Alison Penny

Alison Penny, is a Family Support Coordinator for the Lived Experience and Community Strategy Section of the Mental Health and Wellbeing Services Division of the Department of Veteran Affairs. Came to this role after spending some amazing time learning about peer work whilst being a Community and Peer Advisor (Family) with Open Arms, an organisation that supports Veteran Families in their mental health journeys. I came to this role through my experience of being a defence spouse for 20 years, and the experiences that my family journeyed through and continue to journey through as a result of military service. Parent of two amazing children who have enabled me to see new world views and learn new ways of thinking. Lived experience of caring for a family member wanting to end their own life. Being a Veteran Family and navigating services and lack of services and waitlists in different states and territories and caring for a Defence member going through mental health distress due to military service. Professional expertise is in advocating for Defence Families to enable them to navigate the systems in which they find themselves in. Community engagement in the Not-for-profit sector to raise the awareness and support of young people living in a family impacted through mental health. Using my lived and living experience to develop authentic relationships through sharing my journey as a mum, wife, carer, passenger and service navigator as a Peer. Using my lived and living experience of the systems to develop lived experience ways of working within a government organisation.