Community of Practice

Community of Practice


Key details

  • The Mentally Healthy Work Community of Practice (MHWCOP) is usually held online for an hour on the first Wednesday of each month.
  • Each forum session will have a different theme or topic of focus and will invite an expert, thought-leader, researcher or practitioner along as a guest speaker to present to the group, followed by an open Q&A session.
  • Health & Safety practitioners form the core of the group complimented by cross-displanry Wellbeing, HR, OD and DEI practitioners and leaders.
  • A microoft outlook calendar invite is able to be shared freely with people working or developing in the area both public and private and able to influence Mentally Healthy Work within their organisation. 

The Mentally Healthy Work Community of Practice is 'for the sector, by the sector' and supported by the Government Health and Safety Lead.

The forum Chairs currently are:

Millie Thompson (Manager Workplace Wellbeing, Ministry of Social Development)

Millie has a background in work‑related mental health and wellbeing, previously working for the New Zealand Defence Force and WorkSafe New Zealand to support better health, safety and wellbeing performance. More recently, Millie worked for was the Principal Adviser Mentally Healthy Work for the Government Health and Safety Lead, leading their Mentally Healthy Work programme. Millie is now the Manager Workplace Wellbeing at MSD, leading their focus on psychological health and safety. Millie is also completing her Masters in Industrial/Organisational Psychology, focusing on Executive perspectives of psychological health and safety.

Liam Bourne (Principal Adviser Health Safety and Wellbeing, Government Health and Safety Lead)

Liam has previously worked for the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment as Principal Advisor in the Wellbeing Health and Safety team, and Health and Safety Manager for Managed Isolation and Quarantine (MIQ) and holds a Post-grad Diploma in Occupational Health and Safety. Liam has an extensive background including coodinating Worker Participation Agreements, leading cross-agency elements of the Covid-19 pandemic response, and now leads the GHSL Mentally Healthy Work and Positive Workplace Cultures programmes.