A new project on the mental health and wellbeing of young adult emergency service volunteers is starting through the Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC’s Tactical Research Fund.
Supported by the Hospital Research Foundation and led by Dr Amanda Taylor from the University of Adelaide, Maintaining positive mental health and wellbeing for young adult emergency service volunteers is aiming to deliver a valid, practical and usable framework for supporting mental health in 16–25 year old emergency service volunteers. The research will tackle mental health outcomes in young emergency services volunteers to minimise the short- and long-term impacts of exposure to potentially traumatising events. This will maintain and promote mental health and wellbeing more generally.
Within a 12-month timeframe, this project is set to provide an understanding of what is already being done within volunteer emergency services agencies to support the mental health of young adult volunteers. In addition, the research team will provide a framework to support the mental health of young emergency services personnel. This will involve a clear set of principles, recommendations and processes to guide actions that volunteers, organisations, families and other community supporters can take to support mental health and wellbeing in young adult volunteers and employees.
The Tactical Research Fund provides a source of funding for short-term, end-user focused research projects, addressing strategic issues for the sector and that have national significance. Find out more.