Victorian Vice-President's Report

A good friend and colleague recently pointed out to me that it was important to ensure ‘you have your own oxygen mask on before you can help anyone else’ the analogy was just what I needed to hear at the time. As the term progresses, the APF strongly encourage all of our members to make sure your mask is well and truly on and you are taking every opportunity to look after your own needs. A reminder that if you do find yourself in need of extra support, the  Department of Education’s Employee Wellbeing Support Services, delivered externally by Converge International, provides free and confidential advice to support your wellbeing proactively. 

Eligible department staff can make appointments to receive tailored support across 8 different service streams and 6 specialist helplines. These services include: 

• Employee Assist provides support and counselling for various personal and work-related issues. 
• Manager Assist provides dedicated coaching support and advice to people managers on staff wellbeing matters, having difficult conversations, developing your leadership competencies, leading through change and any other people management matters
• Career Assist provides career development advice, interview skills support and vocational counselling
• Nutrition & Lifestyle Assist provides specialist advice on nutrition, sleep, mindfulness, addictive behaviours and positive lifestyle changes
• Conflict Assist provides strategies, tools and coaching to deal with difficult workplace and personal situations. This is not a replacement for the conflict resolution support service available to staff currently
• Money Assist provides money management coaching to help staff address their financial wellbeing
• Legal Assist provides confidential legal advice for personal and non-work-related issues in the following areas of law: personal family law, wills/probate, tenancy/renting, real estate and consumer disputes.
• Family Assist provides counselling for eligible staff and their immediate family members (aged 18 and over) needing support with personal concerns. 

To access these confidential services, please call 1300 291 071 or book online via the Converge portal or mobile phone app with the organisational code mywellbeing

All services are free and confidential; further information has been included here: 

Putting you first - Employee Wellbeing Support Services