoria’s specialist industry based AOD providers of nationally accredited AOD training and qualifications include:
- Odyssey House Victoria
- Uniting ReGen
- TaskForce Community Agency
- Turning Point
These providers offer a range of study options, from the Certificate IV and Diploma in AOD to higher education postgraduate courses up to and including qualifications at a Masters level.
Odyssey House Victoria
(RTO 20995)
For more than three decades, Odyssey House Victoria (OHV) has provided a range of treatment options for people with substance use issues, and continues to develop and offer services and programs in response to the emerging needs of the community.
OHV recognises that problems with alcohol and other drugs can have a significant impact on children and other family members. We aim to support and make our services relevant to people of all backgrounds and identities, welcoming Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, those from culturally diverse backgrounds, and those from LGBTQI communities to our services.
Services and programs include:
- Assessment;
- Counselling and support;
- Residential rehabilitation;
- Financial counselling;
- Youth and Family Services;
- Children’s and Family Services;
- Education and Training;
- Drink and Drug Driver Education Programs.
For more information about OHV services programs go to our website.
OHV is also a Registered Training Organisation (RTO) and is known as Odyssey Institute in this capacity.
The breadth of knowledge and skills required to deliver the range of specialist AOD services provided by OHV informs the relevance of Odyssey Institute training programs—ensuring our students receive the most current information and relevant skills.
Odyssey Institute AOD Courses
As an industry-based RTO, we design and deliver training programs and assessment services that are informed by OHV’s clinical expertise in the AOD sector.
We are committed to providing training and assessment services in programs that support the development of a strong and progressive AOD sector workforce, and that also support the needs of other allied health professions and corporate agencies.
Our programs are designed to meet not only the needs of existing workers but also for those who wish to change careers and or enter employment in the AOD sector.
All Odyssey Institute qualifications are recognised under the Australian Qualifications Framework which provide structured pathways into higher education programs (as defined in the AQF Policy for Pathways).
Our scope of registration includes the following nationally recognised qualifications:
- CHC43215 Certificate IV in Alcohol and Other Drugs;
- CHC53215 Diploma of Alcohol and Other Drugs;
- CHCSS00093 Alcohol and Other Drugs Skill Set;
- 10254NAT Working with Clients with Amphetamine-Type Stimulant Issues
(Note 10524NAT is copyright owned by OHV. Information about curriculum is available by contacting the OHV RTO Manager.)
Trainers and assessors incorporate individual student-centred approaches through face-to-face delivery, coordinated online study groups and enabling online student peer support networks.
More information about OHV Programs
Since it first attained registration as a training provider, Odyssey Institute has developed specialist programs to meet workforce needs. This demonstrates our capability for high quality service provision and relevant training options. Programs developed in the past have included: FamilyInclusive practice, Amphetamine Type Stimulants, Gambling as an Addiction.
Uniting ReGen
(RTO 20956)
Our purpose is to promote health and reduce alcohol and other drug related harm. Uniting ReGen is the lead AOD treatment and education agency of Uniting Victoria and Tasmania. Uniting ReGen has been operating since 1970 and provides a range of treatment and education services for individuals and families affected by AOD use.
Uniting ReGen are focussed on developing holistic responses to the various factors affecting people’s wellbeing and recognise that AOD use may not be the most important among them. By providing a range of integrated and complimentary services, we seek to increase people’s capacity to achieve sustainable whole-of-life change. Uniting ReGen delivers AOD education and training across Australia as a Registered Training Organisation.
Uniting ReGen AOD Courses
Uniting ReGen has been an RTO since 2000 and has provided training to over 1000 Alcohol and Other Drug Workers in Victoria and Nationally. Our primary focus is the provision of evidenced based – practical education and training to workers in the AOD sector.
Our education programs are informed by content specific literature reviews, developed by experienced AOD workers & educationalists and consistently updated through industry consultation, Uniting ReGen Clinical Governance directives, evaluations, client audits and importantly consumer input.
ReGen recognises that people learn in different ways. Our format offers a variety of approaches, methods and learning strategies. While trainers are free to use materials in a number of different ways, we strongly recommend that they respond to the multiple intelligences of participants by utilising a broad range of strategies and methods to enhance learning opportunities. Our blended delivery of education programs incorporate attendance in class with additional home based learning.
You can access our Nationally Recognised Training web page here, or view our 2018 calendar.
ReGen offers the following nationally recognised AOD units of competence:
Some of the units of competence are offered as a single unit, whereas others are clustered together, therefore attendance at training and the successful completion of assessments would result in the participant gaining both accredited units.
The AOD units of competence we offer, include those that make up the Nationally Recognised CHCSS00093 Alcohol and Other Drugs Skill Set as per below:
CHCAOD001 Work in an alcohol and other drugs context
CHCAOD004 Assess needs of clients with alcohol and other drugs issues & CHCAOD009 Develop and review individual alcohol and other drugs treatment plans
CHCAOD006 Provide interventions for people with alcohol and other drugs issues
Additional AOD units available include:
CHCAOD007 Develop strategies for alcohol and other drugs relapse prevention and management (this unit can be clustered with CHCAOD006)
CHCAOD002 Work with clients who are intoxicated
CHCAOD005 Provide alcohol and other drugs withdrawal services
CPR & First Aid
ReGen acknowledge that CPR and First Aid are essential additional skill needs of workers in the AOD and community services sector and offers the following:
HLTAID001 Provide Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation
HLTAID003 Provide First Aid
First Aid and CPR are offered continuously throughout the year, please contact ReGen RTO admin for details.
More information about Uniting ReGen Programs
For further details on our nationally recognised training in AOD or First Aid, call ReGen’s RTO Administration on (03) 93862876 or email RADmin@regen.org.au
TaskForce Community Agency
(RTO 5818)
Since 1973 TaskForce has provided specialist support for people in serious need in Victoria.
The people who access our services have experienced significant disadvantage or a crisis in their lives and as a result are prevented from reaching their potential. Many have fallen through society’s cracks and all too often have been placed in the “too hard” basket. They are people who have a long term range of complex issues or a single issue with a high degree of severity.
Our core services focus on addressing social issues of addiction, unemployment, mental health and high risk taking behaviours, supporting our clients to transition back into “mainstream” services and supports. We assist young people, adults and families. TaskForce is an RTO that delivers Certificate IV AOD and Cert I & II General Education.
TaskForce AOD Courses
TaskForce believes in the benefits of education, and is a RTO enabling it to provide quality accredited and pre-accredited vocational education and training programs within Victoria.
TaskForce believes that setting strong foundations through developing knowledge and skills helps to provide opportunities for individuals to reach towards a brighter future. We also work closely with employers to design innovative programs that suit staff development and employment needs.
We offer our accredited training programs with government subsidies available to those who are eligible and encourage those with disability to enrol in our programs.
Currently TaskForce offers the following accredited programs:
- Certificate IV Alcohol & Other Drugs
- Certificate I General Education
- Certificate II General Education
- Mental Health First Aid
In addition TaskForce offers the following non-accredited programs
- Work Readiness
- Back on Track
- Introduction to Art
- Prepare for an Art Exhibition
- Introduction to hospitality
- Introduction to Alcohol & Drugs
More Information about TaskForce Programs
Information on all our training programs can be found on the TaskForce website www.taskforce.org.au or by contacting Natalie Siegel on 9532 0811.
Turning Point
(RTO 6948)
Turning Point is a national treatment, research and education centre that provides leadership in the AOD, gambling and mental health sectors. Combining innovative research in the clinical and population health fields with capacity building and specialist support, Turning Point assists services, communities and the Victorian and Commonwealth governments to respond to AOD and gambling issues. Turning Point is an Eastern Health service, operating in affiliation with Monash University. Situated in Church Street, Richmond, Turning Point’s facilities combine state of the art clinical areas with large purpose built training rooms and recording facilities for developing online professional development programs. Turning Point is both a RTO and an accredited Higher Education Provider (HEP). As an RTO, Turning Point offers specialist AOD training to the AOD sector, including provision of the AOD Skills Set. As a HEP it offers post graduate courses in addictions up to Masters Level.
Turning Point AOD Programs
Turning Point’s comprehensive approach to education and workforce development reflects an understanding that effective lifelong learning comprises multiple strategies. Our education and training programs include regular seminars, webinars, skills based workshops, competency based training, medical specialist training and higher education courses, the latter delivered in conjunction with Monash University. We also develop and deliver specialist resources and post-training support to AOD clinicians, researchers and policy makers. Underpinning this delivery is the belief that research informs practice and professionals are constantly required to keep up to date with cutting edge discoveries in the field.
The accredited courses currently offered by Turning Point that meet MQS requirements include the 4 units of competency that comprise the AOD skill set and multiple courses at postgraduate level.
AOD Skillset
- CHCAOD001 – Work in an alcohol and other drugs context
- CHCAOD004 – Assess needs of clients with alcohol and other drugs issues
- CHCAOD006 – Provide interventions for people with alcohol and other drugs issues
- CHCAOD009 – Develop and review individual alcohol and other drugs treatment plans
For more information on Professional Development visit the website
Postgraduate courses
- Graduate Certificate of Addictive Behaviours
- Graduate Diploma of Addictive Behaviours
- Master of Addictive Behaviours
These courses are delivered fully online and are suitable for graduates in psychology, criminology, nursing, medicine, law, social work, youth work and community development and those working in criminal justice, mental health, community health and public policy.
For more information Refer to visit our website or email turningpoint@monash.edu
Turning Point is unique in the area of Education and Training, not only because we offer such a wide range of learning options for people looking to progress in their chosen careers, but also because of our internationally recognised research profile and extensive clinical services, including Counselling Online. This combination of research and clinical expertise ensures that Turning Point’s educational programs are both evidence and practice based.
Turning Point is also very proud of the quality of our teaching. In 2017, the mean student satisfaction rating across 14 post graduate subjects was 4.4 out of 5. In relation to our non-accredited training courses for 2017, 92 % of our 2,958 participants indicted “High” or “Very High” satisfaction with the training provided.
More Information on Turning Point Programs
In addition to accredited training, Turning Point provides skills based workshops for DHHS funded AOD workers, a Training Calendar of special workshops of interest to the AOD Sector, a monthly Talking Point lecture featuring hot topics, and a webinar series for clinical staff including more established clinicians.
If you would like more information about any of our Workforce Development activities, please email training@turningpoint.org.au