Illuminating Hope, Inclusion & Connection

At TheMHS Conference 2025 we imagined a future world and explored the promise and risk of a technological revolution in mental health care. In 2026 we are returning to the basics of human need, with a universal focus on hopefulness and the needs of people most impacted by their mental health challenges and experiences of social exclusion. We will explore the fundamentals of human need including hope, inclusion and connection.

Hopefulness is a powerful human driver that generates momentum for change, positivity, collaboration, and self-worth. When a community is hopeful, it is more resilient to adversity and open to change. There is strong evidence that hope and social inclusion are powerful antidotes to recent widespread feelings of social disconnection, loneliness and marginalisation.

Social inclusion, social value, connection, and a sense of purpose and belonging are fundamental aspects of a life well lived. This will, of course, mean different things to different people. These ideas are also central to recovery from mental ill-health. The conference will explore the importance of thinking, actions, experience, and reform that promotes social inclusion, personal connection, and hopefulness for everyone, but especially for those of us living with mental health challenges.

We will especially focus on the importance of psycho-social reform and the relationship to the NDIS. We will celebrate programs that enable full citizenship and social value, and that build human capital and connection. Importantly, we will remind ourselves that there are many voices still missing from our discussions, including those in long stay psychiatric settings, in the criminal justice system, and the many people sleeping rough. Their voices have been largely absent from the mainstream debates about policy and service delivery reform. We will attempt to shine a light on their hopes for a better, more meaningful life and what this means for mental health reform.

When progressed in concert, the power of hope, inclusion, and connection can guide our policy, advocacy, service design, and individual practice to enable a humanistic, optimistic and collaborative mental health system in which nobody is left behind.

Join us as we explore and discuss the efforts already underway to inspire and transform what we do. Once again, we will do this through a rich tapestry of keynotes, panel debates, presentations, performances, improbable thinking and human connection.

Why attend?

Insightful discussion, lived experience, and cross-sector collaboration to strengthen urgent and crisis mental health support.