The Importance Of Garda Welfare and Support

m4j

Hi,

I suppose this is directed to all members, their families and friends. I am very interested and active in regard to Garda Welfare (supporting the need for a Therapeutic Confidential Support Service for all members) having helped members who have suffered in silence as a direct result of their experiences and would love to know how members feel about this area of the job?

I value the guides issued in regard to posting on this site and anyone who may contact me privatly will be assured complete confidentiality.

Many Thanks

TheNog

In the Garda College we were constantly warned about the effects of traumatic situations such as RTA's, sudden deaths, suicide etc. The instructors promoted the idea of talking to a peer or seek help if an incident particularly affects a member and ridiculed the old way of drinking in hope of forgetting.

My dad, since retired, was greatly affected with some things he saw. Things like almost being killed by a IRA bomb, a dead baby etc. Awful things

m4j

Thanks so much for responding, the horror stories are truely dreadful in regards to members not feeling supported are feeling like they can't say how the job affects them, such issues as your father felt seem common place. Its very frustrating that for a service that we should value above all else that such issues are ignored and seriously not addressed. The truth is its those that can openly state how they are affected are the ones with the greatest level of good mental health and with the greatest level of potential to get over trauma that befalls them, I believe however that it can be very difficult to discuss such issues and the culture of drink8ing etc is strong still.

Its an organisation that frowns on this area, it is however refreshing to hear that it is discussed in training.

I have very clear ideas of how to address this vital area but wonder what others think overall?

Thanks again for writing, how is it now going for you, is it all you thought it would be?

Fyr.Fytr

I'm sure alot of the emergency services were the same until recently.

It seems the old motto was you signed up for the job, get on with it

Glad times have changed for the better

m4j

Fyr.Fytr wrote: »

I'm sure alot of the emergency services were the same until recently.

It seems the old motto was you signed up for the job, get on with it

Glad times have changed for the better

Hi Fyr. Fytr, the sad thing is other than the important issue being discussed in Templemore as said by Nog I dont think things have changed. within the other Emergency Services there is a much more open approach to such supports.

I get the impression in the organisation its self there is a fear of approaching this subject as may some believe it will see an opening of compensation claims etc for those that didn't get such support like in the PSNI in recent years i.e some 5000 claimants now fighting such cases.

The truth is very different as to support people in their roles is very positive and benifical in all regards.

rossi1093

Hi m4j,
On the issue of welfare, how do you suggest dealing with cases of bullying of junior members in stations by more senior members? this is an ongoing problem and one which is very difficult to deal with as it is often the case that the victim of the bullying feels extremely isolated unable to tell anyone.
Dealing with rta's , deaths etc. is one area that needs to be covered but i feel that cases of bullying can also be extremely detrimental to both the victim's health and career.

Eru

rossi1093 wrote: »

Hi m4j,
On the issue of welfare, how do you suggest dealing with cases of bullying of junior members in stations by more senior members? this is an ongoing problem and one which is very difficult to deal with as it is often the case that the victim of the bullying feels extremely isolated unable to tell anyone.
Dealing with rta's , deaths etc. is one area that needs to be covered but i feel that cases of bullying can also be extremely detrimental to both the victim's health and career.

Couldnt agree more. You see it in every station, guys doing things that arent on but because they are connected, in a click or senior nothing is said and theres no way to deal with it as reporting would only make it worse.

The answer is with senior officers, mainly skippers as they see and hear most things even if they pretend they dont

If there was a way for it too be discreetly handled I think that would go a long way, confidential reporting for a starter.

As for the rest, this job is a macho job and thats the way many see it. The attitude of getting on with it or not letting it effect you is still there. They have to say what they say in templemore but stations are different. Peer support and even private consultations organised through the job is about as discreet as an elephent in a pink dress walking down Grafton street.

Doesnt matter why or how, mention a mental issue or seek any form of official help and the mud has stuck.

One thing I will say positive is that some guys are being proactive and offering support to others if they think its needed but in a hush hush way.

m4j

The issue of bullying has been published in Sunday papers and spoken about at many levels, it is a horrible factor that is proving to be very challenging to deal with, issues such as looking for support or members who may be Homosexual etc are forced to conceal such issues for fear of bullying, it was reported that an incidence of suicide many years ago was related to bullying.

I dont really know how to change this other than demanding polices etc to weed out such acts, education and confidential lines to address these issues are vital, from the stand alone support service I favour, I would see this as being able to report on such incidences in general, advise on policy change etc all without actually involving the member in distress.

There is nothing more frustrating than knowing that these issues happen daily but as the organisation is set up in such away these people are protected to a point, you hear of members being in trouble for having a cup of tea at the end of their shift or keeping a fridge in a security box at the front of a government building and being reported for same, minor issues taken to the extreme but then you never really hear of the open level of bullying going on, research has shown this to be a factor but were is the research now???

Its a nightmare in regard to a Job that is difficult enough...

m4j

Here is that Article Link as requested. http://www.stresskills.net/2007/11/irish-indopendent-article-by-sarah.html

m4j

A very BIG Thank YOU to all who have kindly PMED me or made contact through the stresskill.ie site. I am really happy to publish any article or post that you want to have displayed in regard to your experiences etc that may help others in need. It is an information site very much for you as members and those suffering Stress and Trauma etc within the workforce.

The level of response and kind words continues to show the importance of this issue and has given me the encouragement to keep raising it on your behalf.

Thank you again.:)

fermoyboy

m4j wrote: »

Its an organisation that frowns on this area, it is however refreshing to hear that it is discussed in training.

It was discussed in training too when I was down there 10 years ago. Doesn't mean a thing once you come out into the real world of working in a station. As someone said above it's a macho job and people don't wanna be showing what may be classed as a 'weak side' by looking for help.

It doesn't help either that sometimes if you do go looking for help from a welfare officer you are met with a member who is on the easy street career path and will promise you the world yet do nothing for you!!

Trojan911

An excellent thread, but it should be aimed at all emergency services, in my opinion.

I'm sure there are pracitises in place for such events, however, I'm also sure not all practices are put into place.

All emergency services will deal with traumatic experiences in their day to day events.

From the Fire Officer pulling a burnt body out of a house (alive or dead), an Ambulance Service member trying to resusitate a person to a Police Officer trying to do all of the above & more the coast guard pulling a dead body from the sea & the Mountain Rescue retrieving a dead body.

Events that the general public may never see in their lives nor ever hear about them or will they understand.

A person may have just dealt with a traumatic experience which effects him/her & would not let on how traumatic it was to them because of fear of ridicule amongst their colleauges and may hold that pent up trauma within.

Some may go & seek counselling, others may not. Ill trained supervisors will be ignorant of the suffering of that person & that could reflect on the persons later performance.

It's not a macho job. It's a job that is predominately seen as a macho job by the public & it dosen't make a person weak because they cannot handle it. It makes them human, & with help from the appropriate services they may make it back again.

m4j

"it dosen't make a person weak because they cannot handle it. It makes them human, & with help from the appropriate services they may make it back again".

Very well said, your dead right this thread should in fact include all emergency service staff, an over sight on my part when asking the question at the start. The AGS have a little bit of a different set up in regard to the current supports that are there for staff, evidence shows that this alone may not be the way forward and that members want a stand alone confidential support service, this example may well extend to the whole emergency service sector, the likes of staff in the AE services in one Northside Hospital only have one part time EAP officer.

Its a farce really overall, here are some of the most dangerous and challenging jobs in the country that requires above all else for each member of staff to have good mental health yet its an area ignored, pushed under the carpet and ridiculed if raised.

It really is time for change, if we dont as a country value these services how can we expect them to value themselves......