Open Arms celebrates the success of Shoulder to Shoulder
More than 1,200 veterans and the families and carers of veterans from around Australia have joined Open Arms’ Shoulder to Shoulder online forums. These anonymous online spaces were set up to create strong supportive networks and help to improve overall mental health and wellbeing in the veteran community.
The partnership between Open Arms and Sane Australia has also delivered a series of free webinars featuring advocates for the veteran community whose own lived experience helps raise awareness of the challenges and the support that is available.
Veteran Family Commissioner and Defence widow Annabelle Wilson, who recently took part in a nationwide webinar, hopes the Shoulder to Shoulder forums will only continue to grow in numbers.
‘It is such a valuable way for people who have experienced the same challenges to connect with others who understand what they are going through,’ Annabelle said. ‘I have navigated challenges that affected my wellbeing and I also know how much connection and peer support made a difference and still makes a huge difference for me.’
Annabelle understands only too well how important it is to reach out for support. She was 7-and-a-half months pregnant with daughter Primrose when her veteran husband Josh lost his health battle in 2017. Overcome by grief, trauma and a deep sense of injustice with the system, she later sought help from Open Arms.
‘The post traumatic recovery I’ve experienced has been immense,’ Annabelle explained. ‘I was able to see my therapist weekly, whereas I wasn’t able to do that previously because I couldn’t afford it. ‘I’ve learnt a lot about myself and I’ve done a lot of work on my grief journey.’
She describes her role as Veteran Family Commissioner as an ‘honour’ after nearly 2 decades as a member, lobbyist and advocate for the veteran community.
‘I have grown up in this community, these are my peers,’ she said. ‘I’ve also been able to put my own experience aside and to think rationally about what I want to do to help the veteran community. My work is guided by a simple belief: families deserve systems that show up when they are needed most.’
Learn more about the forums
The 2 online Shoulder to Shoulder forums provide anonymous, peer-led spaces where people can connect, share experiences and feel understood by others who ‘get it’.
To help make them even more relatable and accessible, they were co-designed with the veteran community and trauma experts. They are moderated by mental health professionals and can be accessed 24/7 on any device.