This training program - Psychological First Aid for Emergency Services Managers - has been developed for managers and supervisors of frontline emergency personnel affected by the 2019-20 bushfires, in order to support their employees and their own resilience and wellbeing.

Psychological First Aid (PFA) is a practical, flexible, and recommended approach to helping people in the aftermath of trauma. It can be delivered by both lay and professional helpers.

PFA helps to reduce the initial distress and assists people to cope better in the days and weeks following a traumatic event, such as a disaster, workplace accident, or assault.

Helpers trained in PFA ensure safety, provide emotional comfort and support, and offer practical advice and assistance to address people’s immediate needs.

In this training, you will learn core skills of PFA, including simple psychological strategies, and gain the confidence to provide assistance and support to individuals affected by trauma.

Please note: A brief online training module needs to be completed prior to attending the three-hour workshop. You will receive access to the online component once you have registered for this training.

Who should attend this training?

We recommend that managers or supervisors in the emergency services attend this training. If you are in a non-managerial emergency services role, we recommend registering for our Trauma-informed Care.

Cost

Phoenix Australia typically delivers this training for $390 per person. However, the development and delivery of this training has been generously funded by the Australian Government’s Mental Health Supports for Bushfire Affected Australians package. As such, registration is free of charge to eligible participants.

The Australian Government’s Mental Health Supports for Bushfire Affected Australians package

The Department of Health has engaged Phoenix Australia – Centre for Posttraumatic Mental Health to deliver training to aid frontline workers better support community members affected by the recent 2019-20 bushfires across Australia. Specifically, this project aims to work with general practice staff to enhance their ability to:

Support community members recovery from bushfires
Promote their own resilience and psychological recovery from the bushfires
Support the resilience and wellbeing of their teams and organisations