Mental Health and Wellbeing
WIRES volunteers play a vital role in rescuing, rehabilitating and conserving wildlife. We recognise that many volunteers naturally place the needs of animals first, often above their own.
To continue caring for wildlife over the long term, it’s important to also look after your own health and wellbeing. We encourage all volunteers to seek support for themselves and others whenever it’s needed.
If you, or someone you know, may benefit from extra support, please consider speaking with your GP. GPs can provide access to up to 10 Medicare-subsidised counselling sessions.
There are also many other helpful mental health and wellbeing resources available. We will continue to add links and information to this page as they become available, creating a shared repository of support for our volunteers.
For support within WIRES, please contact the WIRES Volunteer Support Manager at vsm@wires.org.au
If you or someone close to you is in distress or in immediate danger, please call 000 as soon as possible.
Black Dog Institute (BDI)
BDI have a free mental health support service for emergency service workers (including licensed wildlife rescuers and carers): The National Emergency Worker Support Service (NEWSS).
Support groups: Find a support group near you.
Presentation to WIRES (November 2021): Professor Richard Bryant from the Black Dog Institute
More Resources
- Fortem Australia offers wellbeing and mental health support services for first responders and families. Please visit fortemaustralia.org.au or call 1300 339 594.
- R U OK? Conversation Flow Chart
- MyCompass: A mental health tool that works around your schedule.
- This way up: Learn practical tools to take care of your mental health. This initiative is attached to St Vincent’s Hospital and the free courses are available to everyone, not just those of us in the WIRES community.
- Crisis Support - Lifeline Australia: 13 11 14
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Crisis Support: 13YARN
- Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636
- Domestic Violence Advocacy Services: 1800 938 227
- NSW Gov Dept of Communities and Justice: Crisis numbers and helplines
- Health Direct - Symptom Checker