.jpg)
2026 Stigma and Discrimination Reduction Symposium
Mon, 14 Sept
|https://www.stigmaanddiscriminationreductio
A free national symposium examining how stigma and discrimination affect individuals, families, communities and systems and what practitioners, services and policymakers can do to create meaningful change.
Time & Location
14 Sept 2026, 8:30 am – 5:30 pm AEST
https://www.stigmaanddiscriminationreductio
About the event
Peer-to-peer encouragement for VMHPAA members
The 2026 Stigma and Discrimination Reduction Symposium will be held on Monday 14 September 2026 at ZINC, Federation Square, Naarm/Melbourne, with online participation also available. Hosted by the Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences at the University of Melbourne and funded by the National Mental Health Commission, attendance is free.
For VMHPAA members, this is an important opportunity to look beyond symptoms and individual interventions and consider the wider environments in which mental health difficulties are experienced. Stigma and discrimination can affect whether people seek help, how they are treated when they do, and their ability to participate fully in employment, education, relationships and community life.
The program is structured around three connected areas: the impact of stigma and discrimination on individuals and families; responses within communities; and reducing stigma and discrimination within systems. Each session combines panel discussion with an interactive workshop, giving participants the opportunity not only to hear from diverse perspectives but…