As well as university-accredited post graduate programs, the Centre for Adolescent Health has also developed a number of innovative online professional development programs. These are free to any-one interested.

Global Adolescent Health

With over 25% of the world’s population aged between 10 and 24 years, today’s generation of young people is the largest in human history. This intensive 8-week online course (6 weeks of active teaching) explores the health and wellbeing of young people across the different countries and regions of the world, and what individuals, communities and nations can do to improve their health and life chances.

Prepared and presented by Professors Susan Sawyer and George Patton, the course is comprised of a series of 3 to 15-minute audio-visual lectures each week. Students work through the program at their own pace and in their own time, and can engage with other students online.

Enrolment is simple, there are no prerequisites, and it costs nothing. 

To enrol in the Global Adolescent Health course or for additional information visit: https://www.coursera.org/learn/youth-health

2019 course dates

• 4 February – 1 April 
  
• 15 April – 10 June
• 24 June – 19 August
• 2 September – 28 October

Cancer Care for Adolescents and Young Adults

In collaboration with the University of Melbourne and ONTrac at Peter Mac Victorian Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Service, the Centre for Adolescent Health has developed a free online course for health professionals, and anyone with an interest in young people with cancer. 

Using a method known as ‘spaced education’, multiple choice questions are delivered to the learner’s email inbox every second day. Responses are posted immediately, accompanied by related evidence-based information, and free resources.  

Part I: Cancer Care for Adolescents and Young Adults explores adolescence as a developmental stage, before describing the common cancers that affect young people, and how cancer varies in this population group.

Part II: Cancer Care for Adolescents and Young Adults examines the physical, emotional and psychosocial effects of cancer and its treatment on young patients, and effective communication and engagement strategies.

Each module only takes about 5 minutes per day over 8 to 9 weeks.

There are no set start dates, you can enrol at any time. Visit http://cah.qstream.com to enrol. 

Community Access Program (CAP)

Any of the subjects listed on the post graduate program pages of this website, can be undertaken as a single subject through the University of Melbourne’s Community Access Program (CAP). Students may choose whether to complete assessments or not, and receive a certificate accordingly. Fees vary depending on the subject. If assessments are satisfactorily completed, they can be credited towards a post graduate course undertaken at a later stage.

Nurses Working with Adolescents and Young Adults  

These modules, also based on ‘spaced education’ are in development and are due to be released at the end of 2018.

Catalysing Connections for Adolescent Health and Wellbeing

Melbourne has great diversity in research into adolescent health and wellbeing. It is currently happening across sectors, disciplines, departments and universities without any venue for meeting. The intent of these events is to provide researchers from different disciplinary backgrounds the opportunity to discuss topics of mutual interest. In doing, strengthening Melbourne’s adolescent health networks and collaborations.

Paediatrics 2040: the future of child and adolescent health services

On Wednesday 3rd April 2019, the Centre for Adolescent Health, hosted our inaugural Catalysing Connections for Adolescent Health and Wellbeing networking event at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute.The event, titled 'Paediatrics 2040: the future of child and adolescent health services' discussed problems in the provision of quality adolescent health care including the fragmentation in adolescent health services. 

Watch and read more about the event here: Paediatrics 2040: the future of child and adolescent health services

Everyone’s business: schools, mental health and learnings

On Thursday 1st August, 70 people attended our second Catalysing Connections event. The topic of the evening was, ‘Everyone’s business: schools, mental health and learning’. The event discussed the health and education interface, and the important role schools play in adolescent (and childhood) mental health.

Watch and read more about the event here: Everyone’s business: schools, mental health and learnings 

Adolescent health and criminal justice: How can they co-exist?

On Wednesday 6th November, 70 people attended our final 2019 Catalysing Connections event. Using a Q&A format, the topic focused on criminal justice and adolescent health, addressing what it is that ‘we’ should do differently to:

• Prevent young people ending up in detention
• Meet the health-related needs of young people in detention
• Achieve the best health-related outcomes for young people after release from detention.

Watch and read more about the event here: Adolescent health and criminal justice: How can they co-exist?

Contact

For further enquiries please contact: 

Dr Ani Wierenga 

Academic Coordinator, Adolescent Health and Wellbeing

Centre for Adolescent Health 
T +61 (0)3 9345 6676
E wierenga@unimelb.edu.au