A couple of weeks ago Beeac Group in District 6 decided to change things.
The inaugural captains night off was held at the Forrest Hotel in Forrest. It was attended by eleven members, including captains and officers from Beeac Group.
They discussed the current challenges and obstacles they face in their CFA roles in a casual environment. It gave the volunteers an opportunity to talk about their concerns and also to improve teamwork and mental health awareness.
"We've seen quite a few positive outcomes already, one of them being a fantastic number of crews attending the group exercise," said GTO Ronnie Brown. "It was an opportunity to provide feedback in a relaxed social environment without any pressure.
"Just being able to socialise with fellow officers who understand the issues each of us face was also stated as being much appreciated."
Supported by the catchment team and funded by the Volunteer Sustainability Team, we hope to make this an annual opportunity for the groups in District 6. The district office has also received some valuable feedback following the night about how we can better support our volunteers.