Soldier On Spring 2021 by Countrywide Austral

Spring 2021

soldieron.org.au | 1300 620 380

The artistry behind every journey You take care of others. We take care of you. To the service men and women of Australia, Jet Aviation thanks you.

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BIOMETRIC TRACKING

Contents

7 Royal Commission 8 Tuning into Kids

Soldier On supports the formal establishment of the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide

Psychology based advice for navigating parenthood in the ADF

Soldier On extends support services to Afghan Locally Engaged Employees and their families

47 Tassie Turns One 48

Pathways Program

Securing the next chapter for veterans and their families

SOLDIER ON Spring 2021

One year of employment support for veterans and their families in Tasmania

Support for Afghanistan

Veteran Led Bootcamp

Ambassador Gary Wilson facilitates Bootcamp for participants

Get in touch Ph: 1300 620 380 Email: getsupport@soldieron.org.au

About Us

Social Connections

From horse riding to surfing and international cooking – the diverse activities on offer across Australia

33 Education Veteran scholarship awarded & giving credit where it’s due

50 Partnerships 54 Fundraising Soldier On partners supporting the veteran community

Local community fundraisers and a successful EOFY tax appeal

As a national charity, we support more than 6,000 veterans and their family members through our Health and Wellbeing services, Employment Support, Learning and Education Programs, as well as Participation and Social Connection activities. Our services help individuals build resilience and create meaningful connections with family, community and employers. These programs are made possible through the generous support of the Australian Community, the Australian Government through the Department of Veterans Affairs, and our Corporate Partners. Soldier On is a leader in supporting those who have served and continue to serve in the Australian Defence Force. With an exemplary track record of providing practical and emotional assistance critical to building successful post-service lives, Soldier On is recognised as an essential first port of call for veterans and their families as they transition from the Defence Force to civilian life.

Advertising Advertisements in this journal are solicited from organisations and businesses on the understanding that no special considerations other than those normally accepted in respect of commercial dealings, will be given to any advertiser. Advertising funds the production, print and distribution of this journal, allowing Soldier On to get the word out. Countrywide Austral adheres to stringent ethical advertising practices and any advertising inquiries should be directed to:

Level 2, 310 King St, Melbourne VIC 3000 GPO Box 2466, Melbourne VIC 3001 Ph: 03 9937 0200 Web: www.cwaustral.com.au #sidebyside

Huntington Ingalls Industries is proud to support Australia’s Naval Shipbuilding College with advanced technical training and outreach networks focused on creating stable, meaningful work for transitioning veterans seeking a career in shipbuilding. Leveraging decades of experience in fleet sustainment and modernization, our workforce development programs help veterans extend their service in securing Australia’s national defence. Beyond the shipyard, our broad expertise includes world-class unmanned systems including REMUS unmanned underwater vehicles, next-generation IT, military training and simulation, and C5ISR. To learn more about HII’s Technical Solutions division, visit tsd.huntingtoningalls.com. Join the Workforce Register. Visit navalshipbuildingcollege.com.au.

CEO Update Despite many challenges that have faced our veteran community in recent months, our community continues to persevere and thrive during times of difficulties.

he ongoing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic continue to disrupt the lives of many Australians. While some may have returned to a relatively normal day-to-day life, others remain impacted by the constantly evolving situation with the continuation of lockdowns, periods of isolation and reduced exposure to social interactions. For many, managing the mental health and wellbeing of yourself and your family during these times can be challenging. Soldier On is here to help you stay connected, get support, and keep informed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite these challenges, Soldier On has seen positive engagement figures, showing us that the veteran community remains active and supported at critical times in our community. June saw a record month for Soldier On, with more than 1,300 serving and ex-serving ADF personnel, as well as their families, engaging with services. While the COVID-19 pandemic may prevent many from connecting through face-to-face activities, the Soldier On team has established a variety of online resources and activities to keep participants connected, healthy and social. From psychological resources and online support sessions, to employment webinars and virtual social connections activities, there is something to suit every participants needs. Soldier On has recently welcomed a phenomenal $1 million donation from the Pratt Foundation. A long-time supporter of Soldier On, the Pratt Foundation supports charitable activities, working to enrich the lives of the community. This donation will go a long way in supporting the expansion of Soldier On activities for participants. Thanks to the generosity of the Pratt Foundation, Solider On will be able to increase the psychological services offered to our veteran community, engage with more veteran supportive employers and educators, and host a wider range of activities across the country to strengthen connections and advance the wellbeing of our community. On 8 July 2021, the Australian Government announced the formal establishment of a Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide. Soldier On intends to be an active participant in the Royal Commission and has established a working group to achieve this. Soldier On supports thousands of veterans and their family members and will work closely with them to continue to inform the Royal Commission and National Commissioner of the needs of our veteran community now and into the future. We strongly encourage our participants to make a submission to the Royal

Commission and share your experiences with those who will be leading this inquiry. For those who may not be comfortable submitting their views to the Royal Commission, Soldier On will be happy to represent your view. In the meantime, Soldier On continues to advocate for a Veteran Wellbeing Centre in the ACT to accommodate the large number of service personnel and contemporary veterans in the region. We are currently engaging in discussions with stakeholders, government representatives and other Ex-Service Organisations to advance the delivery of support services across the ACT, as well as other locations across the country. Recent distressing scenes from Afghanistan pose new and resurfacing difficulties for those who have participated in this conflict, and those who still carry the wounds of their service, as well as the families who have been impacted. More than 39,000 Australian military personnel have served in Afghanistan since 2001. Of these, many have suffered physical and psychological injuries, 41 personnel have lost their lives in combat, and many more have taken their own lives as a result of their service. The impacts of this conflict are not limited to our ADF personnel. Many Afghan citizens have acted as key supporters and allies of our Australian forces in Afghanistan. These individuals face many of the challenges that our Australian troops have faced, including mental health difficulties, career uncertainty, and social isolation. As we have done with our Australian troops, we must support our veteran community. For this reason, Soldier On has expanded the delivery of its support services to include Afghan Security forces and their families, together with those who assisted the Australian Defence Force (ADF) in their development in Afghanistan, such as interpreters. During these challenging times, we encourage our veteran community to stay connected with one another, reach out to those around you and seek support when needed. Soldier On is here to help.

Ivan Slavich, CEO #sidebyside

SitaWare Inspired, designed, and used by those who serve

Support for Royal Commission Soldier On welcomes the formal establishment of the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide and acknowledges the firm action taken by the Australian Government in addressing this issue.

oldier On’s primary consideration during this process lies with ensuring the entire veteran community is equipped with the mental health and wellbeing support that they need to thrive.

On behalf of the interests of the veteran community, Soldier On has made a submission recommending a broad and inclusive Terms of Reference to allow for a full examination of the myriad of issues that contribute to defence and veteran suicide and the actions and strategies necessary to prevent these tragedies. Soldier On’s submission recommended inquiries into the pre-enrolment factors when joining the Australian Defence Force, support provided by non-government organisations, current process of transitioning post service, as well as factors affecting the entire Defence family. On 9 July 2021, the Australian Government announced the formal establishment of a Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide. The Terms of Reference and Letters Patent presented on this day were reflective of the recommendations submitted by Soldier On.

Soldier On intends to be an active participant in the Royal Commission and has established a working group to achieve this. Soldier On CEO, Ivan Slavich, said the formal establishment of a Royal Commission displays a positive step towards preventing veteran suicide. “It is our hope that the Royal Commission and National Commissioner will work closely to create an ongoing response to the issue of Defence and veteran suicide, saving lives and improving the wellbeing of those who have served our Nation,” Mr Slavich said. “Soldier On supports thousands of veterans and their family members and will work closely with them to continue to inform the Royal Commission and National Commissioner of the needs of our veteran community now and into the future,” Mr Slavich added.

#sidebyside

Psychology

Negotiating Parenthood for Defence Families Elfin Berwick – Soldier On Psychologist

ew people in life are more important to us than our own children. Yet the role of being a parent is hard. When my children were young, I remember getting up in the morning after a series of disrupted nights’ sleep to my eldest daughter crying because her breakfast cereal was not the right cereal, then she accidentally knocked it off the table. I got up to help, already feeling a bit agitated and my youngest daughter started crying because I was paying too much attention to her sister. By the time I had dropped them both off at school and day care I was relieved to go to work. Don’t get me wrong there were a lot of good times as well, but life could feel a bit like a roller coaster at times.

As a psychologist working at Soldier On, I have noticed that on top of the normal stresses that come with parenting, military life can pile on the stressors. Many families report the impact of deployment and multiple separations, trauma and being exposed to traumatic events, and the impact of military training and the institutionalisation. These stressors can impact on the emotional climate of the family and research shows that both anxiety disorders and behavioural disorders are higher in children of military families than non‑military families (Sullivan et. al., 2015). Given these additional stressors, one of the most important skills that you can teach your child is how to manage

SOLDIER ON Spring 2021

their feelings. Think about your child in the school yard and imagine that one of their friends is teasing them on a daily basis just before class. They will probably feel angry, agitated, perhaps revengeful and sorry for themselves. They may start to worry about when the next attack is going to happen and how they might confront or avoid it. If they are good at managing their feelings, when they get into class they will have passed through the feelings and be able to direct their attention to the task. When they get home they will also be able to use their words to let you know what is happening, how they are feeling and together you will be able to think about possible solutions to their daily challenges.

Empathy is the key For both mothers and fathers, empathising and responding to emotions is critical part of parenting. It is through this process of empathising that you develop an understanding of your child’s inner world and feelings. And by sharing their inner world you will have a huge impact on their well being because you will be teaching them how to label their internal world and develop their own empathy skills and develop their emotional intelligence. Research shows that emotional intelligence is a better indicator of wellbeing outcomes than intelligence quotient or IQ.

1 2 3 Psychology is teaching us how to teach our kids about emotions and one of the simplest methods is called Emotion Coaching. This approach was developed by Haim Ginott, a child therapist and clinical psychologist. He was very interested in how to explore children’s feelings and at the same time develop their problem-solving abilities and help parents set limits around their behaviour. According to Ginott, when we deny or suppress our feelings they build up and become more intense and confusing. When we acknowledge our feelings (even when we don’t like them) we heal and learn how to problem solve. John Gottman, also a psychologist, has completed more than 40 years of clinical research that confirms the theory that Haim Ginott intuitively developed. Empathy is the key to effective parenting because empathy teaches emotional intelligence and emotional intelligence predicts positive life outcomes, including better problem-solving skills. “When fathers (and the same is true for mothers) are aware of their kid’s feelings and try to help them solve problems, children do better in school and in relationships with others. In contrast, emotionally distant dads – one who is harsh, critical, or dismissing of their children’s emotions – can have a deeply negative impact. Their kids are more likely to do poorly in school, fight more with friends, and have poor health.’ In Gottman’s extensive research they found that parents who are high in emotional intelligence do five things to teach the same emotional intelligence to their children. You will know when you get this process right because it feels good to connect with your children and help them to be the best versions of themselves. It is hard at first but gets easier with time and practice, and yes, acceptance that you will not always get it right. Sometimes you will fumble and fall because, as it turns out, being a good enough parent is not about being a perfect parent. Gottman’s research indicates that you only need to emotion coach about 30 percent of the time. And yes, as I got better at emotion coaching the morning routine got easier.

4 5

Become aware of your child’s feelings This is hard as it involves tuning into your own feelings and noticing what they are feeling from a curious and non-judgemental perspective. At this stage, you are being an emotional detective and asking yourself what the feelings might be and what they might be about.

Recognise these feeling as an opportunity to build bonds and teach This is really an attitude. If you are feeling agitated, overwhelmed, uncomfortable, threatened or disrupted imagine what they must be feeling. Imagine how much they need you now. When you come to their side in this moment you are showing them that they are part of a team.

Listen with empathy and validate what your child is experiencing This means you may see the pain or confusion on their face, notice the shift in their voice and feel the change in the emotional climate of the room. You may just sit quietly next to them and give them your hand or offer up a hug. You may start to imagine into their world and reflect back what you think you are hearing, seeing and feeling in them in a loving and curious way.

Help your child label their feelings and put words to their internal experience This is what it seems and involves offering up words to help them develop their emotional literacy and build his resilience.

Set limits around your child’s behaviour and problem solve with them so that they can do it differently next time This stage is only reached when you notice that they have calmed down, is feeling connected with you and is receptive to your limits. This really goes back to Ginott and his claim that all feelings are acceptable but not all behaviours are acceptable. “Sometimes it feels that your sister gets all the attention and you get none. My guess is that feels really unfair and I get that you probably feel angry with her and probably me too. But it is not okay for you to hit her and you are going to have to say sorry for that. Is there a way that you can think of how to say sorry? How about we think about something special that just you and I can do together on the weekend … have you got any ideas?” #sidebyside

At Soldier On, we understand that being a parent can be incredibly rewarding and beneficial, but it can also be one of the most challenging roles in life. Our parenting program, based on 30 years of scientific research, has proven to make a positive difference in children’s development and family relationships. The takeaway skills you can are learn are broken into five steps, enabling you to foster connections with your children, and better solve family problems and conflicts.

Participating parents report the following •

Children can better regulate their emotions and are more pro-social.

•

Family relationships are stronger, more positive and include greater intimacy and closeness.

This free course is available to all Soldier On participants nationwide and will be facilitated online.

Online session available in 2021 Tuning into Kids is a free online course and will commence on the 25th of October. Contact us if you have any questions about the program, or you would like to register.

psychology@soldieron.org.au |

1300 620 380

Soldier On enables serving and ex-serving veterans and their families to thrive

Psychology

Support for Afghan Locally

Engaged Employees (LEE) and their families Soldier On has expanded the delivery of its support services to include Afghan Locally Engaged Employees (LEE) and their families, together with those who assisted the Australian Defence Force (ADF) in their deployment in Afghanistan.

urrently reaching more than 6,000 members of the Defence community, Soldier On offers support services including a range of mental health and wellbeing services, employment and transition support and education programs, as well as activities, focused on connections with family, friends, and the broader community.

These services will now be made available to members of the Afghan Security Forces, to Afghan Locally Engaged Employees (LEE) and their families and those who have played key roles in the ADF’s responses to this conflict, including those who have supported our troops in Afghanistan such as Interpreters.

“The withdrawal from Afghanistan poses new and resurfacing difficulties for those who have participated in this conflict and those who still carry the wounds of their service, as well as the families who have been impacted. This is not limited to those who served in the ADF,” Mr Slavich said. “Many Afghan citizens have acted as key supporters and allies of our Australian forces in Afghanistan. These individuals face many of the challenges that our Australian troops have faced, including mental health difficulties, career uncertainty, and social isolation. As we have done with our Australian troops, we must support the LEE,” Mr Slavich said.

Soldier On CEO, Ivan Slavich, said the decision to expand the provision of services reflects the need to assist those who have supported the ADF. #sidebyside

Social Connections

WOMEN’S Vet-Connect Soldier On’s Women’s Vet-Connect program has kicked off across the Country, supporting female veterans in their transition to civilian life.

omen’s Vet-Connect is a national program aimed at rebuilding a sense of family and camaraderie of service. Held over three weekends across the year, the program is designed to address the needs of female veterans transitioning or planning to transition from the Australian Defence Force into civilian life.

Transitioning from Defence can be distressing and isolating for service personnel, posing significant challenges in all aspects of a veteran’s life. This can often include loss of identity and purpose, career uncertainty, social isolation, mental health difficulties, trauma, and an increased risk of suicide. Soldier On works closely with the veteran community, providing holistic support services focusing on health and wellbeing activities, employment support and education programs, as well as activities centred on connections with family, friends, and the broader community. The Women’s Vet-Connect program encompasses activities and support which reflects this integrated approach, ensuring that social connection, learning and change can occur in a supportive environment. Soldier On National Program Manager, Sarah Hartley, said the program has been a remarkable success, with participants

SOLDIER ON Spring 2021

taking enormous steps to improve their health and wellbeing throughout the series of weekends. “It has been fantastic to see a wonderful group of women form meaningful connections with their peers while pushing themselves out of their comfort zones, exploring new experiences and ways to look after themselves and their mental health,” Sarah said. The free program takes a selection of female veterans to serene locations across their home states, teaching them mental and physical health strategies, relationship building and life skills, while also providing an opportunity to connect with other veterans on a personal level. From horse riding to yoga, massages, morning walks and peer support sessions, the weekend’s activities provided opportunities for connection, education, and mindfulness. Soldier On Psychologists were also in attendance, providing insights into the mental health challenges that are specific to the veteran experience and the conditions of their service. Psychologists were also present throughout the weekend to support participants through some of the more challenging activities as veterans confronted their own fears and uncertainties following their service.

Program participants said the weekend’s activities provided them with a greater understanding of their circumstances and gave them the tools to thrive in their transition to civilian life. “To have it broken down to me to understand why our brains are trained for Defence life, and why I am feeling disconnected to my civilian friends, now makes so much more sense. After 16 years, I finally feel that I have a community I belong to, and it has given me so much hope,” a Vet Connect participant said. “I am very appreciative and grateful to have experienced the program with other female veterans. The program was something that I really needed. I don’t get out often, I keep to myself, and I don’t do any self-care practices, so it was really nice to be supported, encouraged and spoiled over the weekend,” another participant added.

#sidebyside

Social Connections – ACT

Connected in

Canberra

What a huge couple of months, with exciting and diverse activities facilitated weekly for our participants. We started off May with a family day at the Australian National Botanical Gardens. Participants enjoyed a guided tour through the Gardens, followed by a relaxing picnic on the lawns. This activity saw great attendance from our family participants and was a great way to celebrate the school holidays. From May to September, we facilitated a photography workshop with the amazing team at Photo Access in Canberra. We began with a beginners course which provided an overview of the technical skills required to develop creative photographic projects and gained basic skills of moving away from the auto function on your camera. Soldier On participants have now moved into the intermediate phase of the course. Participants continue to develop their photography skills and have been capturing interesting images to include in their creative photography portfolio. These portfolios will be showcased later in the year at our local gallery exhibition which will be open to the public. Other lessons that have been on offer include pottery, indoor snowsports, horse riding and ukulele. The pottery lesson with the Clay Studio in Canberra proved to be successful. Participants used clay and various texturising items to hand form pots, planters and spoons over a 2-hour workshop. For those seeking adrenaline, we offered an evening of skiing and

SOLDIER ON Spring 2021

snowboarding at Vertikal Indoor Sports, followed by pizza and hot chocolates. We look forward to facilitating more sessions at Vertikal early next year. One of the most exciting activities we ran was an hour-long horse trail ride through the Canberra bush near Mount Stromlo. 10 participants braved the cold and were rewarded with the sight of kangaroos and wombats along the way. For some it was their first experience riding. Many thanks to the team at Forest Park Riding School

for providing such an amazing activity. Wrapping up a busy quarter of learning new skills, volunteers Geoff and Pauline ran a 4-week beginner’s ukulele course. This was a fun and relaxing activity that will be run again in 2022. Engaging the local community is an integral part of social connections, and we were lucky to engage with the incredibly smart Year 9 cohort at Marist College Canberra. They attended The Robert Poate Centre during their Defence Service Day excursion, where speeches from our Chief Operations Officer, Pathways Officers, and Social Connections Officer were presented detailing Soldier On’s history and services, along with an amazing talk from our very own ambassador, Jeff Shapiro about his experiences in the Navy and post service.

Music Group We continue to make huge impacts in regional communities with our music group program. In June, music group members, Colin Greef and Mike Hogan, hit the road with ACT Programs Officer, Josie Rickard. They travelled to five schools across the Gundagai and Cootamundra regions to perform at local schools and provided community donated guitars and ukuleles to the students. At Gundagai South Public School Soldier On’s music group gave away our 150th donated guitar! A huge thank you to the following schools for hosting the Soldier On team and music group: §§ §§ §§ §§ §§

Stokinbingul Public School Nangus Public School Gundagai Public School Gundagai South Public School Wee Jasper Public School

The Soldier On music group aims to share the positive power of guitar playing and has been running for four years now.

#sidebyside

Social Connections – NSW

All aboard Sydney-siders, we’re taking lockdown International The past few months have proved challenging for our NSW participants. The social connections team have had to get creative to find new ways to keep connected in COVID-19. This journey has taken us to Italy, Mexico, Japan and Poland…

orking together as a collective, the social connections team was able to reimagine how our face-toface activities could exist in the online realm. When COVID-19 first sent our participants into lockdown across Australia in early 2020, Soldier On started Online Connect. Online Connect is an online initiative, facilitating activities via zoom. These activities range from cooking to stretching and yoga.

The team in Sydney broadened their reach and engaged with our international community to deliver interesting online activities. First, we jumped into our stretchiest and most comfortable pants to take a cooking class taught all the way from Italy. Gio and Sacha from Sorrento, Italy, taught us how to make delicious homemade gnocchi and tiramisu. The results? Well, let’s just say any nonna would be proud. Gio and Sacha were kind enough to send us recipes following the activity to keep our participants cooking up an Italian storm in lockdown.

SOLDIER ON Spring 2021

 Above Gio and Sacha from Sorrento, Italy

Keeping the whole family entertained was important, and a family magic show was the perfect way to do so. Keeping with the international theme, our incredible magician David put on a fantastic show all the way from Tokyo, Japan.

Now, it wouldn’t be a complete international tour if we didn’t say a big hej to our friends in Poland. We were lucky to have the riddle company in Poland facilitate an

online escape room. This activity was a fantastic way to get our brains taking on bigger questions in lockdown, rather than the daily ‘what tracky dacks should I wear today?’

These global experiences have brought our little community together and have allowed us to enhance our relationships with others across the world who are experiencing the frustrations of COVID-19 too. Next stop, Mexico City! We zoomed with the ever delightful Gaby from a small family run cooking studio, Aura Mexicana. Gaby demonstrated how to make Mexican street tacos - yes, we are officially tossing the el paso taco kits away now that we know how to make soft and delicate tortillas from scratch. Olé to all who partook and embraced this wonderful experience.

 Top Mexican cooking class with Gaby from Aura Cocina Mexicana

We sent out some love to the kids around Greater Sydney in the form of cookie decorating kits, craft and science mystery packs. Hopefully, these packs also enable our house heroes; mums and dads to get some much needed respite. For those wishing to unwind, Frontline Yoga continues to be offered weekly online, helping our participants to practice mindfulness and meditation. We can’t wait to see all our incredible participants once again and encourage you all to stay in touch during this difficult period. You can follow the Soldier On Sydney Facebook group to keep connected, or join in on the Online Connect competitions Facebook page to partake in challenges to win monthly prizes. #sidebyside

Social Connections – Kiama

Keeping up with Kiama During this period of uncertainty, it is reassuring looking back at the incredible achievements we have been able to make in Kiama before lockdown.

eing located in beautiful Kiama, we have been facilitating activities with an emphasis on getting out and connecting in nature. One of the stand-outs being a day of mountain biking in the Royal National Park. Combining fitness and social connection in one of Australia’s most serene locations made this activity a great family day out. Thanks to the awesome staff at Southbound Adventures for making it all possible. For thrill seekers, we started running a paintball session. A great team activity which emphasises teamwork and comradery. Smiles all around, followed by bruises all around in the coming days. The team at Alpha Paintball looked after us from start to finish and the feedback from the activity was very positive. We will continue to run this activity once possible again.

Family connection is an integral part of the social connections program. Many would know that defence life impacts the family unit as a whole. Therefore, Soldier On encourages participants to get involved with their partners and kids. We were thrilled to see so many families come to our Hangdog Indoor Rock climbing activity. Followed by a pizza dinner together where young, old and all that’s in between could bond. Our regular coffee catch-ups have been great and have proven to be a nice and relaxing way for veterans and their families to socialise and connect over a brew. We have expanded these down to Nowra, with Kiama social connection staff travelling to meet serving and ex-serving ADF members and their families in this region. As we work together to ensure the safety of our community, we have been keeping connected online. The team put together a kokedama kit and drove around town dropping these off to Soldier On participants in Kiama. We were able to all tune in together and create a beautiful woven kokedama basket and plant. Crafting this living ornament together will hopefully serve as a reminder to all our participants that during difficult times, we are still together. We encourage you to keep up with the Kiama team during this period. Join us on our Facebook group, this is where we share all our upcoming events.

SOLDIER ON Spring 2021

Social Connections – Port Macquarie

Collaboration in Port Macquarie We’ve been busy working with local charities and helping to break world records. Just another few months in Port Macquarie.

o kick it all off, Soldier On have been working alongside veteran led organisation, Disaster Relief Australia and was thankful to visit the team in Port Macquarie to say thank you. Disaster Relief Australia provided extensive support in the recent clean-up after extreme rainfall on the east coast of Australia in March, which led to widespread flooding in NSW.

Disaster Relief Australia is a community of veterans, emergency service personnel and civilians. They are changing the narrative about what it means to be a veteran in Australia - and continue to demonstrate through their community work that veterans are not broken and that they still have a lot to offer society. Soldier On is humbled to have a relationship with Disaster Relief Australia and look forward to providing further support in the future. Soldier On participants further demonstrated their strength by entering the boxing ring. Boxing classes have been a great new activity offered in Port Macquarie. These sessions boost morale and help our participants to get active and blow off some steam in a safe environment. Thank you to Coach Mik from Port Macquarie Boxing Club for teaching techniques and getting our veterans and their families moving. Whilst we might not be breaking any boxing world records yet, Soldier On was able to be a part of breaking quite a peculiar record recently. The Rotary Club of Port Macquarie West, in conjunction with the Rotary Clubs of District 9650, contested the world record title for the longest washing line of socks with all funds raised going to four outstanding community service organisations - Endeavour Club House; YP Space; Soldier On; and Hastings Education Fund. The washing line was more than 10,000 meters long and 107,886 socks were pegged to the line. Well done to all the volunteers, and thank you to The Rotary Club of Port Macquarie for all the support. We continue to run a variety of activities for all participants, including active Thursdays, wellbeing Wednesdays, bowling and Coffee Catch-ups. If you are located in Port Macquarie or surrounds and would like to get involved, join our Soldier On Port Macquarie Facebook group. #sidebyside

Social Connections – QLD

Waves of Change in QLD Getting into nature, having a go and getting back up has been the motto for the Brisbane office over the past few months.

e have been able to utilise the incredible region we are located in with kayaking, walking and stand up paddle boarding sessions at Walkabout Creek and the picturesque Enoggera Dam. It truly is a special place for families and we were blessed by the weather on each visit.

Thanks to Soldier On Ambassador, Garth Camac, IFLY Brisbane has become what seems like Soldier On’s second home. We attended four times in the last three months to test our new program. Our initial packages were a lot of fun and well worth attending, but our participants were leaving the day with an experience and not a skill. We changed this with our development packages and have now focused on teaching

SOLDIER ON Spring 2021

and coaching in between larger periods of tunnel time to take our participants from their first flight, to having the skills to fly solo in the tunnel! The results have been very special and Soldier On Brisbane will continue to trial and test to make sure our participants and their families are getting the best from this experience. Surfing Australia held a 2-day intermediate to advanced surf camp at the High-Performance Centre in Casuarina NSW. 18 veterans were given world class coaching and tuition from Michael ‘Crispy’ Crisp and Michael ‘Raf’ O’Rafferty, as well as dietician and chef prepared meals to keep their energy levels up in the surf. By the end of the camp, our participants were

spent physically but were all asking when the next camp will be. A more regular camp is currently being coordinated with the legends at Surfing Australia’s HPC. June saw our regular programs start to take hold and we were able to introduce our Swim Fit program with Ferny Hills Swimming Pool, which is run by Belgravia Leisure. From the outset they have been incredibly accommodating and we get an incredible squad coach to teach and develop our swimming strokes every week. The feedback is that the regular staff and pool goers love having our participants at the pool and like seeing the Soldier On flag every Tuesday. June is definitely not the ideal month to start a swimming program but the

numbers have been incredible and have grown every week, regardless of the weather. The squad is also now sponsored with equipment by Vorgees, who we cannot thank enough. The squad will finish this year off with an ocean swim in Tallebudgera Creek on the Gold Coast in late October, with Ironman Phil Clayton. The Queensland team are looking forward to continuing this momentum over the coming months and encourage you to join the Brisbane Facebook page to keep updated about events near you.

#sidebyside

CSC is proudly partnering with Legacy Australia CSC is honoured to partner with Legacy Australia. It’s a privilege to work with this iconic Australian organisation to provide financial, emotional and social support to the families of veterans in times of loss, hardship and grief. We continue to take pride in caring for those who serve Australia and their families. Scan the QR code to watch our Loss and Hardship Support team talk about the new ways we’re helping customers.

To find out more about Legacy call 1800 LEGACY (534 229)

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Social Connections – WA

Welcome to our new digs in Perth From axe throwing to candle making and a change of location in between. It has been another busy few months in the West.

e were off to a great start in June, with the team at Lumber Punks in East Perth helping us to facilitate a monthly axe throwing activity. The outing was joined by both veterans and current-serving ADF members. Participants were shown the art of axe throwing – who knew there was such a precise technique. After instruction, participants were then paired up for a little bit of friendly competition. Anyone who hits 80 has their name placed on the Wall of Fame. Think you’ve got what it takes to make the Wall of Fame? Join us on our next axe throwing session, every third Friday of the month.

For something a little craftier, Soldier On participants headed to Subi Studios in Subiaco to make some beautiful soy candles. Their incredible team explained the history of candlemaking and then it was time to get creative. Participants were able to select their colour and scent for two candles. The best part? Everyone was able to take their new candles home. On 27th July Comet Bay College opened its doors to the community to host an Open Night in their Military History Museum. 75 current serving personnel, veterans and community members attended the event in Secret Harbour. They were able to see and engage with the displays which included historical memorabilia and uniforms as well as student produced exhibits honouring our Australian Defence Force men and women. Soldier On and Comet Bay College Museum are looking for adult volunteers who may be interested in helping us preserve our military history. Please contact Claire.Hunt@education.wa.edu.au if you are interested in volunteering. Soldier On Perth has a new home located in the heart of Osbourne Park. We are very excited and pleased to have found not only a wonderful location but an amazing military community. This new location is exciting as it allows us to expand our social connection activities and have more participants visit us on site. Stop in and say hello to your friendly Soldier On Staff and other participants every Wednesday between 10am and 1pm for a coffee catch-up. We are now located at 129 Main St, Osborne Park WA 6017 at Osbourne Park RSL Subbranch. To keep up to date with upcoming activities in Perth, join our Facebook group – Soldier On Perth #sidebyside

SAFE ZONE SUPPORT SUPPORTING VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES At Open Arms your wellbeing is our business. We offer free: confidential counselling for individuals, couples and families group programs transition workshops peer networks suicide prevention training education, self-help resources, and more...

To get support or find out more call or visit:

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Social Connections – SA

Social Butterflies in South Australia The team in Adelaide has had an action packed few months with some stand out activities, including paintball, bowling, escape rooms and regular coffee connects.

delaide put the call out for all paintball warriors, and we had 22 very keen participants show up to our adult only paintball. This activity brought out the competitive side of many involved as we split into two teams and had a great time bonding with one another. Luckily for our participants, we were using the low velocity paintball guns, leaving our participants with great memories and no bruising. Thanks to Indoor Paintball Skirmish at Port Adelaide for making it all happen.

We took off our camo and put on our problem solving caps to take on an escape room. 20 Participants joined the Social Connections team in taking on the clock at Escaplex in Klemzig. The brains beat the brawns this time around with all groups making it out before the bomb went off. It was a close call for one team, with sweat pouring off them only cracking their code right as the timer clicked over the 60-minute mark. After the code was cracked, everyone hung around to connect with each other. High praise was sung for a fun filled day with everyone agreeing “until we meet again” at the next one. Soldier On Adelaide is lucky to have great involvement with many family based participants and our regular bowling catch-ups remain a very popular activity amongst this group. Our youngest bowler is only three-years-old and managed to show everyone else up with a strike, not once, but twice. Our coffee connects continue to be a staple activity for the Adelaide team, allowing the team to travel across Adelaide and different bases in the region. In the last few months we have shared more than 120 cups of coffee with participants across various locations. A one hour coffee connect allows our participants to receive peer support, which may be the first step in receiving further support from Soldier On. Serving and ex-serving ADF members, as well as their family, are all welcome to come. We have even had a four legged, furry family member called Lily join us. If you think you could take on your peers in a game of paintball or are looking for an activity that allows you to sit and connect with likeminded people, join the Soldier On Adelaide Facebook group to learn more about upcoming activities.

#sidebyside

Social Connections – Victoria

Lock it down Eddie!

Keeping positive in Melbourne

Victorians have demonstrated over the past year that they’re incredibly resilient during difficult times.

nfortunately, as Victoria experiences prolonged periods of lockdown and moments of normality, we have had to postpone many of our exciting activities.

Fortunately, Victoria was finally able to host our first ever Women’s Vet-Connect Weekend, where our participants enjoyed a weekend of mindful activities emphasising connecting to ourselves and each other. The weekend was a huge success and has been the catalyst to our female participants finding other like-minded women to turn to during these difficult times for an online chat. To ensure the success we made at the first weekend of Women’s Vet-Connect maintained momentum, Soldier On hosted an online chat for past vet-connect participants and those who are signed up to take part in the future to maintain social connection during this difficult time.

“I was expecting one or two people to show up as it was a bit of a see how it goes situation. I was shocked when 20 women joined us online. We talked, we laughed and we were able to support each other through this difficult time” Sarah Hartley, Soldier On Social Connections Manager. Other fantastic activities we facilitated include a ceramics class, allowing our participants to use the ceramics wheel to create beautiful bowls and vases. For those looking to get active and challenge themselves, we have been offering bouldering and rock climbing sessions which have been successfully embraced by our family participants. Many of our participants expressed interest in attending a Yoga class. The Melbourne team are now offering regular weekly Yoga sessions at The Art of Balance in Frankston. A fantastic activity that enables us to become mindful and tune out of day-to-day stressors for an hour. We continue to host regular monthly Coffee Catch Ups at Studley Park when out of lockdown. To ensure that our participants have access to this style of connection in lockdowns, we are facilitating an online coffee catch-up once a month, which has now expanded and encourages participants nationwide to tune-in. At these catch-ups, we encourage new people to tell us a little bit about themselves, what people are doing in their area, any movies or books that they’re enjoying and would recommend to each other. The best part? We sometimes have our furry friends join us.

SOLDIER ON Spring 2021

“These coffee catch-ups are all about having connection and a sense of normality, without feeling inclined to talk yourself” – Sandy Melbourne Social Connection Officer If you would like to connect and or register for any of our activities, you can view them on our website or visit the Soldier On Melbourne Facebook group which provides our veteran community first hand information about what is happening in Melbourne and any relevant information that may be applicable to you.

Serving On,

Serving Our Community The Brunswick Neighbourhood House volunteering project came to fruition with the support of veterans and BAE staff seeing them building a Wicking Box and painting a Cubby House!

he Brunswick Neighbourhood House is a community centre providing community education, training, recreational activities, community support and services for all community members.

The community centre boasts an edible oasis for the local community and keeps them actively engaged in maintaining the gardens. The wicking box will provide them with further opportunity to increase their vegetable garden. Painting the donated cubby house makes a great space for children to play whilst parents are engaged in other activities. Thanks to Very Edible Gardens for providing the wicking box and guiding us on the day to construct these. Serving On is now a national volunteering program that aims to provide service personnel with the skills, opportunities and support to continue to serve through purposeful work and impactful projects that help people and communities. Following the success of 2018, what was initially an NSW based pilot program, is now fully-fledged and has expanded to all states. There are approximately 5,000 contemporary veterans in NSW in receipt of DVA benefits. The total number of contemporary veterans and other service personnel in the state, however, is much higher. Despite significant improvements in the range of support services available, many contemporary servicemen and women still struggle to find meaningful work, social connection and purpose after their service. As a result, service personnel can become socially isolated and unable to find ways to connect with and contribute to, the community. This can lead to, or exacerbate, other issues including mental health conditions.

To find out more about Serving On, or to get involved yourself please email serving.on@soldieron.org.au. You can also visit our website soldieron.org.au/health-and‑wellbeing/ serving-on/

Participants who partake in these activities tend to find that they get a lot more out of it than they put in. “I had an awesome day making the wicking box and painting the cubbyhouse. It was good to meet and talk to others . I had a awesome time” – Victorian Participant

Serving On is proudly supported by BAE Systems. #sidebyside

March On is back in 2022,

bigger and better than ever! Walk 96kms, the distance of the Kokoda Trail, in March 2022. Sign up on your own or with a team. Get fit . Raise funds . Help prevent veteran suicide

1 - 31 March 2022 Walk 96km in 31 days to help prevent veteran suicide

The rate of suicide in ex-serving men and women is higher than in Australia’s general public. Help serving and ex-serving veterans and their families rebuild and thrive. March On with Soldier On. Funds raised will help Soldier On extend the reach of its services for serving and ex-serving veterans and their families.

Scan the QR code to sign up for March 2022, or visit the website: www.marchonchallenge.org.au

Social Connections

Volunteers enabling Social Connection Each year, over six million Australians volunteer more-than 600 million hours to help others. At Soldier On we are incredibly grateful for the support provided by our amazing volunteers. Soldier On is lucky to have more than 370 registered volunteers who give up their valuable time to support our participants every single day.

Jye Martyn – Newcastle Facilitating coffee catch-ups in Newcastle One of our volunteers is Jye Martyn. Jye is a RAAF veteran and after leaving the ADF, wanted to continue working closely with the veteran community. “Since leaving the RAAF I have wanted to work with veterans to support them with the challenges we face after transitioning. I hope to use my past experiences to motivate others in their own journeys as well as aid in connecting veterans with other veterans to restore the comradery they lost after leaving the military.” Jye has been facilitating coffee catch-ups every third Friday of the month and has temporarily made this an online event. You can find out more about this coffee catch-up by following the Soldier On Newcastle Facebook group.

Felicity Geosits – Brisbane Facilitating mums & bubs coffee catch-ups Felicity is a serving veteran and has served 17 years in the Army. She has diverse experiences, deploying to both East Timor and Afghanistan in the past. Felicity is currently posted in Brisbane and has recently welcomed her second son. Upon commencing maternity leave, Felicity felt isolated from work and from current-serving veterans who could relate to her experiences. After hearing about Soldier On through her sister Jody Geosits, the social connections programs officer in Port Macquarie, Felicity wondered whether other women veterans involved with Soldier On may be feeling similar and would be interested in catching up. After commencing this catch-up Felicity noticed the importance of these catch-ups. “I realise that some veterans aren’t so lucky and that there was a gap for support within our veteran communities for parents and their families within my area who have just had kids or have posted to the region, some of which have no local family or support networks.” Mums and Bubs coffee-catch ups are facilitated every second Friday at various locations. Join the Brisbane Soldier On Facebook group to keep updated with upcoming events.

SOLDIER ON Spring 2021

Colin Greef and Mike Hogan – Canberra Facilitating the music group program and Guitar for kids initiative The music group program has been a wonderful long-term initiative for our Canberra based participants. Colin and Mike have been helping veterans and their families to find a sense of mindfulness in playing an instrument. Colin and Mike welcome all participants to join in, whether you’re a musician or keen to learn a new skill. The commitment to the veteran and wider community stretches further than the music group. Colin and Mike, alongside Social Connections Officer Josie, have also been delivering refurbished guitars to schools in the greater Canberra region. “Every now and then we’ll play at a nursing home or a retirement village. We want to give something back to the oldies in the nursing homes, but also, now, we want to start giving something to the young kids.” Two of the donated guitars have also gone to two young boys whose dad was ex-army and a federal police officer, who passed away due to a brain tumour. One of the guitars was donated from a lady in Weetangera. The guitar had belonged to her brother who was also a former policeman and had died from a brain tumour. When the two boys were presented with the guitars it was a very emotional moment and they were thrilled to receive such special gifts. Music group is facilitated every Thursday from 11:00am12:00pm in the Robert Poate Centre. To keep up to date, join our Soldier On Canberra Facebook group.

Volunteer with Soldier On “I get more out of volunteering with Soldier On than what I put in. Being a part of an organisation like this brings along a sense of belonging. For a lot of veterans that feeling disappears after discharge.” Jye Martyn, Newcastle The Soldier On Social Connections Program would love to hear from you. If you have a skill, hobby or program you would like to facilitate then please contact our volunteer coordinator, we would love to hear from you and have a chat about what it is you would like to become involved in.

Volunteering at Soldier On Call: +61 2 6188 6119 Email: Volunteering@soldieron.org.au

#sidebyside

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Education

Veteran Scholarship Winner Announced Soldier On participant and Australian veteran, Alexander Hering, has been awarded a First Choice College Scholarship to study a fully-funded Diploma to aid in the transition to civilian employment post-service.

n partnership with Soldier On’s Pathways Program, the First Choice College Veteran Scholarship Program has been established to enable current serving personnel, contemporary veterans or Defence family members to achieve their educational goals and secure meaningful long term employment pathways.

First Choice College Business Development Manager, Sarah Bray, said the College was thrilled to award the Scholarship to Alex, who will be completing a Diploma of Business to advance his career. “There were many wonderful entries, all with their winning attributes…reading each of the stories re-emphasised why we are a huge supporter of this program. Helping veterans transition into the next stage of their career is something we are honoured to be involved in,” Ms Bray said. Scholarship recipient, Alexander, dedicated 35 years to the Australian Defence Force before pursuing life outside the military. “I am very grateful to have been chosen for this opportunity. As I look to starting a business of my own, a Diploma in

Business Management will help me enhance the skills I already have through my career in Defence,” Alexander said. Soldier On CEO, Ivan Slavich, said Soldier On is proud to work with education partners, such as First Choice College, to help enable veterans and their families to secure education opportunities. “Soldier On works with a number of education providers around the country to deliver accessible learning to our Defence community. This collaboration with First Choice College is helping to enable veterans and their families to secure education opportunities that lead to new pathways into employment,” Mr Slavich said. “We would like to thank Alexander for his service to our country and wish him all the best in his studies and future career,” Mr Slavich added.

 Above Alexander Hering, Winner of First Choice College Scholarship

#sidebyside

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Education

Australian Catholic University offers

Credit where it’s due for ADF veterans

Student veterans will receive a leg-up thanks to an Australian-first initiative that will provide credit for prior learning in the ADF towards Australian Catholic University courses.

CU’s commitment to be the destination university for veterans and their families has led to the development of the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) project which aims to support those transitioning out of the military by formally acknowledging rank and training completed during their service as part of the application process.

The credit mapping framework will effectively slash the cost of a degree at ACU and has the potential to launch confident, skilful, and job-ready veterans sooner into their new careers.

are eligible for RPL through this scheme. More information surrounding the RPL framework and how this is applied to members can be found online: www.acu.edu.au/about-acu/ student-veteran-services/recognition-of-prior-learning In recognition of their service to country and community, ACU will also grant transitioning ADF members’ credit for the Core Curriculum unit, Justice and Change in a Global World. This credit is available for most undergraduate degrees. RPL is among a bundle of ACU programs designed to smooth the transition of veterans into civilian life.

ACU acknowledges the challenges involved in moving from the ADF into tertiary education. Transitioning out of the military can be difficult for many veterans, with high rates of unemployment and mental health issues. Undertaking higher education is an internationally recognised pathway from the military to civilian life.

The Veteran Transition Program (VTP) and Veteran Entry Program (VEP) address the need for post-service career pathways for Defence personnel, while more than 141 student veterans across nine campuses have the opportunity to tap into the Student Veteran Support Program (SVSP).

ACU will assess the student veteran’s record of service to determine if they are eligible for specified or unspecified credit in Recognition of Prior Learning. More than 40 ACU degrees

More information surrounding these services can be found online at: www.acu.edu.au/about-acu/student-veteranservices #sidebyside

Entry to the RAAF Museum is FREE!! Opening Hours: 10:00am to 3:00pm Tuesday to Friday

10:00am to 5:00pm Weekends and Public Holidays Closed Mondays, Christmas Day & Good Friday Telephone: (03) 8348 6040 Fax: (03) 8348 6692 Web: www.airforce.gov.au/raafmuseum Email: RAAF.MuseumInfo@defence.gov.au Facebook: facebook.com/RAAF.Museum

The RAAF Museum, located at Point Cook, is home to an amazing range of historic military aircraft. A great chance to view these rare machines is at the interactive flying displays, which are held every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday at 1:00 pm (weat her permitting). The Museum has a vast collection of historical material on show, including several hangars with static aircraft, and offers visitors an exciting experience and insight into the history of the Air Force. Models, books, patches, clothing and mementos can be purchased at the Museum shop.

Pathways

20 Job Interviews Secured More than 20 veterans and defence family members have secured job interviews following Soldier On’s first Pathways Networking Event in Adelaide since COVID-19 restricted prevented the regular gathering.

osted by Soldier On Pledge Partner, SACARE, at their Broadview Head Office, the event welcomed 60 Soldier On participants and 10 partner organisations.

Soldier On’s Pathways Networking Event works to connect serving and ex-serving Defence personnel and their family members with veteran-supportive employers and advance their careers.

The Adelaide event allowed attendees to not only connect and network with prospective employers, but also find out more about the support services available to them. Event hosts, SACARE, said the event provided an opportunity for organisations to connect and support the Defence community while growing their team.

 Right Service Dog Anna was keen to network

“You never know who is out there – particularly the Defence partners. There is such a wealth of opportunity and knowing that employing a Defence partner supports a Defence family means a great deal to us,” SACARE said. Soldier On CEO, Ivan Slavich, said the organisation is thrilled to see the continued success of the Pathways Networking Events across the Country. “Through the Pathways Program, Soldier On not only prepares individuals for their next career steps, but also works closely with veteran-supportive organisations to assist in understanding the needs of the veteran community, recognising the impact that service has on the whole defence family. Pathways Networking Events allows us to bring these groups together to form meaningful connections and positive outcomes for all,” Mr Slavich added. “With 20 participants securing interviews from the evening, the Adelaide event clearly demonstrated just how much talent there is within the defence community and cemented the role of Soldier On Pledge Partners as pro-active supporters of current and ex-serving ADF members, as well as their families,” Mr Slavich added. The event saw attendance from Soldier On Pledge Partners including BAE Systems Australia, SAAB Australia, AMW Professional Services, Northrup Grumman Australia, Agile Mining, Australian Ocean Logistics, AeroPM and 4th Harmonic. Soldier On Education Partner Hessel group and representatives from the wider ex-service organisation community were also in attendance including Defence Health, Kookaburra kids and Open Arms. #sidebyside

Pathways

Soldier On’s Pledge kick-starting young Veterans post-service careers O More than 150 veteran supportive organisations have committed to the Soldier On Pledge so far this year, with almost 40 companies signing the Soldier On Pledge in the past 3 months alone.

ne of the most recent Pledge companies to sign up to the new Soldier On Pledge is World Fuel Services Australia (WFS). One WFS employee knows firsthand the positive impact the Pathways Program can have for young veterans, having been supported by the Pathways team and introduced to World Fuel Services Australia.

Matthew Brummell, a former Australian Regular Army Warrant Officer and now a thriving member of the World Fuel Services Australia staff team, said he was thrilled to continue to work closely with Solider On in connection with the Pathways Program and Soldier On Pledge, and draw upon the tailored support available which enabled his smooth transition to a new career. “I personally appreciated the advice and guidance that I was provided. It enabled me to join the World Fuel Services team and work in an environment that genuinely values the skills sets and values that are important to any veteran,” Matthew Brummell said.

 Above Veteran Matthew Brummell, World Fuel Services Australia employee and Soldier On Pathways Program participant

SOLDIER ON Spring 2021

I grew up on the central coast of NSW with both my parents and one sibling. I joined the military at 22 years old as I was wanting to gain further life experiences. My career in the military has spanned 18 years; predominantly with Special Forces, showing me a great diversity of people and military capabilities.

 Above World Fuel Services Australia has been recognised as a Soldier On Platinum Pledge Partner. Pictured with Soldier On staff.  Right Matthew Brummel pictured with Soldier On Pathways team members.

The Soldier On Pathways Program has helped me understand the process for life after service with elements such as resume building, job applications, networking events and mental health support. World Fuel Services Australia is committed to those who serve and who have served. World Fuel Services Australia recognises and values the unique skillset veterans have and what it takes to be part of a highly effective team. The veterans skillset is an integral element of the World Fuel Service Australia inherent culture. Working collaboratively with Soldier On provides World Fuel Services Australia the opportunity to show its commitment to the veteran community and keep us accountable for this commitment. I would personally welcome all companies to take the Soldier On Pledge so they too can be held accountable. The tailored support and advice provided by the Pathways team is meaningful and genuine. I would strongly encourage all veterans and their families to reach out to Soldier On. World Fuel Services Australia was recently recognised as a Soldier On Platinum Pledge Partner committed to providing veteran-supportive recruitment, retention, training and workplace culture. #sidebyside

Pathways

5 40

SOLDIER ON Spring 2021

Resume Tips to Land Your Next Career Resumes have come a long way since the typewriter was used to create this important career document. No longer a list of qualifications and work history, your resume is a strategic ‘marketing tool’ to sell your skills and experience above other equally qualified applicants in this competitive employment market. As one of Soldier On’s Pathways Officers, Marlene Cole has written resumes for 15 years and won three international resume awards; she believes ‘your resume has one job – one job only – and that’s not to get a job! Your resume’s job is to get an interview!” Today she shares five tips to create a winning resume:

The Pathways Program team is supporting close to

2500 participants

June 101

was the busiest month on record with

resumes updated with help from the Pathways team

enabling more veterans and their families to be job‑ready than ever before

Career Stories

Resume Format

Before starting your resume, it’s important to unpack all those stories you want to share at interview. Think about different roles you have had, times when you were promoted, improved systems, or were involved in large projects… paint a picture of what makes you different to others who have the same qualifications.

With so many differing opinions on resume layout and format, it’s important for the reader to scan and find information easily. Keep in mind, you won’t stand out from the crowd with a MS Word template. Depending on the role, a little bit of colour works in headings and borders; make sure the font size/style is consistent; tabs are set correctly; and remove tables/text boxes.

“Your passions, hobbies, unpaid work and volunteering stories are perfect for changing careers – it’s not just about paid work, plus the process of writing your stories down helps with gaining career clarity.”

Tailor Your Content Once you find the perfect role or company you want to work for, do the research. Use job boards to find similar roles and position descriptions to gather keywords. Your resume needs to incorporate industry lingo and technical language, especially if you are changing careers or moving into civilian roles. “Infantry soldiers transitioning to Safety Advisor roles shared injury and emergency response stories. A love of rebuilding cars lead to Automotive Retail for a RAAF technician sharing volunteer firefighting work.”

“Most professional resumes should be two to three pages, focusing on the last 10 years of employment – it will come down to career story relevance and sometimes, the application process stipulated by the organisation.”

Proofread It We’re all human, be aware of common ‘spellcheck’ mistakes such as ‘manger’ instead of ‘manager’ or ‘roll’ instead of ‘role’. A fresh set of eyes is always valuable, and our Pathways Officers can help with this! At the end of the day, your resume is not the ‘be all and end all’ but it does play a role in transitioning and with new postings. You may only get one chance at that dream job or promotion – our Pathways team are here to support you with your next career step.

Stand out from the crowd The fist half of your resumes front page is prime real estate – don’t start with your education, or even your qualifications. Title your resume with the job you are applying for instead of ‘Career Summary’ or ‘Objective’ and hook them in with the benefits of ‘why you’ tied into their vacant role needs. “The first section of your resume needs to be written last – bring in the job ad’s key needs, how you match and what makes you different – never be afraid to pick up the phone and ring them for more information.”

Pathways Program Support If you’re serving or ex-serving, or a family member of someone who is, contact Soldier On’s Pathways team to find out more about the Pathways Program and the free employment and education support available to you. Email employment@soldieron.org.au or call 1300 620 380 and ask to be put through to your local Pathways Officer.

#sidebyside

Pathways pledge

NEW CAREER PATHS FOR YOUNG VETERANS  Above Adam & Emily Frizell, AeroPM founders, Soldier On Ambassadors and Platinum Pledge Partners

SOLDIER ON Spring 2021

Soldier On continues to strive for strong collaboration with veteran-supportive Pledge companies and Education Partners, to enable the best education and employment outcomes for veterans and their families, post-service.

oldier On’s Pathways team continues to expand to meet the growing need for employment and education support for veterans and their family members, with free support now available in every state in Australia. Our newest locations include Sale in Victoria and Kiama in NSW. As part of the employment support available Soldier On delivers a series of face-to-face professional networking events across Australia, as well as digital online webinars throughout the year.

Soldier On continues to work alongside veteran-supportive Pledge companies who are truly committed to supporting veteran-friendly recruitment, retention, training and workplace culture. Many of these organisations, like Soldier On Platinum Pledge Partner AeroPM, are led by veterans who truly understand the benefits of employing veterans and the best way to support them in the workplace. 80% of AeroPM’s workforce are veterans and 60% of these veterans transitioned directly from uniformed service. As a Soldier On Platinum Pledge Partner, AeroPM demonstrates exceptional veteran-supportive workplace recruitment, training and workplace culture and has employed a number of Soldier On Pathways Program participants. Both Emily Frizell and Adam Frizell have been appointed as Soldier On Ambassadors in recognition of their support to both Soldier On and the Veteran Community.

of AeroPM’s workforce are veterans

of these veterans transitioned directly from uniformed service

 continued on page 44 #sidebyside

 continued from page 43 Soldier On continues to work alongside Pledge companies to deliver Pathways Networking events face-to-face where possible. In some states events have had to be postponed due to local restrictions in place due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. These events are for serving and ex-serving Australian Defence Force personnel and their families, seeking new employment opportunities. Designed as a way to introduce veterans and their families to veteran-supportive Pledge companies, the Careers events enable veterans and their families to meet potential employers and discuss topics like employment transitions, interview tips, career advice, available job roles and more. Pathways Networking Events play a key role in helping contemporary veterans and their families to secure employment in the civilian world. Providing the chance to network with veteran-friendly Soldier On Pledge and Education Partners in a relaxed environment, with local Soldier staff present at the event to help create introductions and professional connections and offer support. In the past quarter, nearly 40 new Pledge companies have signed the Soldier On Pledge, taking the number in 2021 up to more than 150 organisations. These collaborations provide new industry connections and a variety of new job opportunities to participants across a range of industries. 18 Pathways events have taken place in the past three months, with 71 Pathways Program participants securing employment roles in the past quarter.

 Above Soldier On Pledge signing

SOLDIER ON Spring 2021

The 2021 Soldier On Pledge More than 150 organisations have signed the Soldier On Pledge so far this year. By signing the Pledge each company makes a public commitment to supporting veteran employment which results in a huge positive impact for the veteran community. Soldier On continues to work with Soldier On participants and alongside Pledge organisations, to ensure Soldier On participants are job-ready, make vital connections to veteranfriendly potential employers, and upskill or re-train if they choose to. If you’re an organisation who truly values the high-level skills acquired by veterans and their families and would like to sign the Pledge please contact Soldier On to find out more on 1300 620 380 or pledge@soldieron.org.au

Pathways Program support If you’re serving or ex-serving or a family member of someone who is, and are looking ahead to your future career or would like to find out more about employment and education opportunities contact Soldier On’s Pathways team on employment@soldieron.org.au or call 1300 620 380 and ask to be put through to your local Pathways Officer.

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SUBSYSTEMS MANUFACTURER TO DEFENCE AND INDUSTRIES For over 40 years Milspec have worked hard to become the premier designer and manufacturer of brushless alternators and portable power systems for defence forces across the world. Operating in a global market that demands precision, reliability, and low costs, Milspec have established themselves as the contract manufacturer of choice for defence and industry. Milspec is your Australian partner for subsystems in defence and industry.

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PROUDLY SUPPORTING OUR RETURNED SERVICE MEN & WOMEN & SOLDIER ON FOR REMEMBRANCE DAY

New Forge is Australia’s leading Metal and plastic composite 3D printing company as a service. With facilities in Western Australia and Queensland, New Forge has the resources and capabilities for 3D design, 3D Scanning, Rapid prototyping, Production runs and custom ad-hoc projects.

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Ph: 08 6118 6575 Unit 3, 30 Juna Drive Malaga WA 6090 Proudly Supporting our Returned Service Men & Women & Soldier On for Remembrance Day

Pathways

Tassie Turns One Soldier On Tasmania has recently celebrated one year of operation. And what a year it has been!

oldier On Tasmania has achieved a tremendous amount in this short time. Thanks to the dedication of the amazing team, as well as the incredible support of the local defence community, Soldier on has been able to provide support to our serving and ex-serving veterans and their families across the state.

The Soldier On Tasmania team has focused on building stronger relationships with established veteran support networks. Facilitating offices across diverse locations including Launceston RSL, New Town Shopping Centre, Devonport RSL, Kingston Neighbourhood House, West Moonah Community House, Legacy House Hobart and the TPI North Hobart Defence Expo, the Tasmanian team have been able to provide accessible support that is far reaching across the state. In its first year, Soldier On Tasmania has engaged 37 participants, secured 17 jobs for veterans and their family members, helped a participant open a business, secured 3 traineeships and 1 apprenticeship. The team has facilitated a successful Defence & Veteran Services show with 18 exhibitors, collaborated with Defence Health to form the Defence Interagency, and built relationships with an astounding 62 organisations providing services and opportunities for the defence community. The team has been thrilled to represent Soldier On at a number of key local defence community events over the year, including the unveiling of the Partners of Veterans Association Plaque at Lindisfarne, and the memorial of National Military Working Dogs. It is full steam ahead for the Tasmanian team as they enter their second year, with tremendous advancements and new initiatives in the veteran support space. Thank you to all those who have been a part of Soldier On’s first year in Tasmania and stay tuned for everything to come. “I’d like to thank Soldier On for their professional support and assistance in preparing me for job applications and job interviews. It was great to have someone in my corner” – Soldier On Tasmania Participant.

 Top Jenell Latham & Sarah Di Martino  Centre Tasmanian participant Ollie walked 100km overnight between Launceston and Devonport to raise awareness and funds for Soldier On  Bottom Soldier On Tasmania’s cutest participant

#sidebyside

Ambassadors & Volunteers

Veteran led Bootcamp on Offer for Soldier On Participants Soldier On Ambassador, Gary Wilson, is collaborating with Soldier On Canberra to provide a weekly bootcamp class for veterans and their families.

ary is an Army Veteran of 20 years. He commenced his career with the Third Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, and deployed to East Timor in 2000 and 2002. In 2005, Gary transferred Corps becoming an Electronic Warfare Operator with the Royal Australian Corps of Signals. His time as an Electronic Warfare Operator saw him provide strategic support to the Australian Government and the ADF before posting into the 2nd Commando Regiment. In 2010 Gary deployed to Afghanistan with the Special Operations Task Group.

Just 10 days before the end of his deployment Gary sustained life threatening injuries. At first, Gary was given a 4% chance of survival, he sustained multiple breaks, fractures and burns as well as extensive

SOLDIER ON Spring 2021

brain injuries that saw him fall into a coma. He has re-learnt everything from walking to talking and most importantly regained his independence. Since becoming a Service Ambassador for Solider On, Gary has represented Australia twice at the United States Marine Corps trials and at the 2016 & 2017 INVICTUS Games, winning a Bronze Medal in seated discus in Toronto. Gary’s journey of recovery is a story of resilience, determination, love, and support. His recovery has been nothing short of remarkable, continually defying the odds stacked against him. He has now begun his own personal training & coaching business where he shares his military experience from lessons learnt throughout his career in the Australian

Defence Force and his recovery from life threatening wounds. Soldier On Canberra participants can now join Gary once a week to partake in a strengthening and conditioning bootcamp. In the second week of this activity commencing classes were moved online due to COVID-19 lockdown. Gary is a fantastic trainer both in-person and online, and was able to help our participants work up a sweat from their backyards or lounge room. All levels of fitness are encouraged to join and give it a go. To find out more, please contact act@soldieron.org.au or join the Soldier On Canberra Facebook group to find out more.

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Sponsorship Updates

BAE SYSTEMS Australia

There is no greater honour than to serve your country.

I’m extremely passionate about removing negative connotations associated with service and reshaping the narrative as we progress through the 21st century.

For me, being a member of the Australian Regular Army was an immense privilege and an experience I hold dear.

Our society needs more people who are respectful and ethical, and our emergency services and veteran community lead the way in demonstrating these values.

By Jeremy Satchell

 Above VAC at the 2020 Remembrance Day service Canberra. Pictured with BAE Systems CEO Gabby Costigan and former Air Chief Marshall (ret’d) Mark Binskin AC.

SOLDIER ON Spring 2021

n 2017, I made the difficult decision to resign so that I could settle my family and explore an alternate career path which led me into the defence industry.

Knowing that the work that I do each and every day is contributing to those that still wear our nation’s uniform is immensely fulfilling, but still a distant second from actual service!

While I find the tag of ‘veteran’ slightly disconcerting and embarrassing, I’m slowly learning that it is in fact a label of respect and an absolute honour to be able to count myself within such an exemplary group of women and men.

I am now a Business Development Manager within BAE Systems’ Global Access Program; supporting Australian small to medium enterprises to export products and services to our global business. This involves working with a wide range of businesses, providing them with positive, meaningful support which is always valued. Additionally, I was afforded the opportunity to be a part of the company’s Veteran Advisory Committee (VAC), established in 2020 to assist in all aspects of decision making regarding our veteran employees and their families.

 Right VAC pictured with former Veteran Affairs Minister Darren Chester with members of Soldier On.  Below right Jeremy at the attendance of Soldier On Veteran Wellbeing Hub opening, South Australia  Below Jeremy Satchell

The VAC comprises 10 veteran employees with diverse experiences, roles and locations.

Our partnership with Soldier On also drives other benefits for the wider veteran community.

In our first year we’ve sought to understand the environment we are working within; confirming our stakeholder groups, building networks and establishing objectives.

We see the VAC and its efforts as a method of fulfilling our responsibility as a defence business.

Importantly, we aren’t starting from scratch as the business has an established foundation of local support groups, policies and supportive leadership. We are however seeking to position BAE Systems Australia as the veteran employer of choice and develop our internal culture to be increasingly supportive of veteran employees. This will ultimately aid retention but also ensures that our veterans are valued, recognised and appreciated. I’m also lucky to be an Ambassador with Soldier On, which is an immense privilege. I support Soldier On with its employment programs, using my personal and professional network and a mentoring approach. When I was transitioning from defence into the civilian world, I was well supported by a few key people.

While our products and services directly support those serving our nation, we must also continue to support those people when they transition into civilian life. We are not alone in these efforts and are already collaborating with a wide range of stakeholders, including business, agencies and various levels of Government. We will be sharing our learnings and activities via a best practice toolkit which will be widely available. While the VAC has been a successful initiative to date, it will always have more to do. We look forward to addressing new challenges and delivering positive change to support those who have served. And, for me and the members of the committee, we see it as a continuation of our service, albeit in a different guise!

It’s so fulfilling to be able to pay this effort forward. My role complements my involvement with the VAC as we are able to align our efforts with those of Soldier On and also explore opportunities where we can leverage each other’s resources. BAE Systems ensures our veteran employees and their families are provided with an exceptional level of support. #sidebyside

AMC SEARCH AMC Search, the training and consultancy division of the Australian Maritime College has been proudly servicing the defence sector for over 30 years. Contact us today to find out more about short course training opportunities in the maritime industry including: • Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) operator training • Certificate of Safety Training • Fast Rescue Boat Training • Maritime Accident Investigation Training • Marine Classification and Statutory Survey Training

Ph: 03 6324 9850

ANNEXES, AWNINGS, CAMPERS AND MORE Coffs Canvas are proud manufacturers of quality products since 1987. From our range of caravan annexes, off road camper trailers or an ezytrail camper there’s sure to be a product to suit your needs and price. We can custom make a camper to suit or we can re-canvas your own existing camper trailer. Have your own box trailer? Then we can fit one of our own or an ezytail camper kit to suit. Coffs Canvas are also manufacturers of the Roof Top Camper which can be fitted to the roof racks of 4WD vehicles and can be customised to suit bike trailers.

Got a question? Contact Coffs Canvas to discuss your canvas and vinyl product needs.

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Call us on (02) 6651 2960.

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1 Keona Circuit Coffs Harbour NSW 2450

Proudly Supporting our Returned Service Men & Women & Soldier On. Supporting our men & women for ANZAC Day!

Proudly Supporting our Returned Service Men & Women & Soldier On.

OFFICIAL MEDICAL ADVICE

Coronavirus: Thanks to you, we are saving lives and stopping the spread. But it’s important we continue to keep all Australians safe. Stay at home unless necessary and avoid non-essential travel. Banks, supermarkets, petrol stations, medical services and suppliers remain open.

If you can, you should work from home. Use phones for meetings, stop handshaking, tap to pay where possible instead of using cash.

Maintain physical distancing and hygiene practices. Keep 1.5 metres of physical distance, exercise away from others, and wash your hands regularly for 20 seconds.

Visit australia.gov.au to find restrictions specific to your State or Territory. Authorised by the Australian Government, Canberra

Partnership Update

Pratt Foundation Donates $1 Million for Veteran Support Services The Pratt Foundation has donated $1 million to aid the delivery of Soldier On’s life-changing support services.

he Pratt Foundation’s generous donation will allow Soldier On to expand on the delivery of its life-changing support services, offering a wider range of activities and programs to members of the Defence community across Australia.

Established in 1978 by the late Richard Pratt and his wife Jeanne, the Pratt Foundation supports charitable activities, working to enrich the lives of the community. The Pratt Foundation Director, Anthony Pratt, said the Foundation is thrilled to support those who have served and sacrificed for our nation.

Soldier On CEO, Ivan Slavich said Soldier On is honoured to receive this generous donation from the Pratt Foundation. “This donation will go a long way in supporting the growth of Soldier On. Thanks to the generosity of the Pratt Foundation, Soldier On will be able to increase the psychological services offered to our veteran community, engage with more veteran supportive employers and educators, and host a wider range of activities across the country to strengthen connections and advance the wellbeing of our community,” Mr Slavich said.

“The Pratt Foundation is honoured to donate $1 million to Soldier On Australia in support of Australia’s veterans who represent the best of our country. Soldier On plays a critical role in supporting our veterans in the areas of Health, Employment, Learning and Participation,” Mr Pratt said. “The Pratt family has been proud to support the organisation’s work for many years through activities such as the annual Pollie Pedal bike ride,” Mr Pratt added. #sidebyside

Fundraising Update

The fundraising team at Soldier On has been busy over the past few months developing and refining some of our longterm fundraising programs including Regular Giving, Community Fundraising and Gifts in Lieu to name a few. These programs help provide Soldier On with a predictable level of revenue which enables us to plan the funding of our programs into the future with a high degree of certainty and sustainability.

SOLDIER ON Spring 2021

relaunching our Regular Giving program

Tax Appeal 2021

Regular Giving is a way for donors to make a year-round impact on the lives of veterans. These easy to set up monthly, fortnightly or weekly contributions give donors the added satisfaction of knowing their support allows Soldier On to plan programs confidently in the knowledge that Regular Giving contributions will underpin their future funding. Regular donations can be set up through this link… https:// fundraise.soldieron.org.au/regular-giving

Soldier On conducted our annual Tax Appeal through May and June, giving supporters the opportunity to make a tax deductible donation before the end of the financial year. We were simply astounded at the level of support this appeal received and we thank all the individuals, businesses, Trusts & Foundations and Philanthropists who dug deep to contribute a total of $306,000. On behalf of all of our participants, we sincerely thank you for your generosity.

Christmas in July Calls for Expressions of Interest for – Community Fundraising NRMA Palm Cove Holiday Park held a great Christmas in July our Gift-in-Will program dinner. The night was successful and raised almost $800 for Soldier On is inviting community members who want to receive our new Bequest booklet to contact our team. Soldier On’s giftin-will Bequest program is designed to help those wanting to explore ways of helping veterans by leaving a gift-in-will contribution for the benefit of generations to come. Our soon to be released booklet guides you through the details about the work we do at Soldier On, the impact we make to current and future veterans and how your planned commitment to making a donation in your Will is going to make a significant difference. A booklet can be sent to you by simply contacting us at fundraise@soldieron.org.au or directly calling one of our friendly staff members on 02 6188 6141.

veterans and their families.

“The night was fabulous and consisted of Santa arriving in his sleigh, music, a 3-course meal, raffles, best dressed and of course an auction to raise money for Soldier on Australia. We decided to choose Soldier On as we have a lot of veterans that stay in the caravan park thought out the winter period and I felt that it was important for us to acknowledge them and show our appreciation and after some research, I chose Solider on as the most appropriate charity. We are extremely fortunate to have a very supportive tourism industry with many of our local tour operators donating their trips as a prize for the auction. As a community we were able to raise these funds,” said community fundraiser Teresa.

New Online Fundraising Hub Soldier On is about to launch our new online fundraising hub for community members wanting to explore ways to support us through fundraising. This newly designed hub seamlessly supports all varieties of fundraising activities including Community Fundraising, DIY Fundraising, Events Fundraising, In Memory Online Fundraising and more. The fundraising hub will soon be https://fundraise.soldieron.org.au/

accessible

here:

In Memory and Gift in Lieu Donation Envelopes Soldier On has produced new In Memory donation envelopes offering the opportunity for supporters to give the gift of a donation to Soldier On in place of gifts or flowers. These envelopes can be ordered by simply contacting the Soldier On fundraising team at fundraise@soldieron.org.au.

If you would like to get involved and raise funds for Soldier On, please contact fundraising@soldieron.org.au.

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Our Corporate Partners Soldier On is grateful of our corporate partners and sponsors. The below organisations provide vital funding that directly enable Soldier On to continue to provide support for veterans and their families.

Principal Partners

Associate Partners

Foundation Partners

Major Partners

With special thanks Abode Hotels

Qantas

Australian Military Bank

Christine Shaw Properties

Sydney Local Health District Count Charitable Foundation Dramatic Productions GWS Giants Football Club

Partners

The Good Guys The Howarth Foundation St Kilda Football Club Scott Mitchell & Partners

Media partners

SOLDIER ON Spring 2021

The Victorian Government and the Victorian Veterans Council Waves Carwash Tallangandra Hills Winery Lendlease Raytheon Australia NSW Government Victorian Government

Proudly Supporting our Returned Service Men & Women & Soldier On for Remembrance Day

TGI is a 100% sovereign Australian owned Freight Forwarding company that provides integral Defence transport capacity globally. TGI is a specialised defence logistics freight forwarder, with rapid deployment capability across land, air & sea. We deliver globally, including 24/7 live tracking through Key Options, charter, DG & specialised equipment transport. TGI supports the Australian Defence Force by constant lines of communication with our clients, with extensive discovery, risk mitigation and pre-planning processes. Our service is one that you can rely on, from quote through to delivery at your base of operations.

Ph: +612 6198 3283 The Realm, Level 1, 18 National Cct, Barton, ACT, 2600