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Register by 8 July to take advantage of Deakin’s online program that helps business advisers provide mental health support to struggling small-to-medium business owners.
Free Mental Health Training for Advisers of Small Businesses
07 June 2022
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6 minute read
COVID has dramatically changed the business landscape. Lockdowns, limits on patron numbers, and supply chain issues meant small business owners had to find a way to adapt in order to survive these challenging times. For some, the strain has been too great and has taken a toll on their mental health*.
Mental illness is the single biggest cause of disability in Australia and while small-to-medium business owners (SMEs) are disproportionally represented in these statistics, the long working hours and isolation often mean they find little time to care for themselves. However trusted advisers, including accounting and other finance professionals, can often see changes in their behaviour. With the right skills, these advisers can be instrumental in ensuring clients receive the help they need.
“Accounting and finance-related business advisers are professionals who coach, partner and support their SME clients in pursuing their business goals. As business owners are increasingly sharing more than just their accounts with their business adviser, there is growing recognition among these high-trust advisers who often have client relationships lasting many years, that this level of information sharing is bringing them into new territory” says Professor George Tanewski, from Deakin Business School’s Department of Accounting.
This realisation seeded the creation of Counting on U, a Deakin training and research program designed for advisers of SME businesses, co-founded by Tanewski and Professor Andrew Noblet in the Department of Management.
“Through regular contact with accounting and bookkeeping bodies, we were hearing about members who felt nervous about having conversations with clients who they suspected were experiencing mental health issues,” says Noblet. “They didn’t want to make matters worse by saying the wrong thing and weren’t sure where to direct them to seek help.”
Previous research has shown that financial hardship often goes hand-in-hand with mental health problems, and the pandemic has exacerbated this, Noblet says. “Our vision is that anyone who has responsibility for providing business advice has access to training that enhances their capacity to deal with the high levels of distress commonly experienced by small business owners. The content of the training also provides guidance that’s applicable to their own mental health and encourages self-care, not just client care.”
Noblet and Tanewski set about partnering with Chartered Accountants ANZ, Institute of Certified Bookkeepers, IPA, and CPA Australia, as well as Mentally Well Workplaces and HumanEx to deliver a short course that integrates client relationship building training with Mental Health First Aid (MHFA).
The training is not designed to steer participants towards a counselling role. Rather, it equips business advisers with the skills to have deeper conversations about financial distress and how to support clients experiencing mental health problems.
Since its roll-out in February 2021, over 4000 business advisers across Australia and New Zealand have registered for training, made possible via funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council, the Australia Treasury, Mental Health First Aid Australia, Beyond Blue, WorkSafe Victoria, and IPA. Free training is still available for 120 business advisers who want to take up this final opportunity.
Counting on U has been highly regarded by both participants and the industry alike. The program was one of three finalists at the prestigious AFR Higher Education Awards (Industry Engagement) in 2021, and has received noteworthy praise including:
“In today’s world, this is a must have for everyone. It gave me a chance to better understand myself and others. I learnt to be curious, to genuinely listen and not to judge. But most importantly I learnt to help people with mental health problems who may at times not be able to help themselves” – Michael Rowe, CA ANZ member
“It’s been heartbreaking to watch the challenges that…professional bookkeepers have had over the last 3 years. They've cried, stressed, had sleepless nights right alongside their clients, predominately the small business owners of Australia. At times we forget that most small businesses are family businesses. The impacts on a family of the viability, let alone the potential closure, of a small business can be devastating, not only in economic terms. At risk is not only the loss of income of one family member, but potentially the income to support the whole family. The mental health impacts cannot be downplayed…This project is more than a good idea, it’s crucial in giving bookkeepers and other business advisors, the right tools to continue to hold the hands of small business owners of Australia." – Amanda Linton, CEO, Institute of Certified Bookkeepers
Counting on U is delivered through 4-5 workshops, and includes:
- Zoom ‘live’ interactive workshops
- facilitation by MHFA-accredited master trainers with experience in the financial sector
- up to 14 CPD points for members of CPA/CA ANZ/IPA/ICB/FPA
- research activities in exchange for free training, including optional input from SME clients
- entry into a grand prize draw to win a $6000 travel voucher (Australian participants only)
Eligibility criteria apply, including a requirement to be providing business advice to SME clients as well as availability to commence training in August 2022.
Registrations close Friday 8 July and places are available to the first 120 eligible participants**.
REGISTER NOW
For further information about the program, visit https://blogs.deakin.edu.au/counting-on-u/information-for-business-advisors/ or contact
Do you need mental health support?
If you or someone you know needs help, talking to a doctor is a good place to start
To find out more or if you would like to talk to someone that can help, you can contact:
- Beyond Blue (anyone feeling depressed or anxious) — call 1300 22 4636 or chat online
- Lifeline (anyone having a personal crisis) — call 13 11 14 or chat online
- Suicide Call Back Service (anyone thinking about suicide) — call 1300 659 467
*A recent study commissioned by the Federal Department of Industry, Science, Energy, and Resources, reports that nearly 1 in 3 SME owners had experienced stress, depression, or anxiety in the past 12 months.
** The 120 places are allocated on a first come, first serve basis to eligible participants. Deakin reserves the right to close registrations prior to 8 July if all places are successfully allocated earlier than this.
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