Registering as part of our Network tells us a little bit about you. This means we can share news on projects or topics we think you will be interested in.

We will send you information about projects and activities that are looking for people to share their ideas, feedback or experiences.

These activities will vary depending on the purpose and you may be offered the opportunity to take part online, by phone or in-person. Most of the time, you can choose the way you would like to be involved.

For example:

A new drug treatment service in Deniliquin might be looking for people to join an Advisory Committee, while a mental health drop-in centre in Young might want some feedback on how to make the space comfortable for visitors. You can choose which of these fit with your availability, experiences and how you would like to be involved.

If you register with us and tell us that you are a person who:

• Has a lived/living experience of mental health concerns, drug or alcohol use
• Cares for a loved one with mental health concerns, drug or alcohol use
• Is currently working as a Peer Worker in the Murrumbidgee region

then you will be added to our Lived Experience, Peer and Carer Network.

As part of this Network, we will contact you when the Murrumbidgee MHDA Alliance or one of our member organisations is looking for lived experience or carer input into their services or projects.

As part of our Network, you will hear about opportunities to use your experience to get involved, including opportunities which are not shared as projects on this website.

Peer Workers

We are working on building more ways for Peer Workers across the Murrumbidgee region to connect with each other, access support and take part in skills development.

As a Peer Work member of our Network you will hear about these opportunities first and will have access to initiatives which are just for Peer Workers in Murrumbidgee.

We recognise that many people in communities across the Murrumbidgee region have an interest in mental health, suicide, and drug and alcohol initiatives and services.

We also know that many health professionals are keen to stay connected in this space and hear about new services and options for people accessing their services.

If you are a health professional, or an interested community member, you are welcome to register and we will send you news and updates on the work of the Murrumbidgee MHDA Alliance and topics you tell us you are interested in.

Registering for a website account or joining the Lived Experience, Peer and Carer Network is quick and easy.

Create your account by following the steps below:

1. Click the 'Log In / Join' button in the top-right of the menu bar.

2. A login box will appear. Select 'sign up' to start your registration process.

3. Complete the form by:

• providing your personal information and contact details, so that we can keep in touch with you
• creating a username. Your username can be seen by others if you take part in an activity that involves public comments. You must not include any identifying information in your username (like your date of birth or full name)
• answering the questions about you
• selecting your topics of interest. This will help us send you information about things you are interested in.
• selecting your notification preferences
• completing the reCAPTCHA ('I'm not a robot') tool

4. Click 'sign up' to complete your registration

5. You will receive a notification email confirming your registration.

Make sure to check your spam/junk folder, to make sure our emails are reaching you. You might like to mark our emails as 'safe' in your email provider to make sure they appear in your inbox, not your junk mail.

Your profile includes your username, contact details, topics of interest and projects you follow.

All of these details can be updated by you at any time. Keeping your profile updated will make sure that we only contact you about the things you are interested in.

To view and update your profile, follow these steps:

1. Login to your account by clicking the 'Log in / Join' button in the menu bar at the top the page.

2. Once logged in, select 'My profile' from the button in the menu bar at the top the page and choose 'Edit profile'

3. Edit your details by clicking the 'edit' symbol to the right of the section you are changing.

You can change your password at any time:

1. Login to your account by clicking the 'Log in / Join' button in the menu bar at the top the page.

2. Once logged in, select 'My profile' from the button in the menu bar at the top the page and choose 'Edit profile'

3. Scroll down through your profile options to the 'Change Password' section. Enter your current password and the new one you have chosen, making sure to follow the password rules.

If you forget your password, click the 'Log in / Join' button in the menu bar at the top of the page. Then click the 'Forgot your password?' link.

You will be asked to enter your email address. Click the 'reset and email password' button and you will be sent instructions to reset your password.

You can unsubscribe or close your account at any time. You do not have to give a reason, but we welcome any feedback you may have.

You can stop receiving emails and contact from us by doing any of the following:

1. Replying to an email we send you, saying 'unsubscribe' or similar. We will deactivate your account and you will no longer receive emails or notifications from us.
2. Logging into your website account and editing the contact preferences in your profile.
3. Emailing us on mmhdaa@gph.org.au asking for your account to be deactivated.

You can also choose to deactivate your account for a period of time and then reactivate it when you are ready. Please contact us and we will assist you with this.

Communicating online means that we can reach people across the Murrumbidgee region, wherever they live.

It also gives a quick, private and easy way for people to take part and share their ideas or experiences.

We do understand, though, that not everyone feels comfortable taking part online.

If you would like to be involved in a project or want to connect with us in a different way, you can contact us on mmhdaa@gph.org.au with your phone number and we will get in touch to arrange a way for you to take part that best suits you.

When you take part in a project, the comments, information or ideas that you submit will be shared with the organisation which has asked for the input. The organisation running the project will be clearly shown on the project page.

Your personal information, such as name and contact details, will not be shared with the organisation, unless these details are needed for you to take part.

For example, if you are registering to take part in a phone interview, your name, phone number and availability will be shared. However, if you are taking part in a survey asking for your feedback on something, your name and contact information will not be shared.

We will aim to be clear about what information is being shared. Many activities will offer for you to take part anonymously if you prefer.

Some activities invite you to make a comment or write something which will be shared on the website and can be seen by other visitors. We will be clear about when this is the case so you can decide if you want to take part. Only your username and comment will be visible to others. No personal information is allowed to be shared in these kinds of activities.

You can read more about your personal information in our Privacy Statement. You are also welcome to contact us with any questions about how your information is shared or used.

No, your information is only visible to the small team who administer the website (update content and communicate with members). You information is stored securely and cannot be seen by others.

If you take part in an activity which invites public comment, your username will be visible to others. Our website rules require that you do not include any personal information in your username, to protect your privacy.

We understand that it is so important to know what decisions have been made based on the information and experiences shared by the community.

If you are logged in to your website account or give your name and contact details when you take part, we will be able to see that you have contributed. We will contact you with updates about the project and what has happened based on your feedback. You are also welcome to contact us with any questions.

Most projects will also include a news feed and we will publish an update there as the project progresses. If you are interested in a project, or have taken part in an activity, it is a good idea to 'follow' the project so that we know to send you updates each time news is shared.

Many activities on the website will allow anyone to take part, even if they are not a Network member or have not registered for a website account.

This is so that we can allow people to take part anonymously if they choose, helping them feel safer and more comfortable sharing their experiences.

If you are a Network member, we do encourage you to login before participating. Logging in means that:

• We can send you updates on the activities and projects you have taken part in.
• We can contact you if there are other opportunities to help with that project that you might be interested in.
• We can recognise you for all the time and effort that you provide taking part in activities to improve mental health, drug and alcohol services in Murrumbidgee (we provide reward and recognition at key milestones in your participation!).

We like to get to know the people in our community who contribute regularly and so generously share their experiences with us!