Campaspe Shire Recovery Hub and Phoenix Australia hosted psychological first-aid sessions on Wednesday, May 8, and Thursday, May 9, at Echuca Neighbourhood House and on Thursday, May 9, at Campaspe Shire Council, with another planned for Friday, May 10. from 9am to 1pm.
Presented by Dr Colleen McFarlane from Phoenix Australia, the Campaspe Shire Council Recovery Hub events received financial support from the Victorian Government as part of the flood recovery hubs program.
Campaspe Shire Council worked alongside Phoenix Australia, a not-for-profit founded 25 years ago through the University of Melbourne to research trauma and how to manage it.
“Phoenix Australia has a long history of supporting communities impacted by disaster, including by helping communities strengthen their own mental health and wellbeing capabilities,” Campaspe Shire Council community safety and recovery director Shannon Maynard said.
“Council has previously worked with Phoenix Australia supporting residents in Rochester post 2022 floods when they were funded by the (Victorian) Government.
“The workshops were well received then, and we saw a need to offer more to the community.”
Their sessions have been delivered after incidences of natural disaster and shared trauma, including after the Black Summer bushfires and now the floods across northern Victoria.
Dr McFarlane is a clinical psychologist, with decades of experience in trauma research and support through her work with refugees, her own practice and her work with Phoenix Australia.
Council has seen a positive reception to the sessions, with guests from all walks of life and industries, including hospitality, health, council, and social work participating in the event. One guest travelled from Murray Bridge in South Australia, as they said this important training is not offered in their area.
“The training has been well received by (the) community with over 200 people registering to attend,” Mr Maynard said.
“Attendees are from a wide range of backgrounds including community groups, professional services, not-for-profit organisations and council.”
Psychological first-aid operates on five key principles. These are a sense of safety, calming, a sense of self and community efficacy, connectedness and hope.
The session used a range of case studies to support their principles of care, also asking participants to share their own stories where appropriate.
Three-quarters of Australians will experience a potentially traumatic event in their lifetime, with more than two-thirds exposed before the age of 16. In towns like Echuca, where a flooding event has impacted an entire town, this number could be as high as 100 per cent.
The aim of the sessions is to equip people to be psychological first-aid providers, by providing them with theoretical and practical knowledge to assist in traumatic events.
“Participants take away a practical, flexible and recommended approach to helping support the wellbeing of their friends, family and colleagues in the aftermath of trauma, including disaster,” Mr Maynard said.
“We also hope this training will give them knowledge and skills to help support their own wellbeing, while supporting others.”
Council has committed to running events like this one to ensure that residents feel supported in the long-term flood recovery process.
“Council’s Flood Recovery Program will continue to operate and support the community in its recovery journey,” Mr Maynard said.
Two more sessions will be hosted in Rochester at The Tavern on Tuesday, May 21, from 2pm to 6pm and Wednesday, May 22, from 9am to 1pm.