Join as a Lived and Living Experience Representative

Manna Institute’s Lived and Living Experience Advisory Group (LEAG) provides essential insights across Manna’s governance committees and all five mental health research streams. This perspective is crucial for understanding the evolving nature of mental health and the immediate needs and challenges faced by those living in regional, rural and remote Australia. Manna seeks to work with a range of people within the institute both from research-based environment and also within the greater community. We welcome applicants from a range of lived experience backgrounds and acknowledge the importance of having community representation at all levels of the institute.

If this is something that interests you, complete the form below or reach out to us at mannainstitute@une.edu.au.

Manna Institute

Manna Institute is a virtual research institute dedicated to improving mental health and wellbeing in regional and rural Australia. It supports meaningful, translatable place-based research and fosters the development of professional mental health researchers and aligned workforces.

Manna Institute is an initiative of the seven universities comprising the Regional Universities Network (RUN): Charles Sturt University, Central Queensland University, Federation University, Southern Cross University, the University of Southern Queensland, the University of the Sunshine Coast, and the lead institution, the University of New England. Manna Institute’s work tackles the impacts of the changing environment, systemic and geographic inequities, and challenges of delivering mental health supports throughout the vast Australian landscape. Their five mental health research streams focus on child, youth and family; physical activity; ageing and disability; climate change and the environment and distress and suicide prevention. Each stream is a growing collaboration of researchers from universities across Australia, First Nations and Lived and Living Experience representatives, community and industry partners from partner organisations including Foundation partners Everymind, Lifeline Direct and the Australian National University’s Centre for Mental Health Research.

Manna has established a Higher Degree Research Community of Practice and mentoring program for Early and Mid-Career researchers from across Australia committed to research in regional mental health. This allows for the development of relationships between researchers that overcome geographic isolation. Manna Institute holds a variety of events aimed at connecting researchers across the research career trajectory.

Governance structure

The Institute is governed by representatives from participating universities, foundation industry partners, First Nations representatives and people with Lived and Living experience to guide collaborative priority setting. The Manna Institute Leadership Group (MILG) oversees the Institute, while the Manna Institute Strategic Group (MISG) is responsible for the day-to-day progress of the Institute's activities.

The Manna Institute Leadership Group (MILG) is responsible for:

·Providing expertise and advice on strategic directions and opportunities for the Institute

·Ensuring integrity and reporting including governance, quality, access and reporting.

·Identifying risks or issues as they arise

·Supporting high visibility of the Institute and its activities

The Manna Institute Strategic Group (MISG) is responsible for:

·Reviewing progress, address emerging issues, out of session endorsement of key actions

·Provision of expertise and advice on strategic directions and opportunities for the Institute

·The overall direction of the Institute and evaluation monitoring

·Maintaining a high profile of the Institute and its activities and translation of outcomes