Participants needed for community trauma support

By Eden Hynninen

THE KILMORE Community Emergency Support Team are calling for participants to join in a discussion on community trauma at a workshop on July 31.

CEST coordinator Paddy Devine hopes the workshop will develop awareness of the nature of trauma in the community and what might constitute an emergency or crisis.

“As part of the Kilmore Community Centre, the idea was that we would try and grow a team of people who – on an as required basis – would come together and help coordinate a local response to an emergency or crisis that impacts the community,” he said.

“We see the CEST complementing the roles of council, emergency services and other organisations, as being a point of contact and coordination in the event of an emergency.

“So we are trying to create a network for the Community Emergency Support Team.

“This team is like a node that is a link between all community groups like sporting clubs, other volunteer organisations, hospitals and schools.”

Mr Devine hopes representatives from different groups attend the workshop and that they or someone they know can be a point of contact for future coordination.

“In the workshop we’re planning to use a fictional scenario as a vehicle for discussion and developing awareness of the nature of trauma within the community,” he said.

“We will be asking questions like ‘how do we respond?’ or ‘what do we need to know?’ in the event of a crisis or emergency impacting the community.”

The workshop is from 7pm-9pm at the John Taylor Room at the Kilmore Library and is supported by the Australian Red Cross, Kilmore Community Centre and the Mitchell Shire Council.

For more information on the event, contact Paddy Devine on 0400 499 863 or devine6@bigpond.com