Surprising how much can be achieved by such a small group in such a short time!
Tuesday’s Picking Up The Peaces workshop started with a review of what we’ve achieved in little more than two years, and finished with a team ready to implement the first get-together of Canberra’s first PTSD Support Group.
Here are some of the achievements listed:
Starting PUTP!
Kokoda walk – 15 people for 9 days
Mt Majura Madness – 12 hours marathon awareness raiser and inter-agency bonding
Networking with key personnel at all Emergency Services, police and defence; positive responses.
Emergency Services Open Days displays
Recognition and acknowledgement by Australian Minister for Veterans Affairs, ACT Minister for Health and ACT Minister for Police and Emergency Services
Fab partnership with national and ACT Vietnam Veterans Federation
Presentation at World Trauma Conference, Melbourne
Presentation at National Health Promotion Conference, Perth
ACT Health Promotions workshops
Strategic Plan – grant, 2 day residential workshop, 5 Year Plan
2 very successful National PTSD Awareness Days including participation by senior officers from emergency services and defence
PTSD surveys in the field and online
Excellent partnership with Mental Illness Education ACT
Acceptance by Trisha Broadbridge and Normie Rowe as patrons
Production of promotional and educational material – posters, website, T-shirts, sausage sizzles, publications, talks to groups and on radio, television, newspaper interviews.
Mental Health sector, media and senior emergency services officers referring personnel to PUTP
International connections to PTSD networks.
Goals for 2010
Workshop attendees agreed that the priorities for this year would be:
- The 3rd National PTSD Awareness Day
- Template the process for organising the Awareness Day
- Create a PTSD Support Group
- Pilot a PTSD Education Program
- Consolidate our corporate framework
We will be forming teams to bring these projects to fruition, so if you would like to be involved in one or more, please let us know. There are openings for people with various skills, and projects tend to be exciting and quite a bit of fun!
The PTSD Support Group will meet on February 28 for a BBQ lunch (see separate ptsd support group post) and at this stage will probably meet on the last Sunday of each month at the VV&VF centre at 9 Burkitt St, Page. This is subject to discussions among those who attend the first meeting, so if you would prefer a different agenda, be there or let us know your thoughts ahead of time.
Templating the Awareness Day will start shortly so that this year’s Day runs smoothly on 10 October.
The Pilot PTSD Education Program will likely kick into gear in the second half of the year and run through into 2011. For that we will be looking for volunteers with lived experience of PTSD or caring for someone with PTSD, to train as presenters and organisers.
Office Bearers
If you’re interested in joining the PUTP Committee, please let us know. Interest and enthusiasm are the prime requirements!
John Shiel will continue as treasurer, Rhonda James as secretary, Kate Tonacia as founder and vice-president, and Laurie Drake as president. Richard, Marg and Biff have nominated for the committee.
Meetings will be held at 7pm at VV&VF centre on the second Wednesday of each month (to be confirmed). Anyone interested in furthering PUTP’s aim of raising awareness of PTSD is welcome.
