Forces in Mind Trust future insights workshop report
Forces in Mind Trust (FiMT) partnered with Patrick Harris and James Alexander from Future Agenda to deliver a workshop to explore the key societal challenges and opportunities most likely to affect the Armed Forces community in the future and the freedoms and constraints impacting the environment of their support. The workshop built on the Lifting Our Sights: Beyond 2030 foresight report, which examined the impact of future trends on Service personnel and their families as they transition out of the military over the next ten years and beyond. The purpose of the event was to enable participants, and the organisations they represent, to recognise and explore their role and required potential action, to better deliver support for the Armed Forces community in the future. The intended outcomes included: • To have explored and identified the needs of the Armed Forces community in 2030 and beyond • To understand other’s and alternative perspectives • To identify specific areas of opportunity, challenge and action • To identify the implications of this exploration for attendee’s organisations The event bought together representatives from a range of sectors including central government, the devolved administrations, the Armed Forces, academia and the charity sector. This report provides a summary of the key findings from the day.
Abstract: People are the most important Australian Defence capability. The resilience, dedication and professionalism of the Defence and veteran community underpin our national security. We want Australians to be attracted to serving our nation in our Australian Defence Force, and confident that they and their families will be respected and well supported by their leaders, their mates and the broader Defence organisation. In addition, they should be safe in the knowledge that whatever may befall them during their service, they will be properly looked after, and their service acknowledged, respected and commemorated by a grateful nation. As such, it is our nation’s duty to empower and support their mental health and wellbeing. This means providing for our people and their families to serve well, live well and age well, no matter where they are on their Defence and veteran journey. This strategy adopts a preventive and holistic approach. In addition to early intervention and comprehensive care, it prioritises wellbeing from the day they sign up, until well after they’ve hung up their uniform for the last time. By embracing a life course approach, we honour the service and acknowledge the sacrifices made by the Defence and veteran community This strategy unites the Department of Defence and the Department of Veterans’ Affairs in their resolve to foster a culture of proactive wellbeing and mental health care. It leverages combined expertise and resources to ensure our Defence and veteran community receive the support they need during and after service. This strategy is complemented by action plans that describe the initiatives, programs and services that will achieve our goals and outcomes. This strategy will fortify Australia’s Defence capability by building a positive culture, with leadership that empowers self-agency and supports the wellbeing of Defence’s integrated workforce. Our approach will help Defence achieve the outcomes of the National Defence Strategy 2024 while improving recruitment and retention of personnel in the Australian Defence Force. We acknowledge the work of the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide. The insights and reports of the Royal Commission, as well as other reports including the Productivity Commission’s: A Better Way to Support Veterans inform our wellbeing and suicide prevention initiatives, programs and services. This includes the co-design of a new agency focused on veteran wellbeing. I am proud to share with you the first joint Defence and Veteran Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy. It provides a shared vision, goals and outcomes for meaningful change to empower every member of our Defence and veteran community to lead healthy and fulfilling lives. The journey ahead requires concentrated effort and unwavering dedication in order to build a more resilient and healthier Defence and veteran community. I sincerely thank all those who have provided input. You have helped shape the vision, goals, outcomes and priorities in this strategy in an effort to improve the mental health and wellbeing outcomes for those in the Defence and veteran community.