CDU staff member attends key Veterans forum in Canberra
A Charles Darwin University (CDU) lecturer and leading researcher into veterans lived experience post-discharge, has presented a snippet of her research at the Female Veterans and Veterans' Families Forum, in Canberra recently.
CDU’s Faculty of Health Social Work Lecturer Hannah Taino-Spick attended the Forum which is hosted by the Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA).
The Forum aims to bring together Veteran and Military families from around Australia to explore areas where their lived experiences can better inform government decision making.
In total, 26 people attended the Forum alongside Executive Leadership from the DVA who observed a variety of presentations and emerging themes impacting Veteran’s families.
Ms Taino-Spick, who is a veteran herself and a military and veteran spouse presented a small part of her broader research at the forum.
“I presented a theme emerging from my research around the complexity and problematic link from service to veteran life and its real-life implications,” Ms Taino-Spick said.
“Attending the Forum provided an opportunity for me to consolidate what I have been researching and analysing.”
“It also allowed me to view the potential of how such research can be applied to another important aspect of ‘knowing’ military and veteran life and that is through the lived experiences of what it means and looks like to be a ‘military and veteran’ family.”
Ms Taino-Spick said the Forum provided an opportunity for her to meet with women who have similar, yet vastly different experiences of military and veteran life.
“It was a great opportunity to meet with such fierce and strong women who share the same vision of wanting to shape and improve the military and veteran space,” Ms Taino-Spick said.
“Showcasing these collective strengths in front of the DVA executive senior leadership is also a moment that cannot be wasted.”
“Events such as these are important to provide space and recognition, whilst strengthening links between the DVA and those experiencing or with experience in service and veteran life, including families.”
“It provides a platform for military and veteran families to be heard and to be actively involved and engaged with the development of a much-needed Defence and Veteran Family Strategy.”
Ms Taino-Spick is highly engaged with the military and veteran space and is a continuing member of several councils and groups across the NT and Australia and provides on-going input into the development of a Defence and Veteran Family Strategy which is currently being developed.