The NSW Response and Recovery team at headspace National has been working with organisations who work in disaster impacted regions of NSW to address burnout and support the wellbeing of their workforce. A key focus has been working with the NSW SES to upskill their teams Group Reflective Practice (GRP). The Response and Recovery team is engaged in training the NSW SES Peer Support Leaders across NSW and upskilling the State Operations Centre phoneline teams. This work is ongoing and is being evaluated.

Group Reflective Practice is an innovative way of supporting the mental health and wellbeing of community organisations and frontline workers and volunteers. This is the first time this practice has been linked to the disaster context. The team have developed an extensive evidence-based guide that underpins this work.

With disasters increasing and intensifying, operational environments have become more complex. In this context, the trauma-informed practice of GRP has a significant role in addressing wellbeing to support sustainable work. GRP’s focus on experiential learning – where experiences are collectively, supportively unpacked and reflected on- assists in providing the collective knowledge base that is so crucial for organisations and communities exposed to disaster risk.

The team have trained organisations and volunteer groups across NSW. The practice is accessible, sustainable, and adaptable for community organisations, frontline workers and volunteers, and any emergent recovery groups. GRP assists in decreasing vulnerabilities by mitigating indirect trauma exposure and increasing role clarity, providing spaces to reflect on learnings from previous events, thereby improving practice in changing, often complex operational environments.

Attendees will gain a clear understanding of:
• What GRP is
• The benefits for individuals and organisations
• Best practices and how to implement at minimal or no cost
• Key considerations for sustainability