A $275,000 commitment to support current and former serving military personnel and first responders to access sport and exercise to aid recovery and wellbeing has been awarded by The Hospital Research Foundation Group.
The top-up funding bolsters another two years of the University of South Australia's successful WAVES (Wellbeing for Australian Veterans and Emergency Services) program - formerly the Invictus Pathways Program (IPP) - which offers crucial support to current and former serving military personnel and first responders who face physical, emotional or psychological challenges and injuries from their service.
The two-year funding is a joint contribution from The Hospital Research Foundation (THRF) Group and Military and Emergency Services Health Australia (MESHA, part of THRF Group), granted to UniSA's Allied Health & Human Performance team, which has developed and runs WAVES.
It will enable UniSA to expand the scope of the program and reach even more current and former serving military personnel and first responders, including their family members. The grant will go towards:
- Expanding its streams to now include support for family carers
- Measuring impact and wellbeing indicators across veterans and first responder participants
- Continuing to provide a valued work-integrated learning experience for students.
- Increased training opportunities for students including cultural awareness training for working with military personnel and first responders, and mental fitness training.
MESHA's Program Director Dr Karen May says it will ensure even more current and former serving military personnel and first responders can access this world-first program.
"WAVES has helped hundreds of service men and women with their physical and mental injuries through sport. It's enabled them to set new goals, engage in the community, overcome their challenges and heal from their injuries," Dr May says.
"We're excited to continue this partnership with UniSA and support this life-changing program that continues to reach new heights."
The WAVES program combines structured physical activity and goal setting with a comprehensive approach to recovery, while also using a unique student-delivered style incorporating sport, exercise, allied health services and community adaptive sports.
The program also trains the next generation of health professionals in working together in an interdisciplinary way with clients, and gaining a deeper understanding of service populations and their specific needs and experiences.
UniSA's Professor Gaynor Parfitt, Research Director of the WAVES Program says they are thrilled to receive this funding from MESHA and THRF Group.
"These funds will enable us to employ additional staff to expand the WAVES program and continue supporting the wellbeing of current and former serving military personnel, first responders and their families," Prof Parfitt says.
"The role that current and former serving military personnel and first responders play in supporting the development of the students placed in the program is invaluable, and the reciprocal benefit of this role contributes to the uniqueness of the program."
WAVES has helped hundreds of current and former serving military personnel and first responders since the inception of the program in 2017. The IPP was initially motivated by the spirit of the Invictus Games, harnessing the power of exercise and sport to inspire recovery and wellbeing.
MESHA looks forward to further strengthening its partnership with UniSA to continue UniSA's delivery of vital support and transformative recovery through WAVES for our military members, first responders and their families.
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