ABOUT US
Principles
Mission
To be the principal research entity in Australia and New Zealand that addresses the social health and wellbeing and needs of veterans and their families.
To be an internationally recognised centre of leading-edge research, knowledge sharing and thought leadership on the life-long health and wellbeing of current and former servicemen and servicewomen and their families.
Become Australia and New Zealand’s dedicated research centre on veterans’ and families’ wellbeing and social health, contributing research, advocacy, policy advice and knowledge translation to government, service providers and the wider community;
Become a preferred provider for the DVA and Defence in relevant research areas;
Establish relationships with international research partners and develop opportunities for collaborative research and knowledge transfer;
Create holistic approaches to integrate wellbeing and social determinants research and approaches with mental health research;
Coordinate and distribute information and research on veteran wellbeing and health;
Raise the currency, and use of, wellbeing, social health and social determinants research in veterans’ and families’ transition, integration and policy and practice;
Cultivate research that is co-designed and co-conducted with veterans’ lived experience.
Plan and conduct basic and applied research that informs policy formation and evidence-informed service provision for veterans and families across the life course;
Develop a collaborative partnership (co-design) model of research in Australia and New Zealand that addresses current and emerging issues and needs in transition and wellbeing across the life course;
Develop and grow the capacity to provide high-quality expertise in policy development, service provision, clinical intervention, community development and research.
Support knowledge translation and diffusion initiatives on wellbeing, social health and social determinants research in Australia and New Zealand for government, service providers, advocacy organisations, ex-service organisations and the wider community.
WAYS WE RESEARCH
Meaningful Work. Genuine Outcomes
COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY RESEARCH THEMES
The collaboration of interdisciplinary researchers across Flinders University, and South Australia, who can develop collaborative research endeavours in this area.
A distinct strategy for attracting and averaging more and larger research income into Flinders University.
Development of strategic and productive partnerships with external agencies promoting mutual benefit in the leverage of funding.
Research with the impact to address problems and change practice in real-world settings, such as private practices and government and non-government services.
Build a national and global reputation in translational research in veteran transition, health and wellbeing, which will create new opportunities for funding and collaboration.
Capacity building in this area with development of future leadership through developing research leaders and supporting HDR students.
College Themes
The Initiative will be accommodated within the Órama Institute for Mental Health and Wellbeing. This Initiative addresses all four of Órama’s themes: ‘across the lifespan’; ‘education, community and services’; ‘psychological disorders, trauma and sleep’; and ‘wellbeing and resilience'. This Initiative will establish the practices of co-design and participatory action research with the veteran sector on the subject of veteran transition, as well as expand into other areas of research. A principal aim is to expand into the field of research, policy and service provision for the wellbeing of public safety officers/first responders (e.g. police, paramedics, fire officers, SES).
UNIVERSITY PARTNERSHIPS AND THE VETERAN SECTOR
This Initiative links the university, government, industry, advocacy and the wider veteran sector around the subject of veteran transition, integration and wellbeing. The research team will engage with the veteran sector in partnerships of practice and research using action research and co-design. The Veteran Transition Research Group is engaging with other universities including UniSA, Adelaide University, UNSW ADFA, Otago University, New Zealand and University of Western Australia. These are universities at which members have existing research relationships. We intend to build these relationships in three ways. The Initiative will:
develop its research relationships with South Australian universities to build South Australia as a site of research excellence, and to approach the SA veteran sector as a preferred provider;
develop its relationship with other Australian universities to be part of a growing research capacity in Australia; and
develop its relationship with international universities, in the first instance Otago University, to build Australia and New Zealand as the base for regional research capacity.
The Initiative intends to become the principal clearinghouse for information and opportunities in Australasia.
The Initiative will be advised by a sector-wide group including:
The DVA, VANZ and Veterans SA: key government organisations addressing veteran transition, health and wellbeing;
RSL NSW, RSA (NZ) and a prominent ex-service organisation (e.g. DFWA, RARA): building our ex-service organisation currency and involvement;
Gallipoli Medical Research Foundation: to link with other veteran health research agencies;
Defence Industry and ADF Representative: to connect with the transition employment sector and the ADF itself as the organisation where transition originates; and
Veterans & Families Research Institute for Military Social Research at Anglia Ruskin University (UK): to establish our international connections and contribute to the international research agenda.
Would you like to support our efforts?