DFA ACT & Southern NSW | Non-profit organisation

DFA ACT & Southern NSW

Phone: +61 419 333 101

Add/Update information

Reviews

Tags

• Businesses
• Non-profit organisation

24.01.2022 Even though 2020 is most definitely not the year many of us had planned, sometimes it's good to try and stop to think about some positives. An article from our friends at Open Arms about 15 reasons to feel positive about 2020. If you are struggling to feel positive, it can help to talk to someone. You can call Open Arms for support 24/7 on 1800 011 046.... https://www.openarms.gov.au//15-reasons-feel-positive-abou

24.01.2022 We spoke with Andony Chambers recently, one of the state Directors at Open Arms. We wanted to know some of the ways ADF partners and members can reach out for help with their mental health. Open Arms provides mental health and wellbeing support for current and ex-serving Australian Defence Force personnel and their families.... https://dfa.org.au//24/making-the-decision-to-call-open-a/ #MentalHealth #ReachOut #DefenceFamilies #DefenceLife

24.01.2022 Shoalhaven Defence Families Beach Day ! See the flyer below for details. Tickets available here: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/sdfa-family-beach-day-ticke

24.01.2022 With many of us spending even more time online, it's important to be aware of internet scams. https://www.abc.net.au//identity-theft-soars-with/12558622

23.01.2022 For those in Canberra, some useful information from the Community Services Directorate. Stay safe, and stay warm this weekend. https://www.communityservices.act.gov.au/connect-in-canberra... In a year that has tested all aspects of Canberra’s wellbeing, Canberrans have pulled together and risen to the challenge. We have been reminded of our responsibilities to each other and the power of community. The Community Services Directorate has developed the Wellbeing Calls Service and Connect in Canberra to keep the community informed and connected through COVID-19. The Wellbeing Calls Service is provided by the Australian Red Cross and is available to all ACT residents who would like to register for a free phone call. Canberrans can call the service on 02 6234 7630 between 8am and 4pm weekdays or register for a call by completing the CSD SmartForm found on the website. Not having someone to talk to regularly can be lonely and isolating. A friendly chat on the phone at a time that suits the resident can make all the difference. The calls will connect people with a friendly Red Cross volunteer who can call the resident once or regularly to check-in and see how they are doing. The resident will be given an initial phone call that will take an average of 30 minutes to 1 hour in time. The resident is given the option of follow up calls at the resident’s frequency of choice. The calls can be provided in various languages and if at any time operator detect that the resident is in difficulty in any way or if they are unable to obtain voice contact, the operators are trained to escalate the call according to the individual’s need. Connect in Canberra is an information hub to help you stay in the loop, keep connected, be part of your community and get assistance and support if you need it. We’ve pulled together information from across Government and the community in a range of areas, from finding the right support, to getting involved in your community, to keeping occupied and active. At Connect in Canberra you can find contact details for a range of support services, apply for emergency food relief and get assistance in accessing the supports you need.

22.01.2022 If anyone in our community needs additional help there are several places you can go to find support. Safe Zone Support is completely anonymous.

17.01.2022 Sadly, today is my last day with DFA. Coming into the role as a Navy spouse of 14 years I thought had a reasonable amount of knowledge from first-hand experience of life as a Defence family. This role has taught me so much more; every family’s journey is unique and some experience more bumps along the road than others. To the families in my region, I would like to thank you for reaching out and trusting me with your feedback. I hope I have managed to play some small par...t in easing some of the bumps in this road for those of you that have reached out for assistance and advocacy. I would also like to say a big thank you to all the Commands, stakeholders and organisations in the region who support our Defence families, for taking time out of their busy schedules and meeting with me, allowing me to voice the concerns of families and listening to the feedback I have provided to them over the years. To the awesome team at DFA who are a collective brainstrust, wealth of experience and dedicated advocates for Defence families, I will miss you all, but I have no doubt that in Defence life, our paths will cross again. I would like to introduce my replacement, Victoria Dixon. I am leaving in the knowledge that the region will be in capable hands. Please welcome Victoria and take the time to say hello either in an online format, or in person when possible.

17.01.2022 Have you heard of Bravery Trust? We talked to them recently about their work and who they support. https://dfa.org.au/2020/07/30/we-talked-to-bravery-trust/ #DefenceFamilies #Veterans #Support #BraveToAsk #BraveryTrust

16.01.2022 The ADF Community has a wonderful group of Community Centres around the country. Find your local one here https://www.defence.gov.au/DCO/Community/default.asp... #DefenceCommunity #DefenceLife #Community #Connection

16.01.2022 2020 has been challenging for so many reasons. Please know that for ADF members and their families, there is help available should you or someone you know need it. Please consider sharing this with your networks. #MentalHealth #ReachOut #ReachIn #TalkToSomeone #Support

15.01.2022 'Regular deep breathing practice can become an automatic response to stress, allowing you to gain control of your physical reactions in high pressure situations and increase positive responses.' Sometimes it pays just to stop and breath. Read more from Open Arms... https://www.openarms.gov.au//keep-calm-and-try-controlled- If you are struggling to feel positive, it can help to talk to someone. You can call Open Arms for support 24/7 on 1800 011 046. VisionPic .net from Pexels

13.01.2022 We are pleased to announce that Defence Health has joined our Defence Partner Friendly Employment Program. 'I feel incredibly lucky that my role with Defence Health has travelled with me from my husband’s posting to Adelaide, then to Toowoomba and now to Brisbane. It is a great organisation to work for and one that continues to support me personally and professionally.' Debra - Defence Health employee and ADF Partner... 'Working in this role gave me the opportunity to develop in my chosen field of community engagement but it also gave me the flexibility to balance the military demands placed on my family.' Nicola - Defence Health employee and Partner of a Veteran Read more about Debra and Nicola's stories here https://dfa.org.au//defence-health-a-defence-partner-frie/ #ADFPartnerEmployment #DefenceHealth #Careers #Jobs

12.01.2022 Do you have to quarantine on posting? Does the thought of this terrify you? Not so according to Katie who has kindly written a blog post on her experience in quarantining with 3 children under 5. ... From Katie... 'Supermarket orders are worth organising. My kids are like fruit bats, but we only get 1 fresh piece of fruit a day so that definitely went on our order. The meals only come between certain times and my kids are snack queens, so adding all their favourite snacks to the order made life easier. Then there was also the problem of the kids not liking what was served. ' Read more of Katie's tips for quarantining. https://dfa.org.au/2020/09/22/quarantine-2020-style/ #DefenceFamilies #DefenceLife #Quarantine2020 #Posting #QuarantineLife #FightClub #WineWasConsumed

12.01.2022 The 2019 ADF Families survey told us that 72% of ADF families prefer to get information about Defence support resources to an email inbox. Did you know we send out a quarterly newsletter straight to your inbox? Subscribe at our website to The Advocate... www.dfa.org.au Read more about the survey here https://dfa.org.au/our-advocacy/adf-family-survey/ #DefenceFamilies #Community #Newsletter #WaysToConnect #TheAdvocate

12.01.2022 '...the rewarding nature of volunteering for such a worthy organisation is amazing. I have developed friendships through volunteering for the organisation.' - Thanks to Sophie for chatting to us about volunteering with Kookaburra Kids. Read more https://dfa.org.au//08/04/volunteering-for-kookaburra-kids/... #DefenceFamilies #MentalHealth #Support #KookaburraKids #Volunteering #DefenceCommunity #ThankYou https://kookaburrakids.org.au/

12.01.2022 Last few tickets are available for HMAS Harman Christmas Carols today at 5pm. https://www.trybooking.com/BLYUW

11.01.2022 Our friends at the ADF Consumer Centre have come up with some ways to survive the festive season when it comes to money. #DefenceFamilies #Budgets #ThinkAhead https://adfconsumer.gov.au/surviving-festive-season/

11.01.2022 The news cycle is working faster than we can ever remember. Rules about where we are allowed to go and what we are allowed to do are changing all the time. We do know of some families where postings have been cancelled, postponed, or are looking different to what was expected.... It’s safe to say nothing about 2020 has been expected. What happens if you are getting posted during this time? https://dfa.org.au//27/postings-during-covid-19-restricti/ #DefenceFamilies #Posting #DefenceLife #COVID19

10.01.2022 Defence Housing Australia has created a virtual posting presentation that includes information about: Accessing online services Housing options Vacating a property ... Occupying a new property Remember to read your tenant handbook to understand all of your responsibilities: https://www.dha.gov.au/docs/publications/tenant-handbook.pdf

10.01.2022 Are you new to Defence Life? Did you know we have a list of phone numbers and organisations to call if you need support? https://dfa.org.au/get-help/... We have also produced three informative webinars for Army, Navy and Air Force partners about what Defence Life might look like for you. Find recordings and summaries here. https://dfa.org.au/webinars-2/ We are all partners of current serving members. If you need us to advocate for you, we are here for you. #DefenceFamilies #DefenceLife #Support #Advocates

09.01.2022 We have been asked by the PostingConnect team to share this with our families. PostingConnect will be available from 1st of September 2020 for all full time ADF members undertaking a domestic posting that includes a relocation. Once available, eligible posting members will be emailed on the Defence PROTECTED Network with an invitation to use the platform within a week of receiving their Posting Order.... Once the member has set up their PostingConnect account they can invite a nominee (a family member, friend or colleague) to assist them with completing posting tasks. To find out more, visit the PostingConnect website at https://ext.defence.gov.au/postingconnect. #DefenceFamilies #Posting #InformationSharing

09.01.2022 'Volunteering offers vital help to people in need, worthwhile causes, and the community, but the benefits can be even greater for you. It can help you to find friends, connect with the community and learn new skills.' We recently talked to Kristina (Adelaide/Woodside Coordinator) about her volunteer role with the Defence Special Needs Support Group Inc. https://dfa.org.au//volunteering-at-defence-special-needs/... #DefenceFamilies #Volunteering #Community Photo is of Kristina and our SA National Delegate, Keely.

07.01.2022 The ADF partners that are involved in the community centres are such a passionate group, their enthusiasm for creating community and connecting people is something else. With the pandemic they have had to 'pivot' online to help support their local communities. We spoke to Hannah from Cairns recently who did exactly that by organising the Defence Race Around Australia. ... Congrats also to the Cairns Defence Community Support Group who won a recognition award at the RSL International Women's Day awards in recognition of the work done for the defence families voted for by the families. Read more https://dfa.org.au//cairns-defence-community-support-group/ #DefenceFamilies #Community #Cairns #Support #ADFPartners

07.01.2022 Travelling over the holidays? There are a few extra things you might need to think about this year. Here are some tips from the ADF Consumer Centre https://adfconsumer.gov.au/travelling-during-covid/... #DefenceFamilies #DefenceLife #COVID19 #Travel #Holidays Katherine place of dreams on Unsplash

04.01.2022 It was terrific to speak with Darren Chester MP and his advisors, Emma and Rachel about our advocacy work for ADF families today online. We discussed COVID-19 l...ockdowns and border closures, and the impact these are having on ADF families. These measures while necessary are particularly difficult for those families and ADF members who are separated because of deployment or MWDU*. We talked about the different support options available for families. We also presented our findings from the feedback from teachers who are partners of serving members. Thank you to those who reached out and provided examples of the frustrations faced when posting interstate and securing teaching work. We also discussed other avenues to help support ADF partner employment such as contracts for on-base services. #DefenceFamilies #AdvocatingForADFFamilies #COVID19 #ADFPartnerEmployment *MWDU - Member with Dependents Unaccompanied

04.01.2022 Australians want to spend their hard earned income as locally as possible. The preference seems to be when given the choice we would prefer to #buylocal and #supportsmallbusiness In a Defence Family context that translates to getting your hair cut or eyebrows done by a fellow ADF Partner, or buying a box of cupcakes to take to your work morning tea made by the ADF Partner down the street. Read more... https://dfa.org.au///25/the-changing-world-of-work-part-2/ See more

01.01.2022 The Changing World of Work "What this means for Defence Families who are potentially posted to regional locations is there is an already increasing demand on local businesses therefore an increase in local jobs, or alternatively for the civilian partner to continue working in their current role with their current employer in the new location utilising their employers' new remote work provisions." Read more here in our latest blog post... #ADFPartnerEmployment #Jobs #Careers #Postings https://dfa.org.au///21/the-changing-world-of-work-part-1/