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The Code 9 Foundation

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25.01.2022 As we start to creep closer to things looking normal - we stumbled across this pic and thought we’d ask: What has working from home looked like for you?! #youareneveralone

25.01.2022 In Greg Dean's latest podcast for Code 9, he chats with Nick Turkovich. Nick was a police officer for 25 years with the Anitoch Police Department in California. For 17 of those years he worked night shift in a town that was well known for its high crime rate, drugs and gang violence. And the trauma wasn’t restricted to his professional life - Nick was exposed to a tragic personal incident when he had to shoot his own brother who was threatening to kill his parents. ... Nick was responsible for establishing Anitoch PD's first ever peer support unit and is now the peer support director at the West Coast Post Trauma Retreat that provides a one week residential program for first responders struggling with PTSD. #youareneveralone

25.01.2022 In Greg Dean's latest podcast, he speaks to Julie Werhnyak who he met on his Churchill Fellowship and has since maintained an excellent relationship with. Julie is a 20 year veteran member of Tempe Police Department in Phoenix, Arizona before her retirement in 2016. Her retirement came after she was stabbed in the neck when responding to a welfare check where she found a male stabbing his partner before he turned on Julie. Julie fatally shot the offender and has since rec...overed to be a sought after speaker and runs her own defensive tactics business educating many police departments across the USA. This is a story of one truly remarkable woman. https://soundcloud.com//julie-werhnyak-tempe-police-dept-p

25.01.2022 Wishing all of our Code 9 family a safe and happy Christmas. But understanding that today isn’t easy for everyone, we’re totally pinching this post from the super cool Craig Harper! Merry Christmas.... #youareneveralone

23.01.2022 One of those special moments that really emphasises what is important in life. #youareneveralone

22.01.2022 Thank you Australian Emergency Services Magazine for sharing this reminder of the power of #connection from our Code 9 Ambassador Gill Hicks and Board Member Associate Professor Erin Cotter-Smith. We totally agree, surviving trauma is a constant challenge, some days will be easier than others. But staying connected, having support networks around us and great friendships absolutely helps get through the dark times. #youareneveralone

22.01.2022 This time of year might be all about presents. But some of the most important things can’t be bought. Invest in YOU this festive season ... #youareneveralone

22.01.2022 OK - we love this. If depression may be a dark cloud passing across the sky...but...you are the sky. You are the sky. ... Black clouds will pass. And #youareneveralone

22.01.2022 In the latest podcast for Conversations with the Code 9 Foundation, Greg speaks to Sergeant Stuart Charlesworth who is a Sergeant with the Greater Manchester police. In 2012 Stuart was exposed to one of the worst critical incidents a police officer could attend. He was a supervising Sergeant on the 18 September 2012 when two of his Constables were ambushed and murdered. It took Stuart 4 years to seek help for his mental health and he tells us his story along with how stigm...a contributed to this delay in help-seeking and the importance of early intervention. He is also a Churchill Fellow and is waiting to come to Victoria Police as part of his research. #youareneveralone https://soundcloud.com/code9ptsd/stuart-charlesworth-podcast

21.01.2022 In the latest episode of Roll With The Punches, Code 9 ambassadors Tiffanee Cook and Gill Hicks join me to chat all things friendship and the importance of connection. This was great fun to record! #youareneveralone

21.01.2022 R U OK is offering a free zoom session: Are Your Teens OK? The session is being facilitated by psychologist Ruth Fordyce. ... Ruth will discuss how parents and friends can meaningfully connect with their teenagers to check if they are OK and what they can do if they are not. The session is free, but you need to register. It’s on Wednesday 7th October, from 6:30-8pm. Register using the link in the ad below! #youareneveralone

21.01.2022 Today, Victoria Police have launched an important new suicide awareness campaign: Let’s talk about suicide. The aim of the campaign is to make it easier to talk about suicide openly with our colleagues, families, friends and veterans. It also allows people to get back to work and get their lives back on track. #youareneveralone

20.01.2022 In this episode of "Conversations with The Code 9 Foundation" Erin chats with Mark Dobson. Mark is an operational firefighter with FRNSW and spent seven years as the Well-being Coordinator in Work, Health and Safety. He wrote the first mental health policy for any NSW Government Agency, which led to the Beyond Blue Framework. The framework has now been used by other first responder organisations to modernise workplace mental health programs. Mark has also been awarded an Au...stralian Fire Service Medal (AFSM). He joins us to reflect on how we can best support the mental health and well-being of those involved in emergency and disaster response. #youareneveralone

20.01.2022 Who agrees?! #youareneveralone

20.01.2022 The Victorian Royal Commission into mental health has found that the system operates in crisis mode and has "catastrophically failed to live up to expectations". The report also says that the system is "over-reliant" on medication.

20.01.2022 Massive shout out and congratulations to Aussie Veterans Coffee CO. who won another award for their brew. This time the "Code 9 Police Officer coffee" won a Silver Medal at this years Golden Bean Awards. They also won a bronze for another of their new blends. Head to https://www.aussieveteranscoffee.com/ or order some today.

20.01.2022 Just in case anyone needs to stock up on coffee!! #youareneveralone

19.01.2022 OK - we this! Awesome work Senior Constable Bruce Almighty! #youareneveralone

19.01.2022 Four members of Victoria Police's Sunshine Police Station raised $7,169 to have their heads shaved. To Sgt Dave COLEY, SC Rheace LUEBKER, SC Lani LITTLE and Con Amber JENKINS - our most sincere gratitude to you all for undertaking this. We look forward to seeing the photos from those shiny bald heads!!!! ... The funds raised will go directly back into helping out our members who are suffering from PTSD and their families. You have made an incredible difference is so many members lives. #youareneveralone

18.01.2022 Our thoughts are with our NSW Police Force brothers and sisters with the tragic loss of Senior Constable Kelly Foster. Condolences to Kelly's family, friends and colleagues at this devastating loss. Our thoughts are also with the un-named woman who also lost her life. ... Rest in peace Kelly, your shift is complete.

18.01.2022 Our founder and president Mark had a chat with Tiffanee & Co. Fitness on her podcast "Roll with the punches" about his mental health journey and the foundation. Tiff has had multiple first responders on the pod and is currently working with our awesome paramedics at Ambulance Victoria so be sure to have a listen and give the pod a follow. Thanks Tiff for supporting the first responder community!... #youareneveralone https://anchor.fm//EP41-Code-9----Officers-In-Trouble--Ser

18.01.2022 Love this work by Murphy's of Healesville for one of our retired members. Quality work, thanks crew!!

18.01.2022 From all of us here at the Code 9 Foundation, we wish our entire Code 9 family a safe, happy and healthy new year. #youareneveralone

18.01.2022 #RUSTILLOK? #youareneveralone

18.01.2022 Have you purchased your Code 9 blend coffee as yet? If not or you need some more, now would be an awesome time to do so. Why?, you will then go into the draw to win a customised medal box thanks to our partners at Aussie Veterans Coffee CO. and the very talented crew at Murphy's of Healesville. Head over to Aussie Vets Coffee CO and order your Code 9 blend today!... #youareneveralone

17.01.2022 Happy Monday Code 9 family! And with so many of us facing the prospect of heading back to work this week, we’ve been thinking about the importance of starting out on a positive note. And so, when we stumbled across this great advice from Vex King, we decided it was too good not to share!... Vex tells us that actions speak louder than words - but patterns talk the loudest. This is consistent throughout our life. We manifest significant results from consistent positive action over time we receive what we repeat. The energy we continue to invest in ourselves shapes what our life looks like - and cumulative efforts help us reach our goals over time. And these can be little changes...and they don’t all have to be actioned at the same time! (Note to self - perhaps it ain’t so smart to be trying to give up Diet Coke, donuts, and start intermittent fasting all at the same time?! ) The bottom line is - consistency is our avenue to the changes we wish to see in our life. #youareneveralone

17.01.2022 Interesting article and particularly relevant for first responders working shift work. #youareneveralone

17.01.2022 If you have family or friends in the emergency services find out how you can support them through challenges at work and in life. Download the new R U OK? conversation guide to learn when and how to ask them, Are you OK? and respond appropriately if they say, No, I’m not. Your conversation could change, or even save, their life. ... Visit www.ruok.org.au/triple-ok #youareneveralone

16.01.2022 Will do a few posts prior to the new year on some of our highlights for 2020. Even though as are aligned with and raise funds to sponsor assistance dogs via Assistance Dogs Australia, we are rapt to form a relationship with ODIN K9 who donated a highly trained dog to use this year where we matched with a mentally injured first responder. Much gratitude to Marco and the crew at Odin. Also to Sjm Mclarty who also donated a pup to us where we were able to match to another memb...er. Much gratitude to you to Sue. Through the generosity of others, two first responders now have awesome four legged friends to help them out. In a year where there was so much negativity, these are two seriously bright lights. #youareneveralone

16.01.2022 With 2020 now firmly in the rear-view mirror, all of us here at the Code 9 Foundation are looking forward and thinking of new ways that we can continue to best support our Code 9 family - both this year - and beyond. We will continue to provide educational opportunities and resources like the webinar series and app that we kicked off last year. And we have some awesome new resources in the works just for kids. We’re also putting together some resources for newly diagnosed res...ponders and their families. We will continue to provide online peer support, with a view to branching out into mentor-led, small group peer support. We will continue to provide meals and practical support to families where needed, just so our broader Code 9 family remembers that they are never alone. We will continue with our podcast series, and keep making sure we normalise the mental health conversation in as many forums as we can! We will keep raising money for assistance dogs and collaborating with our awesome partners who make a real-world difference in the day-to-day life of responders. We will continue to support partners and family members and branch out this year to support the parents of responders. And we are super excited to be able to support our first cohort of partners and carers to complete a Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) course this year! And we will absolutely get stepping again later this year to continue to raise awareness for mental health while also burning off some calories! BUT - and this part is up to all of YOU - what else can we be doing? What else would help - in small, medium, large, and even EXTRA LARGE ways? Comment with your suggestions, and we promise to consider every single one of them at our first meeting this year. We are in this for YOU. And we are in it TOGETHER. Remember, when you are part of the Code 9 family, #youareneveralone

16.01.2022 A useful reminder, thank you Yung Pueblo. Healing isn’t about forgetting. Healing is a process and there is no right or wrong way to go about it. And let’s face it - realistically - there’s no right way to forget our traumas and simply heal on past them!... And you know what - we don’t even have to forget. There is no rule book here. We just need to recognise that in some way our experiences have changed us. We may have been wounded - but we have also learned the art of surviving - the art of choosing to live and fight for our happiness. That’s healing. #youareneveralone

16.01.2022 #youareneveralone

15.01.2022 One week to go for our blue colleagues from Sunshine Police Station, Sgt Dave COLEY, SC Rheace LUEBKER, SC Lani LITTLE and Con Amber JENKINS in their effort to raise $5,000 for the foundation by shaving their heads. They are getting close to their target so any assistance and/or share to make other aware would be awesome. #youareneveralone ... https://www.givenow.com.au/crowdrais//shavingforsunshine/

15.01.2022 On 29 September each year we pause to remember police employees who have passed away over the past 12 months. This is a time for members of the community to honour the dedicated men and women who have died serving their community. The Blue Ribbon Foundation also holds Blue Ribbon Day on 29 September to coincide with National Police Remembrance Day. Here in Victoria, COVID-19 restrictions have... required a special online memorial to be held in lieu of a traditional National Police Remembrance Day service. You are invited to join this online service, which will be streamed on Victoria Police YouTube from 10am today. https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCQuJcx_P1YL59QaIyoquYDQ During the service, we will remember and honour the lives of the 24 Victoria Police officers, Protective Services Officers, Police Custody Officers, Victorian Public Service staff and Police Chaplains who have passed away over the past 12 months. #youareneveralone

14.01.2022 Are you the type to make new year’s resolutions? Thinking big? As this The New York Times article suggests, it may be better to start off thinking about smaller and more achievable goals...... #youareneveralone

14.01.2022 We love this advice. Allow yourself the time and space to grow. #youareneveralone

14.01.2022 The votes are in and a big CONGRATULATIONS to the following winners of our coffee competition! Police - Bendigo Family Violence Investigation Unit Ambulance - Hamilton Branch ... Fire - Shepparton A Platoon 000 - Ballarat Charlie Police 1kg of delicious, award winning coffee AND a plunger is coming your way!! Thank you to everyone who voted and a HUGE thank you to Aussie Veterans Coffee CO. for providing all our winners with their fabulous prizes! Don’t worry if your workplace missed out this time, you can still order some coffee from their website aussieveteranscoffee.com Perfect treat or last minute Chrissy gift!

14.01.2022 It was with great sadness today that we learned of the death of one of our first responder family. A New South Wales police officer was found deceased at a Sydney Police station. The father of three-year-old twins and husband to another officer had been in the police force for some 15 years. ... NSW Police have reported that the death is not being treated as suspicious. Our thoughts are with his family, friends, and colleagues who will be feeling the weight of this loss. Please, if you are struggling, talk to someone. Whether it’s professional support, or a chat with a mate, reach out and let someone know that times are tough. And let’s keep reaching in to each other. Check in on your quiet mates and loud mates. Check in on your sick mates and your healthy mates. Check in on your current mates and those you haven’t seen in a while. Check in on your colleagues - past and present. And check in on yourself, mate! #youareneveralone

14.01.2022 Anyone else having one of these days?! #youareneveralone

13.01.2022 Yep. #youareneveralone

13.01.2022 Dear Code 9 Family, This beautiful picture was created by 10 year old Isabella. Recently, Bella had a few tough weeks at school. ... And she responded in a truly inspiring way! She spent all day in her bedroom creating a spectacular self-care wall (did we mention that she is TEN)!!! She made some truly awesome pictures - but this one is totally our favourite, and a great reminder to us all. Bullying is rife - and it is NEVER OK. Can we all please show Bella some love by liking/posting in the comments below. Her Mum will show her! Let’s show Bella that everyone at Code 9 thinks she is pretty AMAZING #youareneveralone (Post shared with permission from Bella and her Mum)

13.01.2022 We are incredibly proud of all the Victoria Police members, who at very short notice deployed to the NSW border. They gave up their Christmas and new years and times with loved ones to protect the state and our gratitude could not be higher. With the permission of all members involved, here is a selection of photos taken by the crews over the last week and a a bit. Well done ladies and gents, we are very proud of you all. ... #youareneveralone

12.01.2022 Great advice from Swiss 8! #youareneveralone

12.01.2022 In the latest episode of Roll With The Punches, our awesome Code 9 Ambassador Tiffanee Cook chats with Board Member Erin Cotter-Smith about vicarious trauma, resilience, and being grateful. Code 9 gets a few mentions! As does our other amazing Ambassador, Gill Hicks! And stay tuned for a Code 9 three-way chat coming soon Tiff, Erin and Gill will be chatting about the importance of friendship for surviving the tough times. ... Have a listen - and while you’re at it - give the podcast series a follow and share! #youareneveralone

12.01.2022 OK, we’re not going to lie, we’re massive fans of Code 9’s new ambassador Tiffanee Cook’s podcasts on Roll With The Punches. But this episode would have to be one of our favorites to date. Tiff chats with Craig Harper and opens up about some stuff that has had a massive impact on her.... We think you are a legend Tiff and you inspire us in a big way! https://www.tiffaneeandco.com.au//ep68-not-what-i-expected

12.01.2022 Follow the link and skip to the 1hr 03min mark to have a listen to our Board Member Julie Scollary talking about the foundation and the 000-9000 step challenge we have running for the month of October. #youareneveralone

12.01.2022 Welcome Steppers, we have been overwhelmed by your support but it’s not too late to join! We already have people out and about logging their steps on day one but there is plenty of time to catch up. Remember you have three weeks to build up to 9000 steps a day - so if you only manage 3000, 5000 or smash the 9000 steps today, any result that gets you moving your butt - is a win. So snap a screenshot of your steps today (it will make a good baseline) and post it below in th...e comments. An email of training tips will follow over up soon www.code9ptsd.org.au/000-9000

12.01.2022 How are you going? Could you use a little extra support right now? Well, who couldn’t right?! Beyond Blue understands the worry and distress many of us are experiencing due to COVID-19...and just life in general!... The good news is, they have a range of awesome support services which help us stay connected during this challenging time. One of these services is NewAccess, which is a free program for anyone who is feeling stressed, anxious or overwhelmed about everyday life issues, such as work, study, relationships, health or loneliness. It’s perfect for supporting people while following safe physical-distancing advice. Their providers offer coaching via video or audio call! Why we love NewAccess! A NewAccess Coach supports you to overcome difficult issues and regain confidence. It’s a free, structured six session program. It provides practical tools to manage everyday challenges. It’s confidential. No doctor’s referral or Mental Health Treatment Plan is required. It’s available via phone or video call (the regular face to face service is currently on hold). So if you would like a bit of extra support today - why not give it a go? #youareneveralone

12.01.2022 A massive shout out to 4Legs Australia who hooked a few of members up with some awesome food for their four legged family members. Incredibly appreciative of their generosity in looking after us. Thanks crew, we have some very happy furry ones dining out now!!

11.01.2022 Love this. Thanks Craig. #youareneveralone

11.01.2022 Yes #youareneveralone

11.01.2022 Challenge yourself! Do you want to do something about those COVID kilos? Are you ready to step up to improve your physical & mental health and at the same time support a great charity that is assisting our first responders living with PTSD?... Then it’s time to go from 000 steps to 9000 steps a day with The Code 9 Foundation! Click below to sign up and take the challenge now! #youareneveralone #000to9000 Www.code9ptsd.Org.au/000-9000

10.01.2022 Well this is ALL the good feels! This is the reason we do what we do here at Code 9 - to make sure our entire Code 9 family feel connected and supported. Thanks so much for the message Mac! ... #youareneveralone

10.01.2022 Stop worrying! Ever had those words uttered to you? The truth is, many of us are worriers. Some of us may even be over-worriers. But here’s a tip - telling us to stop worrying is as useful as telling someone with depression to stop being depressed. Might sound simple in theory - but the root cause can be much more complex.... And here’s the thing - we WISH we could just stop worrying! How nice would it be if it were that easy! Deep down, we probably know that lots of the stuff that we walk around with in our worry-tank isn’t worth the - well - worry! But how do we empty the tank and worry less? It might help a little to know that new research just figured out how much of the stuff we worry about actually comes true. And the average is - around 8.6%. In other words, less than one in 10 things that we worry about is actually worth worrying about. And there's more. For most people in the research study, it turned out that 0% of their worries actually came true! So while some people did have worries come true - most of them didn't have a SINGLE bad thing happen. Louise Murphy, one of Code 9’s newest team members and Research Consultants, encourages us to challenge our worries. Louise tells us that one strategy that is helpful is to ask yourself - what is the evidence for and against my prediction"? When we worry, we generally focus only on the negative. So it can be useful to write out a list of the evidence for and against our belief that the negative outcome will actually occur. Then ask yourself: are you basing your worry on emotion or facts? #youareneveralone

10.01.2022 Identity is such a critical aspect to life and the post below by former ADF Special Forces member Dan Pronk is absolutely on point. Read it and as Tristan from Blind Tiger Yoga says, meditate on it. Learn from it and enact it.

09.01.2022 Know someone who is struggling at the moment? Life during the COVID-19 pandemic hasn’t been easy for anyone, and there's a good chance you have at least one friend or loved one who is doing it tough right now. And one of the best ways we can support each other is through just being there. Just listening.... Listening to hear, not listening to respond. It’s not that sharing your thoughts isn’t helpful; it’s just that it’s so easy to re-shift the focus of a conversation without even realising it. In We Need To Talk, Celeste Headlee cites sociologist Charles Derber’s description of two types of responses that exist in conversations: the shift response and the support response. The shift response draws attention to you; the support response keeps attention on the other person. Here’s what the two responses might look like in practice. The shift response: Friend: I’m so exhausted all the time. You: Ugh, me too. I haven’t been sleeping well at all lately. The support response: Friend: I’m so exhausted all the time. You: Oh? What’s going on in your life? Are you OK? Offering more support responses and fewer shift responses is a good conversational habit in general, but it’s especially helpful when people we care about are going through a rough patch and just need to be heard. #youareneveralone

08.01.2022 Love this. #youareneveralone

08.01.2022 One of our awesome ambassadors Tiffanee & Co. Fitness looking awesome decked out in her foundation kit. We are very grateful to have Tiff on board with us and if you have not already done so, check out her podcast Roll With The Punches. There is stacks of mental and physical health information and inspirational stories being shared. Want some foundation merchandise, head to https://squadzilla.com.au/store/code9/... #youareneveralone

08.01.2022 Totally pinched this from Allan Dignard! #youareneveralone

08.01.2022 This is an incredible article on a much-loved member of our Code 9 family. When I was told I had months to live, the black dog, the suicide dog, jumped off my shoulder and started barking in my face. Yogi stood between us and said, ‘Bugger off, he’s mine’. So the brown lab beat the black dog.... #youareneveralone *please note that the content in this article may be confronting for some.

08.01.2022 OK - loving this from Vex King! #youareneveralone

08.01.2022 Awesome work from one of our Code 9 family - Julie Scollary! And it’s not too late - you can still sign up for the Code 9 000-9000 steps challenge! It kicks off tomorrow! To participate, register now via our website:... https://www.code9ptsd.org.au #youareneveralone

08.01.2022 Yep, pretty much! #youareneveralone

08.01.2022 Time to get up & move those COVID kilos? Improve your mental health as you gain fitness. Support first responders living with PTSD Increase your daily step count gradually up to 9000 steps a day, over the month of October whilst supporting The Code 9 Foundation. Click the link for details how to participate. ... Let us know below if you’re in and up for the challenge! #youareneveralone #000to9000

07.01.2022 2020, what a year for so many different reasons. For us though, COVID-19 certainly caused us some issues, however we were still able to: - book in the first batch of partners and carers for our first (of many) certified mental health first aid courses with Carers Victoria, all paid for by the foundation. - start to identify our first batch of first responders, active and retired, who we will put through the first (of many) mental health first aid courses;... - book in a partners and carers lunch that will be held at a country estate enabling some much needed rest and a social day out; - widen our committee with Greg Dean, Erin Smith and Kym Scherf formally coming onto the committee; - run a hugely successful 000-9000 steps campaign; - sponsor our first Assistance Dog, Codey; - have a feature segment on the 7.30 report; - undertake several radio interviews about the foundation; - launch a podcast series; - strengthen out partnership with Aussie Veterans Coffee CO. which resulted in our own blends of coffee launched; - with thanks to Blind Tiger Yoga, one of our members undertook Yin Yoga and Yoga Nidra teacher training to feed back into the first responder community; - place a number of dogs donated to us with mentally injured members, because you know, dogs are awesome; - with thanks to the Firefighters Charity Fund Melbourne, ran a series of psychological first aid webinars and one webinar specifically tailored towards the partners and carers; - launched a series of micro-learning modules around mental health and resilience on EdApp (smart phone application). Has been a great year, all things considered and 2021 promises to be even bigger and better.

07.01.2022 From all of us here at the foundation, we want to wish everyone a very safe and merry Christmas. To our first responder brothers and sisters who are working this afternoon, tonight or tomorrow, are on duty at quarantining hotels, on border control duty, working the Ambulance, responding to fires or taking the 000 calls, we thank you for giving up your Christmas to keep our community safe. We want to acknowledge our partners and supporters and also wish them and their staff a... very merry Christmas. Aussie Veterans Coffee CO. Blind Tiger Yoga Break Ground Developments Breakthrough Ride Triple Zero Fit The GIFT Artful - Web, Print, Design Firefighters Charity Fund Melbourne Leroy Mac Designs And we cannot forget our awesome ambassadors Gill Hicks and Tiffanee Cook - have an awesome Christmas ladies!!!

07.01.2022 Get around our colleagues in blue as they raise funds for the foundation by shaving their heads in the name of Victoria Police members who have lost their lives. Sgt Dave COLEY, SC Rheace LUEBKER, SC Lani LITTLE and Con Amber JENKINS have kindly volunteered to partake in having their heads shaved if we make a total of $5,000 - lets help them get to 5k!!!! #youareneveralone... https://www.givenow.com.au/crowdraiser//shavingforsunshine/

07.01.2022 This is ALL the good feels! Another Code 9 Care Package went out recently to a Code 9 family. This is why we do what we do! So none of our family members ever feel alone. ... We are a charity and we are staffed by volunteers - and the reason we can continue to do this is because of the awesomely generous donations we receive from all of you superstars! And as long as your donation is $2 or more, and you make it to a deductible gift recipient charity (like Code 9!!) you can claim the full amount of money that you donated on your tax return. WIN WIN!!! #youareneveralone

06.01.2022 Communication goals! #youareneveralone

06.01.2022 Incredible work by the uber talented Lucy (find on Insta @helga_dot_rings) who hand made this awesome piece. Lucy is a great supporter of the foundation so if you are after this style ring or have an idea for a real personalised piece of jewellery, message Lucy and discuss. One seriously talented ring maker. ... Thank you Lucy. Appreciate your support and skill! #youareneveralone See more

06.01.2022 This Thursday R U OK Day are hosting a free interactive online event for practical tips and guidance from industry professionals and experts on how to have a co...nversation with and provide support to police and emergency service workers when they're confronted with challenges at work and in life. This event is for Emergency service workers, their family and friends. It will also be recorded in case you can't attend. #emergencyservices #mentalhealth #RUOK

05.01.2022 You can take steps to help first responders living with mental health conditions resulting from their service to the community by registering for The Code 9 Foundation 000-9000 Step Challenge fundraiser this October. "There’s still a great stigma out there about mental health and not speaking up, it’s fairly common and we know if there is an incident that happens in Bendigo, there will be a ripple effect from that incident that will affect many of the emergency service work...ers that attended that casewe very much want to support those involved in a single event or accumulative events," said Code 9 Board Member and former paramedic Julie Scollary. You can find out more and register here: https://bit.ly/344A7q0

05.01.2022 From all of us here at Code 9, we are sending out a massive congratulations to Tristan (Blind Tiger Yoga ) and Keely (@keeoninsta) on their engagement. We are incredibly grateful for the huge contribution both Tristan and Keely have made to promoting and supporting mental health and wellbeing within the first responder community. We could not be happier for the two of them!... #youareneveralone

05.01.2022 Code 9 founder and president, Mark Thomas, and Gavin Thompson stood at the boundary fence this weekend, watching the cricket as former players often do on Saturday afternoons. They also spoke about mental health - their battles with it - and their quest to help others. Thomas said he and Thompson were two blokes who have been through mental health journeys and are still going through it’’.... He said while they had sought help, many others still struggle to reach out. Stigma is still something we need to address, says Thomas, who also said that we need to move beyond 1990s thinking. This idea that it’s weak to put your hand up is complete crap,’’ Thomas said. #youareneveralone

05.01.2022 We are very proud to be teaming up with Carers Victoria and putting 10 partners and carers of first responders suffering from PTSD and other mental health conditions through an accredited mental health first aid course. The first course is booked in for mid January 2021 and as we are committed to assisting this critical cohort as best we can, we will be taking part in several more courses throughout the year. By giving the partners and carers further education in mental he...alth, they will be better equipped to support their loved ones, the ones they care for and critically and pretty close to most importantly, themselves. Far to often the partners and carers put their families and others in front of themselves, however it is time for us to put these incredibly resilient, courageous and tough crew first. #youareneveralone

04.01.2022 Years ago, American cultural anthropologist Margaret Mead was asked by a student what she considered to be the first sign of civilisation. Mead considered the question, then offered her answer. A femur, she said, that had been broken and then healed. Mead went on to explain that in the animal kingdom, if you break your leg, you die. You cannot run from danger, get to the river for a drink or hunt for food. You are meat for prowling beasts. No animal survives a broken leg ...long enough for the bone to heal. "A broken femur that has healed is evidence that someone has taken time to stay with the one who fell, has bound up the wound, has carried the person to safety and has tended the person through recovery. Helping someone else through difficulty is where civilisation starts, Mead said. We love that idea. #youareneveralone

04.01.2022 To everyone who has supported us with donations, this is how you help us help others. This Code 9 Care Package went out recently to a Code 9 family - just a little way for us to provide some support when times get a little tough. So to everyone who helps make this possible - a massive thank you! ... And to anyone who would like to help us keep helping - you can make a donation below. Every cent donated goes directly towards helping us support first responders and their families when they need it most. #youareneveralone

04.01.2022 Tonight, one of our Code 9 family, Greg Dean, gave a powerful presentation at the Emergency Services Foundation 2019 scholarship showcase. Greg presented alongside representatives from the Red Cross, SES and FRV - all had completed very different projects but some key themes really came through overall. Our approach to supporting #mentalhealth and #wellbeing within the #emergencyservices sector needs to be holistic, proactive, and focused on early identification and int...ervention for those at risk of mental health injury. #Stigma remains a significant barrier to engaging in help-seeking behaviours and we need to reach in rather than waiting for people to reach out. Greg proposed an innovative and contemporary initiative for intervening early and preventing mental health injuries in the sector with his idea for a holistic retreat. The importance of supporting the mental health of not just first responders but also their families was recognised. Moving forward, we need an evidence-based and proactive approach to supporting well-being within the emergency services sector. Thanks to Greg - and Tiana, Marcus and Dennis - for their efforts in advancing the knowledge base and for making meaningful contributions to this important space. #youareneveralone

04.01.2022 OK, love this. No matter how things may seem at times, if we can just find one little thing to be grateful for, we can stay positive - optimism survives. Thanks for the reminder Michael J. Fox.... #youareneveralone

04.01.2022 How good is this!!!! We were contacted, via The Police Association Victoria by Marco from www.odink9.com who informed us that he had an awesome highly trained dog, Creed, that unfortunately did not quite make the mark of their advanced dog training program. Instead of selling Creed, Marco offered Creed to us, free of charge, for one of our members who was in need of a dog, because as you all know dogs are awesome. ... So after some matchmaking was done, Creed found a new home in Northern Victoria, on acreage and from all accounts is loving life...and his new family, well they are just over the moon with the new addition to the family. We are just so incredibly grateful to Marco and the team at OdinK9 whose incredibly generosity has genuinely made a first responder family smile and that, is priceless.

04.01.2022 ONLY 3 DAYS TO GO!! Get your votes in now for our Code 9 Christmas Coffee Competition and you could WIN 1kg of premium coffee from Aussie Veterans Coffee CO. AND a plunger! ... Comment below with the name of your workplace & get your friends/family/workmates on board! The boring stuff: 1. Competition runs from 1st - 15th December 2020. 2. There is one workplace winner for each service - police, fire, ambulance and 000. 3. The workplace with the most votes in each service at the end of the competition period wins. 4. Each winner will receive a 1kg bag of coffee and one coffee plunger. 5. Competition is open to all operational members of Fire Rescue Victoria, Victoria Police, Ambulance Victoria and ESTA only. 6. For ease of entries, please enter your workplace in full eg Dandenong Fire, St Kilda Police. Please DO NOT use abbreviations or station numbers eg SCN900, FS14 ESTA only - given there are only 3 comms centres, you will need to nominate your specific service, shift & location. eg B shift Fire Tally Ho 7. The Code 9 Foundation has the final decision in all matters related to this competition. 8. This competition is not endorsed, sponsored or administered by Facebook.

03.01.2022 $1860 last year, $1850 this year. Again, a massive shout out to Sgt Jen Hamilton of NT Police for her incredible support of the foundation and raising an incredible amount of funds. Jen - you are awesome!!!!... #youareneveralone

03.01.2022 Tragically we lost one of our own yesterday with a Victoria Police member succumbing to his inner demons. Out of respect to his family, fiancé, friends and colleagues we will not name the member however suffice to say, we are thinking of them and will assist in any way possible. In these tragic times, if you are struggling please reach out to gain some assistance. All relevant numbers can be found here - https://code9ptsd.org.au/support/get-support.html... Rest in peace blue brother, your shift is done.

02.01.2022 Another weekend is upon us and for those that in lockdown, another weekend of not being able to do to much. It is hard, it is difficult, it is draining and for many, it is mentally damaging. It is a cliche, but laughter is the best medicine. Do yourself a favour and put on a TV show or a movie that you know will give you a great laugh. ... It won't solve all the issues but it will give you some respite. Linked in an article from Resilience Builders, a quick snappy read that breaks down the power of laughter. https://resiliencebuilders.com.au//why-laughing-makes-us-/

02.01.2022 Happy birthday to one of our fave dogs Jimmy (Jimmy, PTSD and Me). This is why we do what we do, sponsoring these amazing Assistance Dogs Australia dogs enables our severely mentally injured members get some of their lives back and that, is priceless. #youareneveralone

02.01.2022 Wow. Take a few minutes out of your day to listen to this. Hold your own by Kae Tempest.... #youareneveralone

01.01.2022 Make sure you get around Roll With The Punches tomorrow when our very own Erin has a chat with our ambassador Tiff. This will be one seriously good listen!!

01.01.2022 Ever wonder why change can be SO hard? Sometimes one of the key ingredients that is needed for success is self-compassion. We are so often quick to judge ourselves. To push ourselves. To tell ourselves that we aren’t enough.... And then we beat ourselves up when we don’t succeed - all too often going into a challenge already equipped with reasons for our expected failure: We’re not fit enough, skinny enough, fast enough, tough enough.....good enough. Well here’s an idea How about switching up the inner narrative and showing ourselves some love and compassion! a) We deserve it! b) Science actually tells us that when we shame ourselves, we shut down the learning centres inside our brain. So we actually set ourselves up for failure from the outset. BUT - when we treat ourselves with kindness and compassion, we actually turn these leaning centres ON. And guess what, that helps us change and grow So go on, show yourself some kindness RIGHT NOW. Tell yourself at least one thing you are proud of. And then make it a daily ritual. Start your day off by turning the compassion inwards. And if you’re interested in learning more about this, this book is an awesome read #youareneveralone

01.01.2022 Looking for a great Christmas gift that gives back? This year, why not consider giving a gift that will help support our first responders with mental health conditions and their families? You can now make a donation and we will send you one of these great personalised certificates that you can put under the tree! (See comments).... It's easy, once you have made your donation (using the link below) send us a message including your donation details and we will email you a completed certificate. After such a challenging year - this is a great way to give back to those on the frontline. #youareneveralone

01.01.2022 Paul McFarlane, Senior Chaplain at NSW Ambulance, will be part of a panel on Thursday exploring how to have a conversation with, and provide support to First Responders when they are confronted by challenges at work and in life. This event is FREE and is for emergency services workers, volunteers and their family and friends. You can find out more info by clicking on the link below.... #youareneveralone