Only the start of a journey We are operating in a fast-changing environment when it comes to mental health and more and more organisations want to make a positive difference to the wellbeing of our community. ESFs strength is that we know the sector intimately, and we can effectively apply that knowledge with a mental health and wellbeing lens. The leadership skills and behaviours required to nurture mentally healthy people and workplaces are key to achieving cultural change. We are starting a journey that will take a generation, but we know what to do and now we must get on and do it to create the supportive culture required to sustain the sector. A unique work environment The sector is inherently high risk because of the work we must do which often involves running into situations that others avoid. People are exposed to potentially traumatic situations daily whether they are at the front line or in support roles where they are vicariously exposed. In our rural and regional locations, the people who serve our communities are also part of the tapestry of those communities. This means that when disaster strikes, they are impacted on many levels and need unique support. Sharing a community challenge Almost half of all Australian adults – 7.3 million people – will face mental ill-health at some point. It can affect anyone at any stage of life and can have a negative effect not just on the individual, but also on the people around them at home and at work. This has become a once in a generation challenge for our nation and the sector shares that challenge as people bring the stresses of day-to-day life to work. With such an enormous workforce the good we can do to help people be mentally healthy has enormous potential to benefit the community more widely. Data tells a sad story Two key data sets underpin our work. The 2018 Answering the Call study undertaken by Beyond Blue of 22,000 emergency service workers nationally which pointed to poor mental health literacy, mental health stigma and workplace culture as key contributors to 1:3 workers describing high or very high psychological distress. WorkSafe claims data show that the sector accounts for 24% of all mental health claims PTSD accounting for just 35% of those claims. The rest are attributed to culture and workplace relations. The power of collaboration Across the sector the issues and challenges are much the same. There is no point reinventing the wheel. The power of ESF is that we have broad visibility of the emerging issues and gaps, and the ability to identify and develop leading practice. We are uniquely placed to bring the sector together on many levels to effectively collaborate to address shared challenges in a way that draws on a depth of expertise. Prevention is better than cure There has been a significant investment into the treatment of mental injury, less so into its prevention. That is why ESF is all about prevention and its many layers primary, secondary and tertiary. Prevention of poor mental health is not only possible but urgently needed and that is why ESF gathers evidence and insights and translates that knowledge into innovative new ways of supporting people to be mentally healthy and prevent progression to serious mental injury. The sum of many parts Taking a holistic view of mental health and wellbeing allows us to embrace and embed contemporary thinking which integrates evidence-based strategies to address the full spectrum of mental health. We complement and support agencies. We provide access to ESFs leading practice initiatives that can be integrated to strengthen their approach. Sector sustainabilityAustralia has experienced a notable increase in the frequency and severity of natural disasters in recent years, underscoring the nation's vulnerability to the impacts of climate change. With increasing pressure to prepare for, respond to and recover from these disasters there is a ripple effect on the people who do this work and their families. Our community needs people who are mentally healthy to keep up with the demands of this work. ESF is the only organisation with a dedicated focus and whole-of-sector perspective on the mental health and wellbeing of Victoria’s emergency management sector. Why we do what we do The sustainability of our sector relies on people who are mentally healthy and we're ready to define what that looks like.
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