Rural Link and Learn Is A Series Of FREE, In-Person Training And Networking Events Held Across Regional Victoria For Speech Pathologists, Psychologists And Occupational Therapists.

Connect with experienced trainers and speakers, expand your knowledge and build your professional network in a supportive and engaging environment.

Each Rural Link and Learn event will comprise of a full day of training and educational content and a networking lunch.

Event Series

Psychology

Shepparton – 4^thDecember
Horsham – 6^th December
Traralgon – 8^th December

Event Closed!

Occupational Therapy

Shepparton – 23^rd October
Horsham – 25^th October
Traralgon – 27^th October

Events Closed!

What to expect

We’re bringing together health professionals from across the region for an enjoyable night out after a day of training in a relaxed setting.

The networking lunch is the perfect opportunity to build relationships with like-minded peers over a delicious meal.

Join us for an insightful and vibrant discussion about your experiences working in rural health.

Training for Psychologists: Neurodiversity-affirming Practice – an approach to clinical practice (in this case, within a Psychology setting) that honours neurodiversity and affirms neurodivergent ways of being including traits and preferences. You will have the opportunity to enhance your skills, network and expand your knowledge in a relaxed setting.

Training for Occupational Therapists: Housing and home modification services for people of all ages and abilities including older people and people with a disability.

About Rural Link and Learn

Empowering rural allied health practitioners with ongoing professional development and support opportunities can enhance job satisfaction and improve long-term retention rates. While professional isolation can be challenging for those practising in rural contexts, prioritising access to resources that foster growth and learning can help mitigate this.

Investing in professional development opportunities for rural allied health practitioners is vital to ensuring high-quality patient care in regions where practitioners often work independently and need to adopt a generalist approach.

By providing the necessary support, we can help attract and retain talented healthcare professionals in rural areas, ultimately improving access to care for those who need it most.

RWAV has engaged rural practitioners to identify training needs and inform event content. 97% of surveyed practitioners reported feeling less professionally isolated and more connected with other practitioners if they had more professional networking and/or local training opportunities.

RWAV is committed to delivering high-quality and relevant programming for rural and remote Victorian health workers

Meet Our Trainers and Speakers

Overview of the experienced and knowledgeable trainers and speakers we offer:

Sandhya Menon, Educational and Developmental Psychologist

Sandhya Menon (she/her) is an Autistic/ADHDer Developmental Psychologist running Onwards and Upwards Psychology in Melbourne, Australia, an organisation that focuses on clinician, parent and teacher training on neurodivergent affirming approaches. As a visual communicator and learner, Sandhya condenses complex information into simple ideas and injects colour into her resources and workshops.

With a passion for advocacy and education, Sandhya has been a featured speaker at autism-related conferences across Australia. She is also an accomplished author, having written three valuable resources. Her most recent work, “The Rainbow Brain,” is a pioneering children’s book that addresses both autism and ADHD, marking a significant milestone in neurodiversity literature.