The Synod Peer Support Team
We live in times of increasing exposure to traumatic events within our community. As a result of such events, Ministry Agents and Congregations may be affected by trauma, either directly or vicariously, as members of the community affected, or in seeking to care for people within it.
Ministry during a time of Disaster or major trauma can, and often does, take a lasting toll on ministry agents. These can range from natural disasters such as bushfire, to “man-made” disasters including major transport disasters, mass-shootings or terrorism attacks. Intense exposure to a broken community affects their capacity not just to fulfil their calling in ministry, but to have a holistic life, for years to come.
For the minister, dysfunction as a result of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and related issues may affect not only his or her congregation, but the minister’s relationships, family life and, potentially, a series of congregations throughout a person’s working life. 1
This is an issue of duty of care for the church itself. If ministry agents are to be exposed to ministry in traumatic circumstances (even in situations beyond the church’s control) every effort must be made by their church body to ensure their well-being during and after such events.
The Concept of a Peer Support Team
Nearly all emergency services, including volunteer organisations such as the Rural Fire and State Emergency Services, have established a network of ‘peers’ who are trained to support members who have been traumatised in the conduct of their work. These peers are responded, on request, to conduct debriefings and be available for follow-up following Critical Incidents which have affected, or have the potential to affect the ability of the members to function.
This model has proven most useful beyond the emergency services. The Salvation Army has recently established a peer support team to care for its officers and corps in such circumstances.
The Team
A team of peers from within the Uniting Church NSW/ACT Synod has been recruited from ministers who have operated as volunteer emergency service chaplains or had experience in disaster-oriented trauma ministry.
These people have been trained and continue to be equipped to respond to a traumatised community and minister, in the name of the UCA. They support the work of the local church and ministry agent as it recovers and seeks to support the affected community.
Members of the team work in conjunction with the Synod and Presbytery to ensure that the church gives due duty of care to those affected during, and after, the event.
The peer support team is supported by an appropriately trained and experienced psychological practitioner, who is involved in both training and debriefing.
Activation
After a major traumatic event, the peer support team is activated by the Moderator (Chair of the Synod Disaster Recovery Committee), through the team coordinator, who assesses the level of need relating to numbers or rotation of peers required. In major situations such as ongoing disaster recovery the peers will most often be responded and rotated in pairs for mutual support. On return they receive debriefing from the team psychologist, and follow up from the team coordinator.
The Peers’ Activity
The peers, having been trained in the issues which arise for ministry agents in these situations, provide practical help and encouragement, strategies and resources for ministry, and much-needed care during the impact phase and early recovery phase. They are equipped with liturgical material to equip the local minister or Ministers' Fraternal in the conduct of Memorial Services for a community. In the days and weeks afterwards, those of the team who have been engaged in the situation may provide contact by phone or visits if appropriate. This occasional "long distance" contact would be maintained for up to three years. 2
Footnotes
1. In a recent DMin Dissertation entitled “Ministry in Disaster Settings: Lessons from the Edge” Stephen Robinson interviewed parish ministers and chaplains who had been involved in Disaster Ministry. Every one of them had suffered some form of Post-Trauma dysfunction. Some had lost, or nearly lost their ministry as a result of this exposure. On some occasions more than one congregation was affected negatively before the minister received any form of intervention. In some cases, intervention was far too late to be helpful.
2. Research has shown that it is often on the first, and sometimes, second anniversary of a disaster that a community recognises the depth of trauma it has experienced. It is often at that stage that real care needs to be available.
