Coming soon…“Disruptive Thinking: Adventures in Australian Veteran Support”

Van de Velde, JA, “Disruptive Thinking: Adventures in Australian Veteran Support”, Women’s Perspectives on the Solution Focused Approach: International Applications and Interventions Paperback – 25 July 2024, Jacqui von Cziffra-Bergs (Editor), Anne-Marie Wulf (Editor)

ABSTRACT

The politics and culture of the veteran support sector in Australia make it a challenging place to operate. Even though many millions of dollars are allocated to veteran support by the government annually, the outcomes for veteran health and wellbeing are not commensurate with the spend. There is a crisis in veteran health, family breakdown, and suicide. The Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide is underway and already the interim report is pointing the way to a series of reforms. The sector needs a shake up. The legislative framework needs to be redrafted. Our thinking about how we create a truly veteran centric support sector will benefit from the gift that Solution Focused practice and modelling provides. Adopting Solution Focused practices in this sector is to step carefully and boldly because the  minefields, egos and policy screw ups are intense. Solution focused practices are not roses, rainbows and unicorns. However they can help shape holistic veteran care covering: service provider selection, negotiating working relationships with less than supportive organisations, and herding cats. You are always herding cats.

ORCID 0009-0005-6578-2335