Content Warning: This episode contains discussions of suicide that may be upsetting or triggering for some listeners. Please use your discretion when deciding whether to continue listening. Resources and support are available and listed at the bottom of the show notes below.

In this vital episode of Community Matters Nicky talks with Lachlan Stevens, Director Founder and Veteran, about the importance of “a sense of purpose” and the work he is doing to support veterans transition out of military life and into fulfilling opportunities after serving their country. The criticality of this work cannot be understated – with 78 veterans each year taking their life in Australia – this is literally lifesaving work.

Having served Australia on two tours in Afghanistan Lachlan acknowledges both the loss of members of his own units in the line of duty and the trauma of losing even more upon returning home to suicide. Lachlan and Nicky explore how the loss of “a sense of purpose” can lead into a spiral into negative mental health. Lachlan shares about the mental health challenges he himself experienced, and the need for better coordinated veteran support services that work across the community as well as the value of those mentors in the community who support veterans to make a successful transition.

Lachlan details his work with Walk with us Kokoda, supported by RSL NSW, and how he uses the Kokoda Trail to help veterans consider what their future looks like on the other side of their military service. “There is this projection that we care for veterans but that is not manifesting in terms of action and that is where I get a lot of my motivation for doing what we do at a grass roots level, at a community level” explains Lachlan, “that is what Walk with Us Kokoda tries to achieve.”

Lachlan and Nicky also discuss employment opportunities for veterans and leveraging those qualities of loyalty and service to create the sense of purpose that is needed to support veterans through valued roles. The opportunity for making your organisation “veteran friendly” is explored with questions for all organisations about whether your company has capacity to hire veterans to bring them into your team, your organisation and the natural synergies with community services work. With 500,000 veterans in Australia and 2,500 of those in the Illawarra alone there are opportunities to engage ex service men and women to welcome them into your company to bring their skills and values into your team and organisation.

Lachlan provides much needed words of encouragement gained through his own lived experience “Passion is infectious”, he says, in acknowledging the members of the Illawarra community, like local legend Graham Lancaster, who have supported him on his journey.

Resources:

• Walk with us Kokoda - https://walkwithuskokoda.org.au/

• Raising the Bar Foundation - https://raisingthebar.org.au/

• Man Walk - https://themanwalk.com.au/

• His Boy Elroy – https://hisboyelroy.com.au/ – N.B. Free coffee and cake for veterans Tuesdays and Thursdays. Saturday gym program + Bar Stool Brothers Mens Mental Health Veteran and Mental Health Support Links:

• RSL NSW Veteran Support Navigator - https://rslnsw.org.au/find-help/

• Open Arms – veterans and families counselling - https://www.openarms.gov.au/

• Lifeline Australia - 13 11 14 - https://www.lifeline.org.au/