Wellbeing

Geoff Evans

The Wellbeing Project is crucial to the long-term betterment of DRA, our members, and the amazing 6,700 men and women who leave the ADF each year.  I have worked extensively in veteran wellbeing since founding Homes for Heroes (H4H) in 2013, where I worked with the most unwell veterans we have. I chose to sponsor the Wellbeing Project because I have never seen a more powerful tool than the model of continued service offered by DRA.  Yet, there is no actual evidence base to prove what we know is true.

The Wellbeing Project is an independent study of the effects of service in DRA.  It will allow us to better tailor how we operate to improve our members’ experience and it will provide an evidence base that validates our work.  I have had scores of veterans contact me over the last 6 years to tell me that service in DRA turned their life around.  We need to validate their experience.  Once we do so, we can expand, share and grow our model.

Wellbeing goal

In March of 2022 I testified at the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide.  The Commission had a great interest in DRA because we provide a model of hope and opportunity.  At the conclusion of my testimony, I was asked by a Commissioner if we have an evidence base to support our work.  Despite hundreds of qualitative stories and experiences, the answer was ‘not yet’. By participating in the Wellbeing Project, you are helping your mates, and future generations of veterans.  As a veteran once said to me “I wish I had of found DRA when I first left the Army, then I wouldn’t have fallen so far”.  The experience of veterans leaving the ADF is not a forgone conclusion.  With your help, we can be there to provide a new mission, new purpose and new identity to veterans.  We must be able to prove what we do to be heard.

Anastasia Bougesis

I have been with DRA for 5 and a half years. Throughout that time, I have seen the positive difference we make to our community by asking people to serve others. It is sometimes difficult for me to put this into words when I am explaining exactly what it is we do. I hope that by completing this project, we will have objective evidence of just that, and be able to show the true value of what we do. I am passionate about wellbeing and finding different ways of supporting the pillars of good mental health are of great interest to me. I believe DRA is one of those contributors, and I can’t wait to see the proof.

Wellbeing goal

I have recently set myself two goals. One is physical, the other mental.  My first goal is to get back into physical training. After allowing myself to stay too long in a hiatus, my goal is to regularly attend Pilates classes to build my strength. My wellbeing goal is to restart regular horse riding lessons. This is something I started some time ago, but stopped because I became too overwhelmed with everything else. This is a step towards setting time aside for myself, and reminding myself to value what is important to me in life.

Cindy Wadsworth

For the individuals who participate in the Wellbeing Project, I hope the project gives them reason to pause for a moment and consider their wellbeing and set positive goals for themselves. For DRA I hope that members see the true value of this project and give their time generously to participate and help DRA validate their program.

Wellbeing goal 

In October 2022 I will compete in the Noosa 1000 Ocean Swim.  In order to achieve this goal, I will swim 2.5k’s three times a week in a sunrise swim session.  Swimming is like a movement meditation for me and helps to clear my head and puts me in a positive headspace.  Having a goal (to compete in the Noosa Ocean Swim) helps motivate me to get out of bed at 4.30am.

Barbara Snelgrove

Through this initiative, Movember, in collaboration with The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride, will evaluate and build evidence for programs that improve the mental wellbeing of veterans, first responders and their families.

Wellbeing goal 

Each day in October, I will do 60 minutes of physical activity for the men we lose to suicide every hour across the globe.

Joep van Agteren

As a mental health and wellbeing researcher, I am always looking for new ways that people can use to improve the way they feel. Volunteering to help people when they need it most – IE when they have gone through a disaster – has tremendous potential as an avenue to do just that, not just for the volunteer but ultimately for the entire community. This makes this project very special to me.

Wellbeing goal 

For me everything comes down to “walking the walk”. My job consists of giving advice on what to do to build your wellbeing, and while I may know what the research tells me, it is still easy to fall into patterns that have the opposite effect. My big wellbeing goal is to continue connecting back to what I value and what is important to me, to help me learn from past behaviour and continue learning new ways to help me improve the way I feel, so I can become a better partner, father, colleague and person.

Kris O’Brien

Capturing the experiences and differences that contributing to something bigger than ourselves through service with DRA can have on our mental health, and well-being can support a greater understanding of the value of meaning, purpose and connection for all those who are experiencing challenges in their lives and provide an avenue to address greater societal mental health.

Wellbeing goal 

I experienced many challenges transitioning from the military and understanding my place in the world. My inability to communicate my thoughts, experiences, and feelings contributed to many of these challenges. Through these experiences, I developed a passion for understanding the impacts of our environment on mental health and embarked on studies in the field of Social Work. My goal is to complete my studies and contribute to creating programs to support greater mental health and well-being for society while sharing my own experiences openly to help others who might be struggling.

Josh Bailey

The project is important to me as it captures important data regarding DRA members’ well-being. I believe the project data will assist DRA volunteers deploying on future disaster relief ops by providing a snapshot of members’ mental health before and after deployments. This well-being project is the first of its kind for DRA and will be is groundbreaking. It will provide an accurate snapshot of our members as well as the commitment, resilience and get shit done culture that DRA has created. This project will give DRA an understanding of the challenges people face. This will allow DRA to prepare for those challenges in the future to mitigate serious mental health issues our members may receive while on ops.

Wellbeing goal 

As a provisional psychologist mental health and well-being is extremely important to me. I have faced my own mental health challenges through both my service in the Police and the Army. Two things need to be understood firstly, there is no control over the timing of mental health challenges people face, secondly, you may seek help adjusting to life with mental health challenges, however, it is vital to get the assistance that suits you and not someone else.   I have recently completed Honors in Psychology; my goal is to complete my master’s next year and then onto general registration as a psychologist. I can then work with the veteran and emergency services community to help them overcome and deal with their mental health challenges.